capable.[1] He had not yet fixed the tabernacle into its place, when the Nuns of Sant’ Ambruogio (who desired to have an ornament of similar construction, but more richly adorned, to contain the Miracle of the Sacrament[2]), having heard the ability of Mino greatly extolled, invited him to execute that work; and the master completed it with so much care, that the Nuns, highly satisfied with his labours, gave him all that he demanded as the price thereof.[3] A short time after this, he undertook, at the instance of Messer Dietisalvi Neroni, to prepare a picture in mezzo-rilievo, the subject of which is Our Lady with the Child in her arms, having San Lorenzo on one side, and San Lionardo on the other; this was intended for the priests of the chapter of San Lorenzo, but has remained in the sacristy of the Abbey of Florence.[4] For the same monks, Mino executed a medallion in marble, with Our Lady, in relief, holding the Divine Child in her arms; this they placed over the principal door of entrance into the church;[5] and as it gave universal satisfaction, the artist received a commission for the erection of a sepulchral monument to the illustrious cavalier, Messer Bernardo de’ Griugni, who, having been a most honourable person, and very highly esteemed, had merited and received that memorial from his brethren. In this work, to say nothing of the sarcophagus, and the portrait of Messer Bernardo, taken from nature, which the artist placed on it, there is a figure of Justice, which is very much after the manner of Desiderio, but the draperies are wanting in grace, and are rendered somewhat common-place by the mode of handling.[6] This monument caused the abbot and monks
- ↑ This tabernacle is now in the chapel of the Novitiate in the church of Santa Croce. —Ed. Flor., 1838.
- ↑ The history of this miracle is related by Villani, in his Cronaca, lib. vi. cap. viii.
- ↑ This ornament, or rather altar-piece, for it extends the whole width of the altar, and occupies the entire height of the wall behind it, has a recess in the centre, which is closed by a grating of gilded bronze, within which is kept the Sacred Relic. On the socle, the story of the Miracle is delineated in small and graceful figures: between the socle and the picture above, are the words, Opus Mihi. — Ed. Flor., 1849.
- ↑ It is no longer in the sacristy, but in the small chapel of the monastery. There is an engraving of it in Cicognara, tom. ii. tav. iv.
- ↑ It is still in its place.—I.
- ↑ Gonnelli, Monumenti Sepolcrali della Toscana, gives an engraving of this tomb, pl. xxvii.
