close to the ceiling of the church, for a representation on the festival of SS. Giovanni and Paolo: the number of lights used for that occasion set fire to the place, when the canopy was burnt, together with the person who represented the figure of God the Father; for, being tied fast, he could not escape, as did those who personated the angels, and was therefore consumed with numerous vestments and ornaments. The spectators also suifered greatly; for all, being terrified by the conflagration, struggled with furious eagerness to get out of the church; and, as every one would be first, about ninety persons were trampled to death by the crowd, a most deplorable event.[1] The canopy was afterwards reconstructed with increased splendour, and was painted by Giorgio Vasari. Domenico ultimately gave his attention to the painting of glass windows, and there were three in the cathedral by his hand, but they were ruined by the artillery in the wars.
The painter, Angelo di Lorentino, was also a disciple of Don Bartolommeo, and was a man of considerable ability. The lunette over the door of San Domenico[2] was painted by him, and had he been duly assisted he would have become a very good master.
The abbot of San Clemente died in his eighty-third year; he had given the design and prepared the model for the church of Our Lady of Tears, but this he did not live to complete, and it was afterwards finished by different masters:[3] to Don Bartolommeo then belongs, as we have seen, the reputation of having been at once a miniaturist, architect, painter, and musician. He received honourable sepulture from his monks in his Abbey of San Clemente, and his works were always esteemed so highly in his native city, that the following verses were placed over his tomb, where they may still be read.[4] § o2
- ↑ The Florentine Edition of 1771, citing the registers of the period, informs us that this unhappy event occurred in 1556. The deaths amounted to sixty-six; and the unfortunate man who was burnt, was a Servite Monk, named Benedetto.
- ↑ Still in its place.
- ↑ The greater part is from the design of Don Bartolommeo. Antonio di San Gallo, and Andrea of Monte San Savino, also took part in the work.
- ↑ The tomb was destroyed in the demolition of the Abbey.
