For the nuns of the Murate in Arezzo, Don Bartolommeo painted the chapel of the high altar, a picture that has been much extolled. At Monte San Savino, he decorated a tabernacle opposite to the palace of the Cardinal di Monte, also greatly admired; and at Borgo San Sepolcro, where is now the episcopal church, he painted a chapel, from which he derived great honour and advantage.[1]
Don Clemente[2] was a man of versatile genius; he was not only a great musician, but likewise constructed organs of lead with his own hands, and in San Domenico he made one of mill-board, which has preserved a sweet and good tone to this day.[3] There was, besides, another in San Clemente, by the same master; this was built above the choir, but the key-board is in the choir below—a very judicious arrangement, seeing that the cloister is small, and having but few monks, the abbot desired that the organist should be able to sing in the choir as well as play the organ. The abbot, Don Bartolommeo, loved his Order; he acted like a true minister and not squanderer of sacred things; he improved his benefice by various buildings, and bestowed on it many of his paintings. Among other services, was that of rebuilding the principal chapel of his church, which he also adorned with pictures; and in two recesses, standing one on each side of the chapel, he painted figures, one of San Rocco, the other of San Bartolommeo; but both are now destroyed, as is the church itself.[4]
The Abbot of San Clemente, who was a good and exemplary churchman, left a disciple in painting, Matteo Lappoli of Arezzo, who was an able and experienced painter, as may be seen by the works from his hand which are in the chapel of San Sebastian, in the church of Sant’ Agostino. There is also a San Sebastian in relief by this artist, in a niche of the same chapel, with figures of San Biagio, San Rocco, Sant’ Antonio of Padua, and San Bernardino, all painted by the master in question. In the same chapel is likewise an
- ↑ This work, with that previously described, has perished.
- ↑ Here Vasari gives the Abbot the name of his Abbey.
- ↑ This paper-organ has now yielded, as will be readily supposed, to the action of time. — Masselli.
- ↑ This happened in 1547. The city gate, near which the church stood, is still called San Clemente. —Florentine Edition of 1771.
