se and thanks to God in the
sanctuary of that saint, to meet together from time to time,
remembering the welfare of their souls as well as of the bodies of
those who might be in need of assistance at various times. This is
still the practice of many of the Arts in Florence, but it was much
more common in former times. Their first sanctuary was the principal
chapel of the hospital of S. Maria Nuova, which was granted them by
the family of the Portinari. The first governors of the company were
six in number, with the title of captains, and in addition there were
two councillors and two chamberlains. This may be seen in the old
book of the company begun then, the first chapter of which opens
thus:

"These articles and regulations were agreed upon and drawn up by the
good and discreet men of the art of the Painters of Florence, and in
the time of Lapo Gucci, painter; Vanni Cinuzzi, painter; Corsino
Buonaiuti, painter; Pasquino Cenni, painter; Segnia d'Antignano,
painter. The councillors were Bernardo Daddi and Jacopo di Casentino,
painters. Consiglio Gherardi and Domenico Pucci, painters, the
chamberlains."

The company being thus formed by the consent of the captains and
others, Jacopo di Casentino painted the picture of their chapel,
representing St Luke drawing a picture of Our Lady, and in the
predella, all the men of the company kneeling on one side and all the
women on the other. From this beginning, whether they meet or no, the
company has existed continuously from this time and has recently been
remodelled, as is related in the new articles of the company approved
by the Most Illustrious Lord, Duke Cosimo, the very benignant
protector of these arts of design.

At length Jacopo, overwhelmed with years and toil, returned to
Casentino and died there at Prato Vecchio, at the age of eighty. He
was buried by his relations and friends in S. Agnolo, an abbey of the
Camaldoline order, outside Prato Vecchio. Spinello introduced his
portrait into a picture of the Magi in the old Duomo, and his style
of draughtsmanship may be seen in our book.

Spinello, Painter of Arezzo.

Upon one of the occasions when the Ghibellines were driven from
Florence and when they settled at Arezzo, Luca Spinelli had a son
born to him there, to whom he gave the name of Spinello. This boy had
so much natural inclination to be a painter, that almost without a
master and while still quite a child he knew more than many who have
practise