of himself: "I, Cennino di Drea Cennini da Colle of Valdelsa, was
instructed in this art for twelve years by Agnolo di Taddeo of
Florence, my master, who learned the art of his father Taddeo, whose
godfather was Giotto and who was Giotto's pupil for twenty-four
years. This Giotto transmuted the art of painting from Greek into
Latin, and modernised it, and it is certain that he gave more
pleasure than any one else had ever done." These are Cennino's very
words, by which it appears that as those who translate from Greek
into Latin render a very great service to those who do not understand
Greek, so Giotto, in transmuting the art of painting from a style
which was understood by no one, except perhaps as being extremely
rude, into a beautiful, facile, and smooth manner, known and
understood by all people of taste who possess the slightest judgment,
conferred a great benefit upon mankind.
All these pupils of Agnolo did him the greatest credit. He was buried
by his sons, to whom he is said to have left the value of 50,000
florins or more, in S. Maria Novella, in the tomb which he had made
for himself and his descendants, in the year 1387. The portrait of
Agnolo by his own hand may be seen in the chapel of the Alberti in S.
Croce in the scene in which the Emperor Heraclius is bearing the
cross; he is painted in profile standing beside a door. He wears a
small beard and has a red hood on his head, after the manner of the
time. He was not a good draughtsman, according to the evidence of
some sheets from his hand which are in our book.
Berna, Painter of Siena.
If the thread of life of those who take pains to excel in some noble
profession was not frequently cut off by death in the best years,
there is no doubt that many geniuses would attain the goal desired by
them and by the world. But the short life of man and the bitterness
of the various accidents which intervene on every hand sometimes
deprive us too early of such men. An example of this was poor Berna
of Siena, who died while quite young, although the nature of his
works would lead one to believe that he had lived very long, for he
left such excellent productions that it is probable, had he not died
so soon, he would have become a most excellent and rare artist. Two
of his works may be seen in Siena in two chapels of S. Agostino,
being some small scenes of figures in fresco, and in the church on a
wall which has recently been demolished to make chapels there, a
scene of a young man led to punishment, of the highest imaginable
excellence, the representation of pallor and of the fear of death
being so realistic that it merits the warmest admiration. Beside the
youth is a friar who is consoling him, with excellent gestures, and
in fine the entire scene is executed with such vigour as to leave no
doubt that Berna had penetrated deeply into the horror of that
situation, full of bitter and cold fear, since he was able to
represent it so well with the brush that the actual event passing
before one's eyes could not move one more. In Cortona, besides many
things scattered up and down the city, he painted the greater part of
the vaulting and walls of the church of S. Margherita where the
Zoccolanti friars now are. From Cortona he proceeded to Arezzo in the
year 1369, at the very time when the Tarlati, formerly lords of
Pietramela, had finished the convent and church of S. Agostino, under
the direction of Moccio, sculptor and architect of Siena. In the
aisles of this building where many citizens had erected chapels and
tombs for their families, Berna painted in fresco in the chapel of St
James, some scenes from the life of that saint. Among these the most
remarkable is the story of the cozener Marino, who through love of
gain had contracted his soul to the devil and then recommended his
soul to St James, begging him to free him from his promise, whilst a
devil shows him the deed and makes a great disturbance. Berna
expresses the emotions of all these figures with great vigour,
especially in the face of Marino, who is divided between his fear and
his faith and confidence in St James, although he sees the
marvellously ugly devil against him, employing all his eloquence to
convince the saint. St James, after he has brought Marino to a
thorough penitence for his sin, promises him immunity, delivers him
and brings him back to God. According to Lorenzo Ghiberti, Berna
reproduced this story in S. Spirito at Florence before it was burned,
in a chapel of the Capponi dedicated to St Nicholas. After these
works Berna painted a large crucifix in a chapel of the Vescovado of
Arezzo for M. Guccio di Vanni Tarlati of Pietramela, with Our Lady at
the foot of the cross, St John the Baptist, St Francis la a very sad
attitude, and St Michael the archangel, with such care that he
deserves no small praise, especially as it is so well preserved that
it might have been made yesterday. At the foot of the cross, lower
down, is the portrait of Guccio himself, in armour and kneeling. In
the Pieve of the same city he did a number of stories of Our Lady for
the chapel of the Paganelli, and there drew from life a portrait of
St Ranieri, a holy man and prophet of that house, who is giving alms
to a crowd of poor people surrounding him. Again in S. Bartolommeo he
painted some scenes from the Old Testament and the story of the Magi,
and in the church of S. Spirito he did some stories of St John the
Evangelist, drawing his own portrait and those of many of his noble
friends of the city in some figures there. When these labours were
completed he returned to his native city and did many pictures on
wood, both small and great. But he did not remain there long, because
he was invited to Florence to decorate the chapel of St Nicholas in
S. Spirito, as mentioned above, and which was greatly admired, as
well as to do some other things which perished in the unfortunate
fire at that church. In the Pieve of S. Gimignano di Valdelsa he did
in fresco some scenes from the New Testament. When he was on the
point of completing these things he fell to the ground from the
scaffolding, suffering such severe injuries that he expired in two
days, by which art suffered a greater loss than he, for he passed to
a better sphere. The people of S. Gimignano gave him honourable
burial in that Pieve, with stately obsequies, having the same regard
for him when dead as they had entertained for him while alive, while
for many months they were constantly affixing to the tomb epitaphs in
the Latin and vulgar tongues, for the people of those parts take a
natural pleasure in _belles lettres_. This then was the fitting
reward of the honourable labours of Berna, that those whom he had
honoured with his paintings should celebrate him with their pens.
Giovanni da Asciano, who was a pupil of Berna, completed his work and
did some pictures for the hospital of the Scala at Siena. In Florence
also he did some things in the old houses of the Medici, by which he
acquired a considerable reputation. The works of Berna of Siena were
produced about 1381. Besides what we have already said, he was a
fairly facile draughtsman and the first who began to draw animals
well, as we see by some sheets by his hand in our book, covered with
wild beasts of various parts, so that he merits the highest praise
and that his name should be honoured among artists. Another pupil of
his was Luca di Tome of Siena who painted many works in Siena and in
all Tuscany, but especially the picture and chapel of the Dragomanni
in S. Domenico at Arezzo. The chapel is in the German style and was
very handsomely decorated by that picture and by the frescoes
executed there by the skill and talent of Luda of Siena.
Duccio, Painter of Siena.
There is do doubt that those who invent anything noteworthy occupy
the greatest share of the attention of historians, The reason for
this is that original inventors are more noticed and excite more
wonder, because new things always possess a greater charm than
improvements subsequently introduced to perfect them. For if no one
ever made a beginning, there would never be any advance or
improvement, and the full achievement of marvellous beauty would
never be attained. Accordingly Duccio, a much esteemed painter of
Siena, is worthy to receive the praise of those who have followed him
many years after, since in the pavement of the Duomo of Siena he
initiated the treatment in marble of figures in chiaroscuro, in which
modern artists have performed such wonders in these days. Duccio
devoted himself to the imitation of the old style and very
judiciously gave the correct forms to his figures, overcoming the
difficulty presented by such an art. Imitating the paintings in
chiaroscuro, he designed the first part of the pavement with his own
hand; and painted a picture in the Duomo which was then put at the
high altar and afterwards removed to make room for the tabernacle of
the body of Christ which is now seen there. According to Lorenzo di
Bartolo Ghiberti, this picture was a Coronation of Our Lady, very
much in the Byzantine style, though mingled with much that is modern.
It was painted on both sides, as the altar stood out by itself, and
on the back Duccio had with great care painted all the principal
incidents of the New Testament in some very fine small figures. I
have endeavoured to discover the whereabouts of the picture at the
present time, but although I have taken the utmost pains in the
search, I have not succeeded in finding it or of learning what
Francesco di Giorgio the sculptor did with it, when he restored the
tabernacle in bronze as well as the marble ornaments there. At Siena
Duccio did many pictures on a gold ground and an Annunciation for S.
Trinita, Florence. He afterwards painted many things at Pisa, Lucca
and Pistoia for different churches, which were all much admired and
brought him much reputation and profit. The place of his death is not
known, nor are we aware what relations, pupils or property he left.
It is enough that he left to art the inheritance of his inventions in
painting, marble and chiaroscuro, for which he is worthy of the
highest commendation and praise. He may safely be enumerated among
the benefactors who have increased the dignity and beauty of our
craft, and those who pursue investigations into the difficulties of
rare inventions, deserve a special place in our remembrance for this
cause apart from their marvellous productions.
It is said at Siena that in 1348 Duccio designed the chapel which is
on the piazza in front of the principal palace. It is also recorded
that another native of Siena called Moccio, flourished at the same
time. He was a fair sculptor and architect and did many works in
every part of Tuscany, but chiefly at Arezzo in the Church of S.
Domenico, where he made a marble tomb for of the Cerchi. This tomb
supports and decorates the organ of that church, and if some object
that it is not a work of high excellence, I reply that it must be
considered a very fair production seeing that he made it in the year
1356 while quite a youth. He was employed on the work of S. Maria del
Fiore as under architect and as sculptor, doing some things in marble
for that structure. In Arezzo he rebuilt the Church of S. Agostino,
which was small, in its present form, the expense being borne by
heirs of Piero Saccone de' Tarlati, who had provided for this before
his death at Bibbiena in the territory of Casentino. As Moccio
constructed this church without vaulting, he imposed the burden of
the roof on the arcading of the columns, running a considerable risk,
for the enterprise was too bold. He also built the Church and
Convent of S. Antonio, which were at the Faenza gate before the siege
of Florence, and are now entirely in ruins. In sculpture he decorated
the gate of S. Agostino at Ancona, with many figures and ornaments
like those which are at the gate of S. Francesco in the same city. In
this church of St Agostino he also made the tomb of Fra Zenone
Vigilanti, bishop and general of the order of St Augustine, and
finally the loggia of the merchants in that city, which has from time
to time received, for one cause and another, many improvements in
modern style, and ornamentation of various descriptions. All these
things, although very much below the general level of excellence of
to-day, received considerable praise then owing to the state of
information of the time. But to return to Duccio, his works were
executed about the year of grace 1350.
Antonio, Painter of Venice.
There are many men who, through being persecuted by the envy and
oppressed by the tyranny of their fellow-citizens, have left their
native place and have chosen for a home some spot where their worth
has been recognised and rewarded, producing their works there and
taking the greatest pains to excel, in order, in a sense, to be
avenged on those by whom they have been outraged. In this way they
frequently become great men, whereas had they remained quietly at
home they might possibly have achieved little more than mediocrity in
their art. Antonio of Venice, who went to Florence, in the train of
Agnolo Gaddi, to learn painting, so far acquired the proper methods
that not only was he esteemed and loved by the Florentines, but made
much of for this talent and for his other good qualities. Then,
becoming possessed by a desire to return to his native city and enjoy
the fruits of his labours, he went back to Venice. There, having made
himself known by many things done in fresco and tempera, he was
commissioned by the Signoria to paint one of the walls of the Council
Chamber, a work which he executed with such skill and majesty that
its merits should have brought him honours and rewards; but the
rivalry, or rather the envy, of the other artists, together with the
preference accorded by some noblemen to other and alien painters,
brought about a different result. Hence poor Antonio, feeling himself
repelled and rebutted, thought it would be as well to go back to
Florence, deciding that he would never again return to Venice, but
would make Florence his home. Having reached that city, he painted in
an arch in the cloister of S. Spirito the calling of Peter and Andrew
from their nets, with Zebedee and his sons. Under the three arches of
Stefano he painted the miracle of the loaves and fishes, exhibiting
great diligence and love, as may be seen in the figure of Christ
Himself, whose face and aspect betray His compassion for the crowd
and the ardent charity which leads Him to distribute the bread. The
same scene also shows very beautifully the affection of an apostle,
who is very active in distributing the bread from a basket. The
picture affords a good illustration of the value in art of always
painting figures so that they appear to speak, for otherwise they are
not prized. Antonio showed this on the façade in a small
representation of the Fall of the Manna, executed with such skill and
finished with such grace, that it may truly be called excellent. He
next did some stories of St Stephen in the predella of the high altar
of S. Stefano at the Ponte Vecchio, with so much loving care that
even in illuminations it would not be possible to find more graceful
or more delicate work. Again he painted the tympanum over the door of
S. Antonio on the Ponte alla Carraia. This and the church were both
pulled down in our own day by Monsignor Ricasoli, bishop of Pistoia,
because they took away the view from his houses, and in any case even
if he had not done so, we should have been deprived of the work, for,
as I have said elsewhere, the flood of 1557 carried away two arches
on this side, as well as that part of the bridge on which the little
church of S. Antonio was situated. After these works Antonio was
invited to Pisa by the wardens of the Campo Santo, and there
continued the series dealing with the life of St Ranieri, a holy man
of that city, which had been begun by Simone of Siena and under his
direction. In the first part of Antonio's portion of the work is a
representation of the embarkation of Ranieri to return to Pisa, with
a goodly number of figures executed with diligence, including the
portrait of Count Gaddo, who had died ten years before, and of Neri,
his uncle, who had been lord of Pisa. Another notable figure in the
group is that of a man possessed, with distorted, convulsive
gestures, his eyes glistening, and his mouth grinning and showing his
teeth, so remarkably like a person really possessed that nothing more
true or life-like can be imagined. The next picture contains three
really beautiful figures, lost in wonder at seeing St Ranieri reveal
the devil in the form of a cat on a tub to a fat innkeeper, who looks
like a boon companion, and who is commending himself fearfully to the
saint; their attitudes are excellently disposed in the style of the
draperies, the variety of poses of the heads, and in all other
particulars. Hard by are the maidservants of the innkeeper, who could
not possibly be represented with more grace as Antonio has made them
with disengaged garments arranged after the manner of those worn by
the servants at an inn, so that nothing better can be imagined.
Nothing of this artist gives more pleasure than the wall containing
another scene from the same series in which the canons of the Duomo
of Pisa, in the fine robes of the time, very different from those in
use to-day and very graceful, receive St Ranieri at table, all the
figures being made with great care. The next of his scenes is the
death of the saint, containing fine representations not only of the
effect of weeping, but of the movements of certain angels who are
carrying his soul to heaven surrounded by a brilliant light, done
with fine originality. In the scene where the saint's body is being
carried by the clergy to the Duomo one can but marvel at the
representation of the priests singing, for in their gestures,
carriage, and all their movements they exactly resemble a choir of
singers. This scene is said to contain a portrait of the Bavarian.
Antonio likewise painted with the greatest care the miracles wrought
by Ranieri when he was being carried to burial, and those wrought in
another place, after his body had been deposited in the Duomo, such
as blind who receive their sight, withered men who recover the use of
their limbs, demoniacs who are released, and other miracles
represented with great vigour. But one of the most remarkable figures
of all is a dropsical man, whose withered face, dry lips, and swollen
body exhibit with as much realism as a living man could, the
devouring thirst of those suffering from dropsy and the other
symptoms of that disease. Another marvellous thing for the time in
this work is a ship delivered by the saint after it had undergone
various mishaps. It contains an excellent representation of the
activity of the mariners, comprising everything that is usually done
in such case. Some are casting into the greedy sea without a thought
the valuable merchandise won with so much toil, some are running to
preserve the ship which is splitting, and in short performing all the
other duties of seamen which it would take too long to tell. Suffice
it to say that all are executed with remarkable vigour, and in a fine
style. In the same place beneath the lives of the holy fathers
painted by Pietro Laurati of Siena, Antonio did the bodies of St
Oliver and the Abbot Paphnuce, and many circumstances of their lives,
represented on a marble sarcophagus, the figure being very well
painted. In short, all the works of Antonio in the Campo Santo are
such that they are universally considered, and with good cause, to be
the best of the entire series of works produced there by many
excellent masters over a considerable interval of time. In addition
to the particulars already mentioned, Antonio did everything in
fresco, and never retouched anything _a secco_. This is the reason
why his colours have remained so fresh to the present day, and this
should teach artists to recognise the injury that is done to pictures
and works by retouching _a secco_ things done in fresco with other
colours, as is said in the theories, for it is an established fact
that this retouching ages the painting, and the new colours which
have no body of their own will not stand the test of time, being
tempered with gum-tragacanth, egg, size, or some such thing which
varnishes what is beneath it, and it does not permit the lapse of
time and the air to purge what has been actually painted in fresco
upon the soft stucco, as they would do had not other colours been
superimposed after the drying. Upon the completion of this truly
admirable work Antonio was worthily rewarded by the Pisans, who
always entertained a great affection for him. He then returned to
Florence, where he painted at Nuovoli outside the gate leading to
Prato, in a tabernacle at Giovanni degli Agli, a dead Christ, with a
quantity of figures, the story of the Magi and the Last Judgment, all
very fine. Invited next to the Certosa, he painted for the
Acciaiuoli, who built that place, the picture of the high altar,
which survived to our own day, when it was consumed by fire through
the carelessness of a sacristan of the monastery, who left the censer
hung at the altar full of fire, which led to the picture being burnt.
It was afterwards made entirely of marble by the monks, as it is now.
In the same place this same master did a very fine Transfiguration in
fresco on a cupboard in the chapel. Being much inclined by nature to
the study of herbs, he devoted himself to the mastery of Dioscorides,
taking pleasure in learning the properties and virtues of each plant,
so that he ultimately abandoned painting and devoted himself to
distilling simples with great assiduity. Having thus transformed
himself from a painter into a physician, he pursued the latter
profession for some time. At length he fell-sick of a disorder of the
stomach, or, as some say, through treating the plague, and finished
the course of his life at the age of seventy-four in the year 1384,
when the plague was raging in Florence. His skill as a physician
equalled his diligence as a painter, for he gained an extensive
experience in medicine from those who had employed him in their need,
and he left behind him a high reputation in both arts. Antonio was a
very graceful designer with the pen, and so excellent in chiaroscuro
that some sheets of his in our book, in which he did the arch of S.
Spirito, are the best of the age. Gherardo Starnini of Florence was a
pupil of Antonio, and closely imitated him, while another pupil of
his, Paolo Uccello, brought him no small credit. The portrait of
Antonio of Venice by his own hand is in the Campo Santo at Pisa.
Jacopo di Casentino, Painter.