desirous of seeing wliat fine things the master had done, and at the end of a fortnight (during which Buffalmacco had never set foot within the place), they went by night, when they concluded that he would not he there, to see his work. But they were all confused and ashamed, when one, bolder than the rest, approached near enough to discover the truth respecting this solemn master, who for fifteen days had been so busy doing nothing. They acknowledged, nevertheless, that they had got but what they merited—the work executed by the painter in the jacket being all that could be desired. The Intendant was therefore commanded to recall Buonamico, who returned in great glee and with many a laugh, to his labour, having taught these good ladies the difference between a man and a water-jug, and shown them that they should not always judge the works of men by their vestments. A few days from this time, Buffalmacco completed an historical painting, which pleased the nuns greatly, every part being excellent in their estimation, the faces only excepted, which they thought rather too pale and wan. Buonamico, hearing this, and knowing that the abbess had the very best Vernaccia[1] that could be found in Florence, and which was, indeed, reserved for the uses of the mass, declared to the nuns that this defect could be remedied only by mixing the colours with good Vernaccia, but that when the cheeks were touched with colours thus tempered, they would become rosy and lifelike enough. The good sisters, who believed all he said, on hearing this, kept him amply supplied with the very best Vernaccia, during all the time that his labours lasted, and he, joyously swallowing this nectar, found colour enough on his palette to give his faces the fresh rosiness those good dames desired.[2]
Having completed this work, Buonamico next painted stories from the life of San Jacopo, in the chapel of the cloister dedicated to that saint, in the abbey of Settimo. On the ceiling he painted the four Patriarchs and the four Evan-
- ↑ A kind of Tuscan wine, highly prized.
- ↑ Bottari relates that Buonamico was once surpi’ised by the nuns I while drinking the Vernaccia, but hearing one of them say to the others, “ See now, he is drinking it himself”,—he instantly threw forth all that I he had in his mouth on the picture, whereby the nuns were fully satisfied.—Roman ed. 1759.
