Giorgio Vasari

“ The crafty painter, having promised to do all that the bishop desired, caused a stout scaffolding and screen of wood-work to be made before the building, saying that he could not be seen to paint such a thing. Thus prepared, and shut up alone within his screen, Buonamico painted the direct contrary of what the bishop had required—a lion, namely, tearing an eagle to pieces; and, having painted the picture, he requested permission from the bishop to repair to Florence, for the purpose of seeking certain colours needful to his work. ”

“ It must, in truth, be allowed to be an extraordinary thing, that a practice thus originating in a jest, and in no other way, should have passed into general use; insomuch, that even a great part of the Campo Santo, decorated by much esteemed masters, is full of this absurdity. [14]
The works of Buonamico greatly pleased the people of Pisa, and he was therefore employed by the superintendent of the Campo Santo, to paint four historical pictures in fresco for that cemetery. The events depicted commence with the creation of the world, and close with the building of Noah’s ark. ”

“ No artist who desires long life for his pictures, therefore, should use this method. When the works just described were completed, Buonamico painted two pictures in distemper, for the Carthusian Friars of Florence: one of these is in the place where the choral books for the use of the choristers are kept; the other is in the old chapel below. In the Abbey of Florence, Buffahnacco painted, in fresco, the chapel of the Gfiochi and Bastari family, which is near the principal chapel; and this chapel, although afterwards resigned to the Boscoli family, still retains these works of Buonamico. ”

“ I know not how she keeps on her feet in the day, seeing that she spends the best of her night at the spinning-wheel, and has not half sleep enough. Let her sleep at her ease till a reasonable hour, and you’ll see that she’ll then have her wits about her in the day, and not make blunders of this sort.” He then turned to the other neighbours, and so placed the matter before them, that they all fell into his opinion, and told Capodoca that Buonamico was right, and that his advice ought to be taken. ”

“ This provoked Buonamico, who did not approve of being aroused from the sweetest of his sleep: he bethought himself therefore of finding some means by which Andrea might be prevented from rising so early, and soon discovered what he sought. From a badly swept cellar he collected some thirty large beetles, and on the back of each he fastened a minute taper, by the aid of short and fine needles. These tapers he lighted at the time when Andrea Tafi was accustomed to awake, and sent the beetles one by one into the chamber of his master, through a cleft in the door. ”

“ Finally, Buffalmacco having brought him the priest of their parish, the latter comforted him as well as he could; and Tafi, discoursing of the affair with Buonamico, the disciple remarked, that he had ever been taught to consider the demons as the greatest enemies of God, and that, by consequence, they must also be most deadly adversaries to the painters: “ For,” said Buffalmacco, “ besides that we always make them most hideous, we think of nothing but painting saints, both men and women, on walls and pictures ”

“ His room was separated from that of Capodoca by a wall of bricks only, behind which was the hearth of his troublesome neighbour; and by means of a cavity between the bricks, Buonamico could see what she wms doing about her fire. Never slow at inventing mischief, the painter made a long tube, which he filled with salt, and choosing the moment when the wife of Goosehead was not on the watch, he poured the contents of his tube, as often as he thought meet, into the good woman’s pot. ”

“ Anastasia, are many very beautiful costumes and head-dresses of women, which are painted with a charming grace of manner. No less beautiful are some other figures, in various and striking attitudes, in a boat; among these is a portrait of Alexander VI, [11] which Buonamico is reported to have received from his master Tafi, who had executed the likeness of that pontiff in mosaic for the church of San Pietro. ”

“ He then locked up the scaffold, and departed to Florence, resolving to return no more to the bishop. But the latter, after waiting some time, and finding that the painter did not reappear, caused the scaffolding to be taken down, and discovered that Buonamico had been making a jest of him. Furious at this affront, Guido condemned the artist to banishment for life from his dominions; which, when Buonamico learnt, he sent word to the bishop that he might do his worst: whereupon the bishop threatened him with fearful consequences. ”

“ Proceeding to the bishop, he related what had happened, and declared his suspicions, by all which that prelate was greatly disturbed; but, consoling Buonamico as he best could, he persuaded him to return to his labours, and repair the mischief. Bishop Guido, thinking him nevertheless likely to be right, his opinion being a very probable one, gave him six soldiers, who were ordered to remain concealed on the watch, with drawn weapons, during the master’s absence, and were commanded to cut down any one, who might be caught in the act, without mercy. ”

“ At length, however, seeing the painter always accoutred in like manner, and fancying that he must be some apprentice, who ought to be merely grinding colours, they sent a message to Buonamico from the abbess, to the effect, that they would like to see the master sometimes at the work, and not always himself. ”

“ Anastasia and others is depicted, Buonamico has admirably pourtrayed the fear of death in some of the faces, with the grief and terror of those who stand around, beholding the torments and death of the saint, as she is fixed to the stake and sus~ pended over the fire. The painter Bruno di Giovanni, [12] so called in the old book of the Company of Painters, was associated with Buonamico in this work. He too is celebrated by Boccaccio, as a man of joyous memory ”

“ Yet, considering afterwards that he had been tricked, only because he had intended to put an affront upon the painter, Bishop Guido forgave him, and even rewarded him liberally for his labours. JNTay, Buffalmacco was again invited to Arezzo, no long time after, by the same prelate, who always treated him as a valued servant and familiar friend, confiding many works in the old cathedral to his care, all of which, unhappily, are now destroyed. Buonamico also painted the apsis of the principal chapel in the church of San Giustino in Arezzo. ”

“ Whereupon the matter was referred to the authorities, by whom Buonamico was adjudged to have performed his contract.
Another and very fine picture, from the hand of Buffalmacco, was the Passion of Christ, in the church of San 'Giovanni fra l’Arcore; and, among other much esteemed parts of this work, was a Judas hanging on the tree, painted with admirable judgment, and in an excellent manner. An old man blowing his nose, is also most natural ”