this the pictures
were executed with such skill that although they have been exposed to
the air for many years, and being turned to the north, they have
suffered the violence of rain and storm, yet they have never lost the
brilliancy of their colouring and are in no wise injured by these
accidents. Lorenzo also made a crucifix with many figures inside the
door which is in the middle of these figures, called the door of the
knocker, at the request of the same Ricciardo and of the superior of
the convent, and on the encircling wall he did the confirmation of
the rule of St Francis by Pope Honorius, and then the martyrdom of
some friars of that order, who are going to preach the faith to the
Saracens. In the arches and on the vaulting he did some kings of
France, friars and followers of St Francis, drawing them from life,
as well as many learned men of the order, distinguished by their
several dignities of bishop, cardinal and pope. Among these are the
portraits from life of Popes Nicholas IV. and Alexander V., in
medallions. For all these figures Lorenzo made the grey habits, but
with variety owing to his skill in workmanship, so that they all
differ from one another, some inclining towards red, others to blue,
some being dark and others more light, so that all are varied and
worthy of consideration. What is more, it is said that he produced
these works with such facility and speed that when the superior, who
paid his expenses in designing, called him one day, when he had just
made the colour for a figure and was beginning it, he answered, "Make
the soup and I will come when I have finished this figure."
Accordingly it is said with a great show of reason that no one ever
exhibited such quickness of the hands, such skill in colouring, or
was so resolute as he. By his hand also is the tabernacle in fresco
which is beside the nunnery of Foligno and the Madonna and saints
over the door of the church of that nunnery, among them being a St
Francis espousing Poverty. In the church of Camaldoli at Florence, he
painted for the company of the Martyrs some scenes of the martyrdom
of certain saints, and decorated the chapels on either side of the
principal chapel. As these paintings gave considerable satisfaction
to the whole city, he was commissioned on their completion, to paint
a wall of the church in the Carmine for the family of the
Salvestrini, now almost extinct, there being so far as I know, no
other surviving member than a