a.

If the thread of life of those who take pains to excel in some noble
profession was not frequently cut off by death in the best years,
there is no doubt that many geniuses would attain the goal desired by
them and by the world. But the short life of man and the bitterness
of the various accidents which intervene on every hand sometimes
deprive us too early of such men. An example of this was poor Berna
of Siena, who died while quite young, although the nature of his
works would lead one to believe that he had lived very long, for he
left such excellent productions that it is probable, had he not died
so soon, he would have become a most excellent and rare artist. Two
of his works may be seen in Siena in two chapels of S. Agostino,
being some small scenes of figures in fresco, and in the church on a
wall which has recently been demolished to make chapels there, a
scene of a young man led to punishment, of the highest imaginable
excellence, the representation of pallor and of the fear of death
being so realistic that it merits the warmest admiration. Beside the
youth is a friar who is consoling him, with excellent gestures, and
in fine the entire scene is executed with such vigour as to leave no
doubt that Berna had penetrated deeply into the horror of that
situation, full of bitter and cold fear, since he was able to
represent it so well with the brush that the actual event passing
before one's eyes could not move one more. In Cortona, besides many
things scattered up and down the city, he painted the greater part of
the vaulting and walls of the church of S. Margherita where the
Zoccolanti friars now are. From Cortona he proceeded to Arezzo in the
year 1369, at the very time when the Tarlati, formerly lords of
Pietramela, had finished the convent and church of S. Agostino, under
the direction of Moccio, sculptor and architect of Siena. In the
aisles of this building where many citizens had erected chapels and
tombs for their families, Berna painted in fresco in the chapel of St
James, some scenes from the life of that saint. Among these the most
remarkable is the story of the cozener Marino, who through love of
gain had contracted his soul to the devil and then recommended his
soul to St James, begging him to free him from his promise, whilst a
devil shows him the deed and makes a great disturbance. Berna
expresses the emotions of all these figures with great vigour,
especially in the face of Marino, who is divid