CHAPTER II
A SONNET TO THE SPENDTHRIFT CLUB
by
FOLGORE DA SAN GEMIGNANO
_translated by_
DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI
“I give you horses for your games in May, And all of them well trained unto the course— Each docile, swift, erect, a goodly horse: With armor on their chests and bells at play Between their brows, and pennons fair and gay; Fine nets and housings meet for warriors, Emblazoned with the shields ye claim for yours, Gules, argent, or, all dizzy at noon day;
And spears shall split and fruit go flying up In merry counterchange for wreaths that drop From balconies and casements far above; And tender damsels with young men and youths Shall kiss together on the cheeks and mouths And every day be glad with joyful love.”
HOW VENUS FARED IN SIENA
Ghiberti, in his commentaries (ed. Frey, Berlin 1886, p. 57 ff.) tells how a marble Venus, bearing the name of Lysippus was dug up at Siena.
“I saw it only as drawn by a very great painter of the city of Siena, who was called Ambrogio Lorenzetti. This drawing was kept with greatest care by a very old Carthusian. This brother was a goldsmith, and his father, and was a designer and delighted greatly in the art of sculpture; and he began to tell me how that statue was discovered as they were making an excavation where now are the houses of the Malavolti; how all those instructed and versed in the art of sculpture, with the goldsmiths and painters ran to see this so marvellous and artistic statue. Every one praised it greatly, and also the great painters who then were in Siena—to every one it seemed absolutely perfect. And with all honors they set it upon their fountain, as a most splendid thing. All gathered to place it with greatest rejoicing and honor and they fixed it magnificently upon that fountain, which statue reigned there but passingly.”
“For as the city had many adversities in the war with the Florentines, and the flower of the citizenry were assembled in council, a citizen rose and spoke about the statue in this tenor: ‘Gentlemen and citizens, having considered that since we have found this statue it has always gone wrong with us, and considering that idolatry is forbidden by our faith, we must believe of all the adversities which we have that God sends them for our errors. And behold in truth that since we have honored this statue we have always gone from bad to worse. I am certain that so long as we keep it in our territory it will always go wrong with us. As a councillor I would advise that it be taken down and shattered and split up and be sent to be buried on the soil of the Florentines.’
“Unanimously they confirmed the words of their citizen and put them in execution, and the statue was buried upon our soil.”
A PROCESSION ON THE COMPLETION OF DUCCIO’S MAJESTY
“On the day that it was carried to the Duomo the shops were shut; and the Bishop bade a goodly and devout company of priests and friars should go in solemn procession, accompanied by the Nine Magistrates and all the officers of the Commune and all the people; all the most worthy followed close upon the picture, according to their degree, with lights burning in their hands; and then behind them came the women and children with great devotion. And they accompanied the said picture as far as the Duomo, making procession round the Campo as is the use, all the bells sounding joyously for devotion of so noble a picture as is this. And all that day they offered up prayers, with great alms to the poor, praying God and His Mother who is our advocate, that he may defend us in His infinite mercy from all adversity and all evil, and that He may keep us from the hands of traitors and enemies of Siena.”
Translated in Edmund G. Gardiner’s _The Story of Siena_, p. 178, from the Anonymous contemporary chronicler published by A. Lisini in _Notizie di Duccio_.
A CONTRACT FOR AN ALTAR-PIECE BY PIETRO LORENZETTI
“Master Pietro, son of the late Lorenzetto, who was of Siena, solemnly and willingly promises and agrees with the venerable Father Guido, by God’s grace Bishop of Arezzo, who stipulates in the name and stead of the people of St. Mary of Arezzo—to paint a panel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, ... in the centre of which panel shall be a likeness of the Virgin Mary with her Son and with four side figures according to the wish of the aforesaid Lord Bishop, working in the backgrounds of these figures with finest gold leaf, 100 leaves to a florin, ... and the other ornaments of silver and of best and choicest colors; and using in these five figures best ultramarine blue; and in the other adjoining and surrounding spaces (panels) of this picture to be painted likenesses of prophets and saints, according to the wish of this Lord Bishop, with good and choice colors.”
“It must be six braccia long and five braccia high in the middle, apart from two columns each a half braccia wide, and in each should be six figures worked with the aforesaid gold, and the work shall be approved by this Lord Bishop....”
“And he [Pietro Lorenzetti] must begin this work according to the wish of this Lord Bishop, immediately after the wooden panel shall have been made, and must continue in this work until the completion of this picture, not undertaking any other work &c. And therefore the said Lord Bishop Guido promises to have given and assigned to him the panel made of wood; and to pay him for his wages for the picture and for colors, gold and silver one hundred and sixty Pisan lire; that is the third part at the beginning of the work, the third part at the middle of the work, and the remaining third part when the work is finished and complete &c.”
“Done in the church of the Holy Angels in Arcalto outside of and next to the cemetery.”
Translated and slightly abridged from Borghesi and Banchi, _Nuovi Documenti per la Storia dell’ Arte Senese_, (Doc. 6, p. 10) Siena, 1898.
This contract well illustrates the elaborateness and strictness of such agreements. It may be compared with the picture itself (Fig. 46). Apparently the artist persuaded the Bishop to give up the plan of twelve prophets and saints on two side pilasters, and made instead a greater number (15) of figures in the upper arcade and pinnacles.
[Illustration:
FIG. 70. Andrea del Castagno. David, Slayer of Goliath. Parade Shield.—_Widener Coll., Elkins Park, Pa._ ]
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