The Lives of the Painters, Sculptors & Architects, Volume 1 (of 8)Vasari, Giorgio
History
The Lives of the Painters, Sculptors & Architects, Volume 1 (of 8)
Vasari, Giorgio
Art, Italian; Artists -- Italy -- Biography
district, as being the principal house of that body, he conceived a
longing to have a beautiful picture made in that place. Accordingly
he sent for Spinello, remembering how well he had been served upon
other occasions, and induced him to do the picture for the principal
chapel. Here Spinello produced a large number of figures in tempera,
both small and great, on a gold ground, with great judgment, and
afterwards caused it to be framed in an ornament in half-relief by
Simone Cini of Florence, while in some parts he put an additional
ornament with stucco of a rather firm glue, which proved very
successful. It was gilded all over by Gabriello Saracini, who wrote
at the bottom the three names: Simone Cini of Florence did the
carving, Gabriello Saracini the gilding, and Spinello di Luca of
Arezzo the painting, in the year 1385.
On the completion of this work, Spinello returned to Arezzo having
received numerous favours from the general and other monks, besides
his payment. But he did not remain long there for the city was in
disorder owing to the feuds of the Guelph and Ghibelline parties and
was just then sacked. He removed with his family and his son Parri,
who was learning painting, to Florence, where he had a goodly number
of friends and relations. In that city, in order to pass the time, he
painted an Annunciation in a tabernacle outside the gate at S. Piero
Gattolini on the Roman road, where the way branches to Pozzolatico, a
work which is now half destroyed, and other pictures in another
tabernacle, where the ruin of Galluzzo is. Being afterwards invited
to Pisa to finish in the Campo Santo beneath the life of St Ranieri
the remainder of other subjects in a blank space, in order to unite
them to the scenes painted by Giotto, Simone of Siena, and Antonio of
Venice, he there executed in fresco six stories of St Petitus and St
Epirus. The first represents the saint as a young man, presented by
his mother to the Emperor Diocletian, and appointed general of the
armies which were to march against the Christians. As he is riding
with his troop Christ appears to him, and showing him a white cross
commands the youth not to persecute Him. Another scene represents the
angel of the Lord giving to the saint, while he is riding, the
banner of the Faith, with a white cross on a red field, which has
ever afterwards constituted the arms of the Pisans, because St Epirus
had besought God to give him a sign to wear against the enemy. Next
to this is another scene of a fierce battle engaged between the saint
and the Pagans, many armed angels fighting for the victory of the
former. Here Spinello produced many things worthy of consideration in
that day when art had not yet the ability nor any good method of
expressing the ideas of the mind in colour in a lively manner. Among
many other things in this composition are two soldiers, who have
seized each other by the beard, and are endeavouring to kill each
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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