Giorgio Vasari

“ The combat rages fiercely, but armed angels are contending on the side of the saint, to assure him the victory. In this work Spinello produced many results which merit high commendation, when it is considered that in those days the art had not yet acquired its full force, nor attained to any sufficient method of vividly expressing, by colours, the movements of the soul. ”

“ Among many other instances of what is here alluded to, may be mentioned the two soldiers who, having seized each other by the beard with one hand, hold their naked swords in the other, each seeking to deprive his antagonist of life; the whole face and every movement of each manifest his eager desire for victory: their proud defiance, and the courage by which they are animated, could not possibly be expressed with greater truth. ”

“ In the capitular church of Arezzo, in like manner, Spinello painted many pictures, those of the chapel of San Bartolommeo, for example, where he represented stories from the life of that saint, and in the corresponding chapel of the opposite aisle—that of St. Matthew—he decorated the walls with events from the life of St. Matthew, and painted the four evangelists in medallions on the ceiling. The mode in which our artist delineated these last figures is extremely fanciful, since he has placed heads of animals on the human bust and limbs of the evangelists ”

“ The part of the inscription on which was the name of the painter Spinello is wanting, because the middle part of the picture is lost; but there was certainly a figure of the Virgin in that portion of the work. The middle of the predella, however, is still in existence, having been conveyed, in the year 1810, from the convent of Monte Oliveto to the public Gallery of Siena, where it now is. It is a most beautiful fragment, representing the death of the Virgin, who is surrounded by figures of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. — Ed. Flor. ”

“ Among those who fight on horseback also, there is a knight, admirably well done, he is transfixing his opponent, who has fallen backwards from his terrified horse, and is pinning his head to the earth with his lance. ”

“ Spinello was a member of this society, and as it frequently came to his turn to visit the sick, bury the dead, and perform other pious duties, as the best citizens ever have done, and still continue to do, in that city, he desired to leave some memorial of these things in his paintings, and to that end he executed a picture for the Brotherhood on the façade of SS. Laurentino and Pergentino. ”

“ He also decorated the chapel of SS. Jacopo and Filippo in fresco, for the Brotherhood of Santa Maria della Misericordia; this is on the same side of the church; over the principal door of the brotherhood’s house, which is in the piazza, he painted a Dead Christ (Pieta) , with a San Giovanni, [11] works executed at the request of the rectors of that Brotherhood, which had its origin in this wise: a certain number of good and honourable citizens had begun to gather alms for the poor who were ashamed to beg for themselves, and to solace all who needed their help in every possible manner. ”

“ Summoned thence to Florence by Don Jacopo d’Arezzo, abbot of San Miniato-sul-Monte, which belonged to the order of Monte Oliveto, Spinello painted stories in fresco from the life of San Benedetto on the ceiling and four walls of the sacristy belonging to that monastery, together with the altar-piece, in distemper. ”

“ Among the pictures of this arcade is one of Christ lying dead in the arms of the Maries, which evinces so much genius, together with so profound a judgment in the art of painting, that it proves Spinello to have equalled Giotto in design, while he greatly surpassed him in colouring. In the same place, our artist has represented Christ seated ”

“ But the paintings of this portico— to the great loss of all who love the art of painting—have suffered the fate of so many other works, having been destroyed with the building, which was demolished to make way for the fortification. For the Brotherhood of the Holy Trinity, Spinello painted a Tabernacle in fresco, which is still to be seen outside the church ”

“ The NoU me tangere also, which is between these two paintings, merits equally to be praised, and is exceedingly beautiful. [25] Spinello likewise painted an admirable Annunciation for the Brotherhood of the Puracciuoli, [26] on the piazza of Sant Agostino; it will be found in one of the chapels: the colouring of this work is beautiful, and in the cloister of the same convent Spinello executed a Virgin in fresco, with St. James, and St. Anthony. ”

“ Of the inscription, a more accurate copy has been furnished to us by the courtesy of the sculptor, Signor Ranieri Bartolini:—“Hoc opus fecit fieri Clemens Pucci di Monte Catino, cujus corpus jacit hic tumulatum, SS. Jesu Christi anni Domini mccclxxvii, die xv mensis Martii.” Vasari is therefore in error, both as regards the year and month.—Ed. Flor. 1846. ↑ These paintings have perished. — Masselli. ↑ The pictures in the chapel of San Domenico are still in existence, those in the church of St. Anthony are destroyed. ”