Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Ambruogio Lorenzetti

by Giorgio Vasari

 

AMBRUOGIO LORENZETTI,^[1] PAINTER, OF SIENA.

[born....—died about 1348.]

If the debt which the richly-endowed artist owes to Nature be a large one—as it doubtless is—still greater is the amount of gratitude due from us to him, seeing that by his cares our cities are enriched with noble erections for use and beauty, as well as with the graceful embellishment of painting, and other ornaments. It is true that artists most commonly acquire fame and riches for themselves by their labours, as did Ambruogio Lorenzetti, a painter of Siena. This master displayed considerable force of invention, with great skill in grouping his figures, of which we find proof in the church of the Friars-Minors in Siena, where there is a historical painting in the cloister, very gracefully executed by his hand. The subject of this work is a youth who becomes a monk, and proceeds with others to the court of the Soldan, where they are scourged, condemned to the gallows, hanged on a tree, and finally decapitated, while a horrible tempest is prevailing. In this picture, Lorenzetti has represented the turmoil of the elements, with the fury of the rain and wind, (against which his figures are struggling), with infinite ability. And from him it is that later masters first acquired the mode of depicting circumstances of this kind, for his portraiture of which, as a thing not previously attempted, he deserves high commendation.^[2] Ambruogio was a practised fresco painter, as well as an excellent colourist in distemper; his works in the latter are executed with extreme facility, and evince great talent. This may still be seen in the pic- tures by this master in the small hospital called Mona Agnesa^[3] in Siena, where he painted a historical work of which the composition displayed new qualities that were greatly admired. On one of the walls of the great hospital also, he painted the Nativity of the Virgin in fresco, with a second picture, representing her approaching the Temple with others of her age.^[4] The chapter-house of the Angustine friars, in the same city, was also enriched by Lorenzetti, who painted the Apostles on the ceiling of that edifice. Each holds a tablet, whereon that part of the Creed composed by the said Apostle is written. Beneath each figure is a small representation, which exhibits in painting the subject written on the scrolls above. Near these works, and on the principal facade, are three stories; one of them is from the life of St. Catharine the Martyr, and represents her holding a disputation with the tyrant in the Temple; another is the Crucifixion of Christ, with the Thieves on the Cross, and the Maries beneath, the latter supporting the Virgin, who has fainted,—all which display much grace and a good manner.^[5] In one of the large halls of the palace of the Signoria in Siena, Ambruogio represented the War of Asinalunga^[6]§ with the various events of the peace which succeeded; in this work he introduced a map,^[7] which for those times was perfect. In the same palace, Lorenzetti executed eight historical pieces in terra verde, most exquisitely finished.^[8] He is also said to have sent a picture in distemper to Volterra, in which city it wras very highly esteemed; and at Massa, where he painted a chapel in fresco, and a picture in distemper, in company with other artists, he gave further proof of his judgment, and of the genius for the pictorial arts with which he had been endowed.^[9] In Orvieto, moreover, Lorenzetti painted in fresco the principal chapel of the church of Santa Maria, and afterwards proceeding to Florence, he executed a picture in one of the chapels^[10] of the church of San Procolo, with stories in small figures from the life of San Nicolo, at the request of some of his friends, who were anxious to become acquainted with his modes of proceeding. The practised dexterity of Ambruogio enabled him to complete these works in so short a time, that his name and reputation were greatly extended thereby. In consequence of this work, on the predella of which he painted his own portrait, Lorenzetti was invited to Cortona in the year 1335, by order of bishop Ubertini, then lord of that city. Here he painted several pictures in the church of Santa Margarita, which had been erected on the summit of the mountain a short time previously by the monks of St. Francis. The interior walls, and one half of the ceiling, were so carefully done, that although this work is now almost destroyed by time,^[11] yet there is great animation still to be perceived in the figures through all its parts, and we cannot but admit that it has been deservedly praised. These paintings being completed, Ambruogio returned to Siena, where he lived honourably for the remainder of his days, and was universally admired, not only as an excellent master in painting, but also because, having applied himself to science and letters in his youth, these formed a pleasant and useful accompaniment to his pictorial studies, and so richly adorned his whole life, that they contributed, no less than his gifts as a painter, to render him beloved and respected. Lorenzetti had at all times frequented the society of learned and virtuous men, and was permitted to take part in the cares of governing his native city, to his no small honour and profit. The life of Ambruogio was in all respects praiseworthy, and rather that of a gentleman and philosopher than of an artist; and, what more than all perhaps gives proof of wisdom in a man, he constantly maintained the equanimity of mind which disposed him to content himself with such events as time and the world presented, so that he supported the good and evil apportioned to him by fortune with a calm and equal mind. And of a truth, it would not be possible that words should sufficiently declare the extent to which modesty, and an irreproachable walk in life, add honour to all the arts, but particularly to those which derive their birth from the intelligence of noble and exalted minds; wherefore every artist should be careful to render himself no less acceptable for the purity of his conduct than for his excellence in art. Finally, and towards the end of his life, Ambruogio painted a picture at Monte Oliveto di Chiusuri, which greatly increased his fame; and a short time after having completed this work, he passed happily, and in the spirit of Christian love, to a better life, in the eighty-third year of his age.^[12] His works date about the year 1340. The portrait of Ambruogio, from his own hand, may be seen, as we have already said, on the base of his picture at St. Procolo, bearing a cap on the head. His capabilities in drawing may be judged from my book, wherein are certain designs of tolerable merit bv his hand.

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1. The signature on his works is Ambrosius Laurentii; but, in the records of the time, he is called “di Lorenzo”, and di Lorenzetto, as well as Lorenzetti, or del Lorenzetto; a name which he bore in common with his brother, Pietro Laurati, of whose relationship to Ambrogio Vasari was not aware. For the completion of this very meagre biography, see Rumohr, Lanzi, and Della Valle, Lettere Sanesi, ii, 205-210.
2. The loss of this picture is all the more to be lamented, as we know what its value and beauty must have been, from the minute description given of it by Ghiberti.
3. So called because founded by Agnese d’Arezzo. The paintings of Ambruogio are destroyed.
4. This picture, which Ambruogio painted in company with his brother Pietro (see note, p. 140), was destroyed in 1720.
5. These works are also lost.
6. The author here means to intimate the victory gained by the Siennese over the Compngnia del Cappello, in the year 1363; but it is very doubtful whether these pictures are by Ambruogio. To those who know the works of art by which the public palace of Siena is enriched, even this slight intimation of Vasari will suffice to shew that he is speaking of the allegorical paintings in the hall called l)e; Nove, or Della Pace.—Ed. Flor. See further, Lanzi, History of Painting, vol. i, p. 281, who calls this painting a poem rich in moral precepts.
7. This map represented the entire district of Siena. See Della Valle, Lettere Sanese, ii, p. 222.
8. They were painted in 1345, but have long been lost.
9. No trace is now to be found of these works, whether in Volterra or Massa.
10. The fate of these paintings also is unknown.
11. No remains of these works are now to be seen.
12. The life of A. Lorenzetti terminates, in the first edition of Vasari, with these words: “And his fellow-citizens, reflecting on the honour which lie had done to his country, mourned long and deeply for his death, as is seen by the following epitaph:—

    “ Ambrosii interitum quis satis doleat?
      Qui viros nobis longa aetate mortuos
      Restituebat arte et magno ingenio.
      Picturse decus vivas astra desuper.”