Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Lorenzo di Bicci

by Giorgio Vasari

 

LORENZO DI BICCI, PAINTER, OF FLORENCE.

[born 1350—died 1427.]

When men who distinguish themselves in any honourable vocation, join excellence of character and the grace of pleasing manners to their abilities for action; above all, when they unite with these qualities, an obliging disposition and a courtesy which renders them ever prompt and ready to oblige those who require their services—they are nearly sure of securing all that, in a certain sense, can be desired in this world, to their no small credit as well as advantage: and this was the case with the Florentine painter, Lorenzo di Bicci. This artist was born in Florence, in the year 1400,^[1] and precisely at the moment when Italy began to be tormented by those wars which, no long time afterwards, conducted her to her ruin: the foundation of his subsequent credit was laid almost in his childhood, seeing that he acquired excellent habits and manners under the discipline of his father, and was instructed in his art by Spinello, so that even from boyhood he enjoyed the reputation of being a good painter, and was moreover early considered a courteous and honourable, as as well as a clever man. Lorenzo, while still but a youth, had executed various works in fresco, in Florence, as well as the neighbourhood, by way of acquiring practice; these attracted the attention of Giovanni di Bicci of the house of Medici, who, remarking his good manner, commissioned him to paint those figures of eminent men which are still to be seen in tolerable preservation, in one of the halls of the old house^[2] of the Medici family, which fell into the possession of Lorenzo, brother of Cosmo the elder, when the great palace was built. This work being finished, the young painter, proceeding as do certain physicians, who make experiments in their art on the hides of the poor country-folks, took all occasions to practise himself in painting, where the work was not likely to be too minutely examined, and for some time accepted every opportunity of employment that fell into his hands; wherefore he painted a tabernacle at the bridge of Scandicci, outside the gate of San Friano, a work of which the manner may still be seen; and at Cerbaia he executed the figure of the Virgin, on the wall, beneath a portico, with numerous saints, all very creditably done. Being afterwards appointed by the Martini family to paint a chapel in the church of San Marco in Florence, Lorenzo depicted various stories from the life of the Madonna, on the walls, with a figure of our Lady, surrounded by different saints, on the altar-piece. In the same church, and above the chapel of San Giovanni Evangelista, which belongs to the Landi family, he painted a fresco of the angel Raphael with Tobit.^[3] The succeeding year, 1418, he executed a very large work in fresco for Ricciardo di Messer Nicolo Spinelli, on that façade of the convent of Santa Croce, which is turned towards the piazza. This represents St. Thomas seeking the wound in the side of Christ, with all the other apostles around, and who, reverently kneeling, are attentively regarding the occurrence. Near to this story, and also in fresco, is a figure of St. Christopher,^[4] twelve braccia and a half high, which is a rare thing, for with the exception of the St. Christopher of Buffalmacco, no larger picture had ever then been seen; nor, being so large, had there ever been one more truly proportioned in all its parts, or of better execution,^[5] although the manner is certainly not good. Both these works were moreover painted with so much care and ability, that although they have been for many years exposed to the air, and swept by the rains and storms — the aspect being north—they have lost nothing of the freshness of their colouring, nor have they suffered injury in any part. The same master also painted a Crucifixion, with several figures, within the door, which stands between the above-mentioned works, and which is called the Porta del Martello; thishe did at the request of that Ricciardo before mentioned and of the intendant of the convent: on the walls around he further depicted the Confirmation of the Rule of St. Francis by Pope Honorius, with the martyrdom of certain friars belonging to that order, who had gone to preach the faith to the Saracens. The arches and ceiling he decorated with portraits from the life of certain French kings, devout brethren of the order of St. Francis; with many learned men of the same order, and others distinguished by the dignity of their station as bishops, cardinals, and popes; among whom, on two medallions on the ceiling, are the portraits, taken from nature, of the popes Nicholas IV and Alexander V.^[6] Now, as regards these figures, although Lorenzo robed them all in garments of grey, yet he found means to vary them so admirably, by the great practice which he had attained in his art, that all are nevertheless different; some have a tinge of red, others of blue, some are of darker, others of brighter hue, all in brief are of varied tints, and merit the consideration of the observer. We find it further related, that Lorenzo executed this work with surprising readiness and facility. One day the intendant, who supplied him with his food, sent to tell him that dinner was ready exactly at the moment when he had prepared the intonaco for a figure, and had just commenced it—“Pour out the soup”, replied the artist, “I’ll finish this figure, and be with you instantly.” It has therefore not been without good reason, that Lorenzo is said to have displayed a rapidity of execution, an extent of practice in the handling of his materials, and a decision in his treatment of subjects, which have never been surpassed by any master.^[7] The tabernacle in fresco, which stands at the corner of the convent, belonging to the nuns of Foligno, is also by the hand of Lorenzo, as are the Madonna and different saints which are over the door of the church attached to the same convent: among these figures is that of St. Francis espousing Poverty.^[8] In the church of the monks of Camaldoli,in Florence, he also painted various stories representing the martyrdom of different saints, a work which he executed for the Brotherhood of the Martyrs; he likewise decorated two chapels^[9] in the same church, one on each side of the principal chapel. These paintings gave so much satisfaction to the whole city, that when the master had finished them he was commissioned by the Salvestrini family (which is now entirely extinct, since there does not remain, to my knowledge, any other member of it than a monk of the Angeli of Florence, called Fra Nemesio, a good and upright man), to paint one of the walls in the church of the Carmine. Here Lorenzo depicted certain martyrs, who, having been condemned to death, are despoiled of their clothing, and compelled to walk barefooted to the place of their punishment, over thorns and thistles, which the minions of the persecutors are strewing on their path. In another portion of the work the martyrs are seen in varied and distorted attitudes, placed each on his cross. This picture, which was the largest that had then been executed, was completed in all its parts with so much accuracy of design and facility of treatment, according to the degree of knowledge possessed by those times, that I do not wonder at the many distinguished artists who have found means to profit by the study of certain qualities to be seen in this work, many parts of it exhibiting, with much truth, all the various emotions awakened by nature in those who are made to suffer a violent death.

Having finished this undertaking, Lorenzo painted many other figures in the same church, with pictures in two chapels of the transept:^[10] and about the same time, he decorated the tabernacle at the corner of the Cuculia, with that which stands on the Via de’ Martelli, beside the houses. In the church of Santo Spirito, moreover, Lorenzo painted a fresco over the door of the Martello, the subject of which is Sant’ Agostino presenting to his monks the rule of their order.^[11] In the chapel of the Neri Compagni family, in the church of Santa Trinita, he also painted a fresco, representing stories from the life of San Giovanni Gualberto; and in the principal chapel of Santa Lucia, on the Via de’ Bardi, this master depicted certain stories, likewise in fresco, from the life of that saint, a work which he executed for Niccolo da Uzzano,^[12] whose portrait he placed in the picture, together with those of other citizens. This Niccolo built himself a palace^[13] close to the church of Santa Lucia, which was erected after the designs, and under the direction of Lorenzo; the same citizen commenced the construction of a magnificent highschool or college, between the convent of the Servi and that of St. Mark, on the spot where the Lions now stand.^[14] But this last-named and truly praiseworthy undertaking, rather that of a magnificent prince than of a private citizen, did not attain to its completion, because the money, which Niccolo left in immense sums, deposited in the “Monte” of Florence, for the building and endowment of this college, was consumed by the Florentines in their wars, and for the other necessities of their city. It is true that this evil of fortune can never obscure the memory, or do wrong to the greatness of soul and generosity, of Niccolo da IJzzano; but it cannot be denied, that the public interest received a serious injury from the hindrances opposed to the completion of this important work; wherefore, whoever shall desire in like manner to benefit the world, and leave an honourable memorial of his existence, let him perform his work himself, while he has life, and not confide the execution of it to posterity and his heirs, since it rarely happens that a matter thus left to be accomplished by a man’s successors, is completed at all points as he would have had it done himself.

But to return to Lorenzo: in addition to the works above enumerated, he painted a tabernacle in fresco on the bridge of Rubaconte, the subject chosen being a Virgin, with certain other saints, all tolerably well done.^[15] No long time after this, Ser Michele diFruosino, being appointed director of the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova, in Florence (an hospital that was founded by Folco^[16] Portinari, a citizen of Florence), and finding that the wealth of the hospital had increased, determined that its church, dedicated to Sant’ Egidio, which was then outside the city of Florence, and very small, should therefore be enlarged in proportion. He accordingly took counsel concerning the matter with Lorenzo di Bicci, who was his intimate friend, and on the 5th of September, in the year 1418, the new church was begun. This building was completed in the manner in which we now see it, within the space of one year, and was afterwards solemnly consecrated by Pope Martin V, at the prayer of the said Ser Michele, who was himself of the family of the Portinari, and was the eighth director of that hospital. The ceremonial of this consecration was then depicted by Lorenzo, as Ser Michele desired, on the façade of the church, where portraits of the Pope, and of several cardinals, taken from nature, are still to be seen.^[17] This work being a new and beautiful performance, was at that time very highly praised, and the artist obtained the privilege of being the first to execute paintings in the principal church of his native city, Santa Maria del Fiore, namely: here therefore, beneath the windows of each chapel, Lorenzo depicted the saint to whom the chapel was dedicated,^[18] after which, on the pilasters, and in different parts of the church, he painted the twelve Apostles, with the crosses of the consecration, that temple having been most solemnly consecrated in that same year by Pope Eugenius IY, who was a Venetian.^[19] The superintendants of the church then commissioned him, by command of the commune, to paint a tomb in fresco on the wall of the same church, in imitation of marble, to the memory of Cardinal Corsini, whose portrait, taken from nature, was painted on the sarcophagus, above which he executed a second of similar character, as a memorial of Maestro Luigi Marsili,^[20] a most famous theologian, wdio was sent as ambassador, with Messer Luigi Guicciardini, and Messer Guccio di Gino, most honourable cavaliers, to the Duke of Anjou.

Lorenzo was afterwards invited to Arezzo by Don Laurentino, abbot of San Bernardo, a monastery of the order of Monte Oliveto, where he painted stories in fresco from the life of San Bernardo, in the principal chapel, for Messer Carlo Marsupini:^[21] but being then about to paint the life of San Benedetto in the cloister of the convent (after, I should observe, that he had completed the principal chapel of San Francesco, which he decorated for the elder Francesco de’ Bacci, and where he executed the cieling and half of the arch entirely alone), Lorenzo was attacked by a complaint of the chest; hereupon he caused himself to be removed to Florence, leaving Marco da Montepulciano to paint those stories in the aforesaid cloister of San Benedetto according to the designs which he had made, and which he left with Don Laurentino. This, Marco did accordingly, as well as he was able, and finished them on the 24th of April, in the year 1438, executing the whole in “chiaroscuro”, as may be seen written thereon by his own hand, in words and verses no less stupid and ungraceful than was the picture,^[22] Lorenzo having thus returned to his native city, was no sooner restored to health than he recommenced his labours, and on the same fagade of the convent of Santa Croce whereon he had previously depicted the St. Christopher, he now painted the Assumption of the Virgin into Heaven, where she is surrounded by a choir of angels; beneath is St.Thomas, receiving the girdle.^[23] In the execution of this work, Lorenzo, who was still ailing, obtained the assistance of Donatello,^[24] then a youth; and, by help so efficient, the picture was finished in such sort, during the year 1450,^[25] that I consider it to be the best work, whether for design or colouring, that Lorenzo ever produced.

No long time after its completion, Lorenzo being old and exhausted, died at the age of sixty years, or thereabout. He left two sons, who both pursued the study of painting. The one, whose name was Bicci,^[26] assisted him in many of his labours;^[27] the other, who was called Neri, painted the portraits of his father^[28] and himself, in the chapel of the Lenzi family, in the church of Ognissanti, on two medallions, with letters around them, which give the name of both. And this artist, painting certain stories from the life of Our Lady, in the before-mentioned chapel of the Lenzi, took great pains to imitate the different vestments worn at that period, those of men, as well as of women. He likewise painted the picture, in distemper, for the altar of the chapel.^[29] In the abbey of San Felice, which is situated on the piazza of Florence, and belongs to the order of Camaldoli, Neri also painted various pictures,^[30] with one for the high altar of San Michele d’Arezzo, belonging to the same Order.^[31] At Santa Maria delle Grazie, moreover, without the city of Arezzo, this master painted a Madonna in the church of San Bernardino. Under her mantle she is sheltering the people of Arezzo, and on one side is San Bernardino kneeling, with a wooden cross in his hand, such as he was accustomed to carry when he went through the streets of Arezzo, preaching to the people. On the other side of Our Lady, and near her, are San Niccolo and St. Michael the Archangel. Various stories from the life of San Bernardino are depicted in the predella, with certain miracles performed by the saint, more particularly those worked by him in that place.^[32] The same master painted the picture of the High Altar, in the church of San Bomolo, in Florence; and in the church of Santa Trinita^[33] he painted the life of San Giovanni Gualberto, in fresco, in the chapel of the Spini, with the picture in distemper which is over the altar.^[34] From these paintings, we perceive clearly that if Neri had been granted length of days, and had not died at the age of thirty-six, he would have produced more numerous and better works than did Lorenzo his father.^[35] But this Lorenzo, as he was the last of the masters who adhered to the ancient manner of Giotto, so shall his life b e also the closing one of this first part of my work, which, with the aid of the blessed God, I have here brought to a conclusion.

end of first part.

1. He must have been born much earlier; a fact, of which the following proofs may suffice, though many others'might be adduced. We find him registered, in public documents, as early as 1370, when he was a payer of taxes. He had a son born to him in 1373, and was the disciple of Spinello, who died in 1400, or 1408. The date of his admission is so differently stated by different commentators, that it does but serve to show the doubtful state of the question; some declaring him to have been registered as a painter in 1370, others in 1390, while others, again, assign 1409 as the date of his first appearance in the book of the Company of Painters. All agree, however, in the assurance that Vasari is here in error.
2. Afterwards called Palazzo Ughi, now divided into several houses. No trace of Lorenzo’s figures now remains.—Schorn, and the Ed. Flor. 1849.
3. The frescoes were destroyed when the church was rebuilt. The altar picture was lost before the time of Biccioni, who notifies the fact, in his annotations on the Riposo of Borghini, p. 215. — Bottari. Note to the Roman edition of Vasari.
4. These paintings are still in existence, but have suffered greatly. —Ed. Rom.
5. Della Valle remarks, that Yasari must have forgotten the St. Christopher of Taddeo Bartoli when he wrote this, since the last-named work is superior to both those described above, whether as to proportion or execution.
6. The portraits in the centre of the ceiling still remain, but the building was altered during the French occupation, when the exterior paintings were destroyed. —Ed. Flor. 1832.
7. Lanzi calls Lorenzo “the Vasari of his day,” for this reason.
8. The two last mentioned works have perished.
9. All destroyed, together with the church and convent, at the time of the siege,—Ed. Flor. 1846 -9.
10. These works of the Carmine have long been destroyed.— Bottari. Ed. Rom. 1750.
11. Of these tabernacles the first is still in existence, and the figures are visible, but much injured. The second has perished, nor does any trace of the fresco of Santo Spirito now remain. —Ibid. principal opponent, after Tommaso degli Abizzi, his friend, of the Medici, who sought to raise themselves by the favour of the people. The pictures here described have perished.— Ed. Flor. 1832 and 1849.
12. The celebrated chief of the aristocratic party in Florence, and
13. These paintings have now been whitewashed. —Ibid 1832.
14. The palace is now called the Capponi palace.— Ibid 1846.
15. The school of sculpture now stands on this site.
16. This tabernacle is no longer to be seen.
17. This work still remains; one part of it, that to the right of the spectator, is in a very bad condition; the portion to the left, on the contrary, is tolerably well preserved, and is the best work of the master now remaining. — Ed. Flor. 1849.
18. Of these figures, some were restored, others repainted by Professor Antonio Marini, in 1840-41. —Ibid.
19. This occurred on the 25th March 1436. No trace of the apostles here described now remains. —Ibid.
20. These monuments are still in existence. For various details respecting them, see Carteggio Inedito, Go,ye, vol. i, p. 537. — Ibid 1846-49.
21. The learned and celebrated secretary of the Florentine Republic, and an ornament to his native city. He died in 1453.— Ed. Flor. 1832.
22. The works left by this master, in Arezzo, still remain, as do most of those executed by Marco da Montepulciano.
23. This picture is lost.
24. Donatello was certainly not a youth at this time. The Roman and Florentine commentators cite documents to prove that he was invited to execute the statue of St. John the Baptist in 1423, for the people of Orvieto: “Scientes virum virtuosum M. Donatum de Florentia intagliatorem figurarum, Magistrum lapidum, atque intagliatorem figurarum inligno, et eximium Magistrum omnium trajectorum,” etc. (See Storia del Duomo d’Orvieto, p, 299, doc. 64. —Note to Schorn’s German Translation of Vasari, and Ed. Flor. 1846.) The latest writers on this question say that he was old when this picture was executed, being born in 1386. The work in which he is here said to have assisted Lorenzo, is lost.
25. According to Manni. See his notes to Baldinucci. Lorenzo died in 1427. Other commentators are of opinion that his death should be placed even later than the date given by Vasari. Baldinucci leaves the question undecided, and Lanzi follows Vasari.
26. This artist is registered in the ancient book of the Company of Painters, date 1424. Baldinucci cites the funeral registers of the Carmelites, to show that he died on the 6th of May 1452, and was buried in the church of the Carmine, where the family of Bicci had its sepulchre. —Schorn, and the Ed. Flor. of 1849.
27. Vasari was not able to cite any painting executed wholly by Bicci di Lorenzo, and we owe the discovery of a work, by this master, to the researches of Signor Galgano Gargani Garganetti. The picture represents SS. Cosimo and Damiano, and, until the year 1842, was appended to a pilaster of thePlorentine Cathedral. It is now in the first corridor of the Gallery of the Uffizj. It was painted for Antonio Ghezzi della Casa, to whom, as appears by a resolution of the 22nd of June 1430, the wardens of Santa Maria del Fiore granted permission for its being suspended on one of the pilasters of that church. Annexed, was the condition that Ghezzi should be understood to have acquired no right of property, or any other right in the said church, by such concession, but that “the wardens aforesaid should have power to remove the said picture from that place at their pleasure, and without the consent of the said Anthony.” “Operarii ad eorum beneplacitum ipsam (tabulam) de dicto loco removeri possint, sine consensu dicti Antonii.”—Ibid, of 1846-9.
28. The Florentine Editors of 1846 accuse Vasari and Baldinucci of error, as regards the genealogy of the Bicci family. They cite documents, which prove that Neri, whom Vasari calls the son of Lorenzo, was the son of Bicci, the first-named son of Lorenzo, and, consequently, the grandson of the latter artist.
29. The fresco paintings have perished long since. The fate of the picture in distemper is not known.—Ed. Flor. 1832 -8.
30. One, at least, of these pictures is lost; but that in the chapel, to the left of the high altar, representing various saints, with a tabernacle in the centre, for the sacrament, is, without doubt, by Neri.— Ed. Flor. 2846-48.
31. Still in good preservation. It was for some time on the high altar, then in the sacristy, but in 1846 this picture was removed to the first altar on the right of the entrance. Beneath it is the following inscription:—

    “hoc opus fecit fieri dominus johannes de partina abbas huius
    abbatie anno domini mcccclxvi. ”

    Ed. Flor. 1849.
32. It is to be lamented that this picture has suffered such irreparable injury from the hands of an ignorant and barbarous restorer (ritoccatore). Beneath it is the following inscription:—

    “hoc opus fecit fieri michael angelus papii magistri francisci
    de saltarelli (?) de aritio pro remedio animie suie et
    suorum. a.d. mcccclvi die viii mensis martii.”

    Ed. Flor. 1846.
33. Lanzi, Hist. vol. i, p. 71, says of this picture, that it could not dishonour the father, and was certainly executed with much more care than was usual with the son. But the church of San Romolo in Piazza having been destroyed, the subsequent fate of the painting is unknown.
34. This work has also been lost, and the fresco paintings have perished. —Ed. Flor. 1849.
35. His grandfather, that is, as we have before shown. See ante, p. 297. -Ed. Flor. 1849.