his mother had died, and in the deanery there,[1] he painted two saints in fresco, within the central door, which are considered extremely beautiful. In a convent belonging to the monks of Sant' Agostino, this master painted the picture for the high altar, which was a much esteemed work.[2] He likewise painted a Virgin in fresco[3] for a society, or, as they call themselves, a brotherhood, of the Misericordia; and in the palace of the Conservators he executed a Resurrection, which is held to be the best of his works in that city; nay, of all that he ever performed.[4] At Santa Maria di Loretto, Piero commenced a work in company with Domenico of Venice: this was the decoration of the sacristy, but as he left it incomplete from fear of the plague, it was afterwards finished by Luca da Cartona,[5] a disciple of Piero della Francesca, as will be related in the proper place. Departing from Loretto, and proceeding to Arezzo, Piero there painted the chapel of the Bacci family in the church of San Francesco, the chapel is that near the high altar, and the work was executed for Luigi Bacci, a citizen of Arezzo, The ceiling of the chapel had already been commenced by Lorenzo di Bicci: the subject represented is the History of the Cross,[6] from the moment when, at the burial of Adam by his sons, the seed of the tree from which the wood of the cross was afterwards taken, was placed beneath the tongue of the patriarch by their forethought, to the time when the exaltation of the cross itself was solemnized by the Emperor Heraclius,[7] who, supporting it on his shoulders and walking
- ↑ Now Sant’ Agostino. Some years since, when the church was repaired, these two saints were brought to light, precisely in the place here pointed out by Vasari.— Ed. Flor. 1849.
- ↑ The church is now called Santa Clara. The picture still adorns the high altar, but has been mutilated in the repairs of the building.
- ↑ This work is not in fresco, but on panel; it is still preserved in the small church of the hospital. The principal part will be found engraved in Rosini, Storia, pl. 38, with one of the five compartments of the Gradino, or Predella, pl. 39.
- ↑ The fresco of the palace of Conservators is still in good condition, and merits all the commendation bestoAved on it by Vasari.— Ed. Flor. 1849.
- ↑ Luca Signorelli.
- ↑ This admirable Avork may still be seen, but has been considerably injured, probably more by men than by time.— Masselli, and Ed. Flor. 1849.
- ↑ This legend is now declared by the Catholic Church to be apocryphal.
