of
Fiesole, and Federighi himself lying on it, portrayed from nature, with
three other half-length figures; and in the ornament of the pilasters of
this work, on the level surface, he painted certain festoons with
clusters of fruit and foliage, so lifelike and natural, that nothing
better could be done in oil and on panel with the brush. Of a truth,
this work is marvellous and most rare, seeing that Luca made the lights
and shades in it so well, that it scarcely appears possible for this to
be done by the action of fire. And if this craftsman had lived longer
than he did, even greater works would have been seen to issue from his
hands, since, a little before he died, he had begun to make scenes and
figures painted on a level surface, whereof I once saw some pieces in
his house, which lead me to believe that he would have easily succeeded
in this, if death, which almost always snatches the best men away just
when they are on the point of conferring some benefit on the world, had
not robbed him of life before his time.
Luca was survived by Ottaviano and Agostino, his brothers, and from
Agostino there was born another Luca, who was very learned in his day.
Now Agostino, pursuing the art after the death of Luca, made the facade
of S. Bernardino in Perugia in the year 1461, with three scenes in
low-relief therein and four figures in the round, executed very well and
with a delicate manner; and on this work he put his name in these words,
AUGUSTINI FLORENTINI LAPICIDAE.
Of the same family was the nephew of Luca, Andrea, who worked very well
in marble, as it is seen in the Chapel of S. Maria delle Grazie, without
Arezzo, where he made for the Commune, in a great ornament of marble,
many little figures both in the round and in half-relief; which ornament
was made for a Virgin by the hand of Parri di Spinello of Arezzo. The
same man made the panel in terra-cotta for the Chapel of Puccio di
Magio, in the Church of S. Francesco in the same city, and that
representing the Circumcision for the family of the Bacci. In S. Maria
in Grado, likewise, there is a very beautiful panel by his hand with
many figures; and on the high-altar of the Company of the Trinita there
is a panel by his hand containing a God the Father, who is supporting
Christ Crucified in His arms, surrounded by a multitude of angels, while
S. Donatus and S. Bernard are kneeling below. In the church and in other
parts of the Sasso della Vernia, likewise, he made man
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