ight of
steps, which are shown both in painting and in relief, and possess
such design, variety, and invention, and are so useful and convenient
that Lorenzo de' Medici, the Magnificent, the elder, made use of the
design for the steps outside the palace of Poggio a Caiano, now the
principal villa of the Most Illustrious Duke. In the other arch is a
representation of Christ saving St Peter from the fury of the waters,
so well done that one seems to hear the voice of Peter saying:
_Domine, salva nos, perimus_. This work is considered much finer than
the other, because, besides the grace of the draperies, there is a
sweetness in the bearing of the heads, a fear of the fortunes of the
sea, while the terror of the apostles at various motions and
appearances of the water, are represented in very suitable attitudes
and with great beauty. And although time has partly destroyed the
labour expended by Stefano on this work, one may still discern
confusedly that the apostles are defending themselves with spirit
from the fury of the winds and waves. This work, which has been
highly praised by the moderns, must certainly have appeared a miracle
in all Tuscany at the time when it was produced, Stefano then
painted in the first cloister of S. Maria Novella a St Thomas
Aquinas, next a door, where he also made a crucifix which has since
been much damaged by other painters in restoring it. He also left
unfinished a chapel in the church, which he began, now much damaged
by time. In it may be seen the fall of the angels through the pride
of Lucifer, in divers forms. Here it is noteworthy that the
foreshortening of the arms, busts, and legs of the figures is much
better done than ever before, and this shows us that Stefano began to
recognise and had partially overcome the difficulties which stand in
the way of the highest excellence, the mastery of which by his
successors, by means of unremitting study, has rendered their works
so remarkable. For this cause artists have well named him the ape of
nature.

Some time after Stefano was invited to Milan where he began many
things for Matteo Visconti, but was not able to complete them,
because having fallen sick owing to the change of air, he was
compelled to return to Florence. There he regained his strength and
executed in fresco in the chapel of the Asini in S. Croce, the story
of the martyrdom of St Mark by being drawn asunder, with many figures
which possess merit. As a pupil of Giotto he