, he speaks in the
first person, "I made," "I said," "I was making," "I was saying."
Finally, having come to the sixty-fourth year of his age, and being
assailed by a grievous and continuous fever, he died, leaving immortal
fame for himself by reason of the works that he made, and through the
pens of writers; and he was honourably buried in S. Croce. His portrait
is on the principal bronze door of the Church of S. Giovanni, on the
border that is in the middle when the door is closed, in the form of a
bald man, and beside him is his father Bartoluccio; and near them may be
read these words: LAURENTII CIONIS DE GHIBERTIS MIRA ARTE FABRICATUM.
The drawings of Lorenzo were most excellent, being made with much
relief, as it is seen in our book of drawings, in an Evangelist by his
hand, and in some others in chiaroscuro, which are very beautiful.

His father Bartoluccio was also a passing good draughtsman, as it is
shown by another Evangelist in the said book, which is by his hand, but
no little inferior to that of Lorenzo. These drawings, with some by
Giotto and by others, I had from Vittorio Ghiberti in the year 1528,
when a youth, and I have ever held and still hold them in veneration,
both because they are beautiful and as memorials of men so great. And
if, when I was living in strait friendship and intimacy with Vittorio, I
had known what I know now, it would have been easy for me to obtain many
other truly beautiful things by the hand of Lorenzo. Among many verses,
both in Latin and in the vulgar tongue, which were written at diverse
times in honour of Lorenzo, it will be enough for me, in order not to
weary my readers overmuch, to put down these that follow

Dum cernit valvas aurato ex aere nitentes
In templo Michael Angelus, obstupuit:
Attonitusque diu, sic alta silentia rupit:
O divinum opus! O janua digna polo!

MASOLINO DA PANICALE

[Illustration: S. JOHN THE BAPTIST

(_After the fresco by_ Masolino da Panicale. _Castiglione d'Olona:
Baptistery_)

_Alinari_]

LIFE OF MASOLINO DA PANICALE

PAINTER

Truly great, I believe, must be the contentment of those who are
approaching the highest rank in the science wherein they are labouring;
and those, likewise, who, besides the delight and pleasure that they
feel in working valiantly, enjoy some fruit from their labours, without
doubt live a quiet and very happy life. And if perchance it comes to
pass that one, while advancing towa