DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57409#0104
38
LIVES OF THE ARTISTS.
nicle of the erection of this church, now in the possession of
the fathers of Santa Maria Novella, as well as in the history
of Villani.* I was unwilling to omit these few details respect-
ing this church and convent, because they are among the
principal and most beautiful of Florence ; and also, because
there are found in them, as will be shown hereafter, many
excellent works of the most renowned artists that have lived
in earlier times, f
MARGARITONE, PAINTER, SCULPTOR, AND ARCHITECT
OF AREZZO.
[1236—1313.]
Among the other old painters, in whom the praises justly ac-
corded to Cimabue, and Giotto, his disciple, for those advances
in art which were rendering their names illustrious through
all Italy, awakened alarm for their own reputation, was a cer-
tain Margaritone, of Arezzo,! a painter, who, with the others
that had held the first place in art during that unhappy
age, now perceived that the works of these masters must
well-nigh extinguish his fame. This Margaritone being in
high estimation among the painters who then worked in the
Greek manner, executed many pictures in distemper, at
Arezzo, as also many others in fresco, having nearly covered
the church of San Clemente with numerous paintings in that
manner, at great cost of time and labour. This church was
an abbey of the order of Camaldolites, and has been totally
* Passavanti wrote the Specchio di vera Penitenza, and is highly
praised by Bottari, as one of the purest and most elegant writers of
which the Italian language can boast.—Ed. Bom. 1759.
+ In the first edition of Vasari, by Torrentino, the following passage
relating to Gaddo will be found, page 135 : “ For the purpose of
retaining him in Florence, and in the hope of having heirs of his excel-
lence, the Florentines gave him a wife of noble race.” The inscription
on his tomb is to the following effect:—
“ Hie manibus talis fuerat, quod forsan Apelles
Cessisset quamvis Graecia sic tumeat.”
This inscription has given rise to the Italian proverb, “ Bugiardo come
an epitaffio” (Mendacious as an epitaph).—Bottari. Della Valle.
J See Lanzi, History of Painting, vol. i, p. 37.
LIVES OF THE ARTISTS.
nicle of the erection of this church, now in the possession of
the fathers of Santa Maria Novella, as well as in the history
of Villani.* I was unwilling to omit these few details respect-
ing this church and convent, because they are among the
principal and most beautiful of Florence ; and also, because
there are found in them, as will be shown hereafter, many
excellent works of the most renowned artists that have lived
in earlier times, f
MARGARITONE, PAINTER, SCULPTOR, AND ARCHITECT
OF AREZZO.
[1236—1313.]
Among the other old painters, in whom the praises justly ac-
corded to Cimabue, and Giotto, his disciple, for those advances
in art which were rendering their names illustrious through
all Italy, awakened alarm for their own reputation, was a cer-
tain Margaritone, of Arezzo,! a painter, who, with the others
that had held the first place in art during that unhappy
age, now perceived that the works of these masters must
well-nigh extinguish his fame. This Margaritone being in
high estimation among the painters who then worked in the
Greek manner, executed many pictures in distemper, at
Arezzo, as also many others in fresco, having nearly covered
the church of San Clemente with numerous paintings in that
manner, at great cost of time and labour. This church was
an abbey of the order of Camaldolites, and has been totally
* Passavanti wrote the Specchio di vera Penitenza, and is highly
praised by Bottari, as one of the purest and most elegant writers of
which the Italian language can boast.—Ed. Bom. 1759.
+ In the first edition of Vasari, by Torrentino, the following passage
relating to Gaddo will be found, page 135 : “ For the purpose of
retaining him in Florence, and in the hope of having heirs of his excel-
lence, the Florentines gave him a wife of noble race.” The inscription
on his tomb is to the following effect:—
“ Hie manibus talis fuerat, quod forsan Apelles
Cessisset quamvis Graecia sic tumeat.”
This inscription has given rise to the Italian proverb, “ Bugiardo come
an epitaffio” (Mendacious as an epitaph).—Bottari. Della Valle.
J See Lanzi, History of Painting, vol. i, p. 37.