ished, besides what he possessed, by means of those
arts, of which he had a very good knowledge even in his youth, yet
resolved, for his own peace and satisfaction, being by nature serious
and upright, and above all in order to save his soul, to take the vows
of the Order of Preaching Friars; for the reason that, although it is
possible to serve God in all walks of life, nevertheless it appears to
some men that they can gain salvation in monasteries better than in the
world. Now in proportion as this plan succeeds happily for good men, so,
on the contrary, it has a truly miserable and unhappy issue for a man
who takes the vows with some other end in view.

There are some choral books illuminated by the hand of Fra Giovanni in
his Convent of S. Marco in Florence, so beautiful that words are not
able to describe them; and similar to these are some others that he left
in S. Domenico da Fiesole, wrought with incredible diligence. It is
true, indeed, that in making these he was assisted by an elder brother,
who was likewise an illuminator and well practised in painting.

One of the first works in painting wrought by this good father was a
panel in the Certosa of Florence, which was placed in the principal
chapel (belonging to Cardinal Acciaiuoli); in which panel is a Madonna
with the Child in her arms, and with certain very beautiful angels at
her feet, sounding instruments and singing; at the sides are S.
Laurence, S. Mary Magdalene, S. Zanobi, and S. Benedict; and in the
predella are little stories of these Saints, wrought in little figures
with infinite diligence. In the cross of the said chapel are two other
panels by the hand of the same man; one containing the Coronation of Our
Lady, and the other a Madonna with two saints, wrought with most
beautiful ultramarine blues. Afterwards, in the tramezzo[5] of S. Maria
Novella, beside the door opposite to the choir, he painted in fresco S.
Dominic, S. Catherine of Siena, and S. Peter Martyr; and some little
scenes in the Chapel of the Coronation of Our Lady in the said tramezzo.
On canvas, fixed to the doors that closed the old organ, he painted an
Annunciation, which is now in the convent, opposite to the door of the
lower dormitory, between one cloister and the other.

This father was so greatly beloved for his merits by Cosimo de' Medici,
that, after completing the construction of the Church and Convent of S.
Marco, he caused him to paint the whole Passion of Jesus Christ