Duccio, his
works date about the year of our salvation 1350.

[Illustration: DUCCIO: THE THREE MARIES AT THE TOMB

(_Siena: Duomo. Panel_)]

[Illustration: TRIPTYCH

(_After the panel by Duccio. London: N.G. 566_)

_Mansell._]

ANTONIO VINIZIANO

LIFE OF ANTONIO VINIZIANO

PAINTER

Many who would fain stay in the country where they are born, being torn
by the tooth of envy and oppressed by the tyranny of their
fellow-citizens, take themselves off, and choosing for country those
places where they find that their talent is recognized and rewarded,
they make their works therein; and striving to become very excellent in
order to put to shame, in some sort, those by whom they have been
outraged, they become very often great men, whereas, by staying quietly
in their country, they would peradventure have had little more than a
mediocre success in their arts. Antonio Viniziano, who betook himself to
Florence in the wake of Agnolo Gaddi in order to learn painting, grasped
the good method of working so well that he was not only esteemed and
loved by the Florentines, but also greatly cherished by reason of this
talent and of his other good qualities. Whereupon, being seized by a
wish to show himself in his own city in order to enjoy some fruit of the
fatigues endured by him, he returned to Venice, where, having made
himself known by many works wrought in fresco and in distemper, he was
commissioned by the Signoria to paint one of the walls of the Council
Chamber. This he executed so excellently and with so great majesty that,
according to his merit, he would have obtained an honourable reward; but
the emulation, or rather, the envy of the craftsmen, and the favour that
some gentlemen showed to other painters from abroad, caused the affair
to fall out otherwise. Wherefore the poor Antonio, finding himself thus
crushed and overborne, took the wiser part and returned to Florence,
with the intention never again to consent to return to Venice, and
determined once and for all that his country should be Florence.
Establishing himself, then, in that city, he painted in the cloister of
S. Spirito, in a little arch, a Christ who is calling Peter and Andrew
from their nets, and Zebedee and his sons; and below the three little
arches of Stefano he painted the story of the miracle of Christ with the
loaves and fishes, wherein he showed infinite diligence and lovingness,
as it is clearly seen in the figure of Christ Hi