a benefit to art, and that he can be assuredly numbered among
the benefactors who confer advancement and adornment on our profession,
considering that those who go on investigating the difficulties of rare
inventions leave their memory behind them, besides all their marvellous
works.

[Illustration: DUCCIO: THE MAJESTAS (DETAIL)

(_Siena: Opera del Duomo. Panel_)]

They say in Siena that Duccio, in the year 1348, gave the design for the
chapel that is in the square, against the wall of the Palazzo
Principale; and it is read that there lived in his times a sculptor and
architect of passing good talent from the same country, named Moccio,
who made many works throughout all Tuscany, and particularly one in the
Church of S. Domenico in Arezzo, namely, a tomb of marble for one of the
Cerchi, which tomb acts as support and ornament for the organ of the
said church; and although it may appear to some that it is not a very
excellent work, yet, if it is considered that he made it while still a
youth, in the year 1356, it cannot but seem passing good. This man
served in the building of S. Maria del Fiore as under-architect and as
sculptor, making certain works in marble for that fabric; and in Arezzo
he rebuilt the Church of S. Agostino, which was small, in the manner
that it is to-day, and the expense was borne by the heirs of Piero
Saccone de' Tarlati, according as he had ordained before he died in
Bibbiena, a place in the Casentino; and because Moccio erected this
church without any vaulting, and laid the weight of the roof on the
arches of the columns, he exposed himself to a great peril and was truly
too bold. The same man made the Church and Convent of S. Antonio, which,
before the siege of Florence, was at the Porta a Faenza, and to-day is
wholly ruined; and he wrought in sculpture the door of S. Agostino in
Ancona, with many figures and ornaments similar to those which are on
the door of S. Francesco in the same city. In this Church of S. Agostino
he also made the tomb of Fra Zenone Vigilanti, Bishop, and General of
the Order of the said S. Augustine; and finally, he built the Loggia de'
Mercatanti of that city, which has since received, now for one reason
and now for another, many improvements in the modern manner, with
ornaments of various sorts. All these works, although they are in these
days much less than passable, were then much extolled, according to the
standard of knowledge of these men. But returning to our