ia Novella as an offering of gratitude for Piero's
escape from the conspiracy of Luca Pitti in 1466. Piero had but just
succeeded to Cosimo when Pitti, considering him merely an invalid,
struck his blow. By virtue largely of the young Lorenzo's address
the attack miscarried: hence the presence of Lorenzo in the picture,
on the extreme left, with a sword. Piero himself in scarlet kneels
in the middle; Giuliano, his second son, doomed to an early death by
assassination, is kneeling on his right. The picture is not only a
sacred painting but (like the Gozzoli fresco at the Riccardi palace)
an exaltation of the Medici family. The dead Cosimo is at the Child's
feet; the dead Giovanni, Piero's brother, stands close to the kneeling
Giuliano. Among the other persons represented are collateral Medici
and certain of their friends.

It is by some accepted that the figure in yellow, on the extreme right,
looking out of this picture, is Botticelli himself. But for a portrait
of the painter of more authenticity we must go to the Carmine, where,
in the Brancacci chapel, we shall see a fresco by Botticelli's friend
Filippino Lippi representing the Crucifixion of S. Peter, in which
our painter is depicted on the right, looking on at the scene--a
rather coarse heavy face, with a large mouth and long hair. He wears
a purple cap and red cloak. Vasari tells us that Botticelli, although
so profoundly thoughtful and melancholy in his work, was extravagant,
pleasure loving, and given to practical jokes. Part at least of this
might be gathered from observation of Filippino Lippi's portrait of
him. According to Vasari it was No. 1286 which brought Botticelli his
invitation to Rome from Sixtus IV to decorate the Sixtine Chapel. But
that was several years later and much was to happen in the interval.

The two little "Judith" pictures (Nos. 1156 and 1158) were painted for
Piero de' Medici and had their place in the Medici palace. In 1494,
when Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici was banished from Florence and the
palace looted, they were stolen and lost sight of; but during the reign
of Francis I they reappeared and were presented to his wife Bianca
Capella and once more placed with the Medici treasures. No. 1156,
the Judith walking springily along, sword in hand, having slain the
tyrant, is one of the masterpieces of paint. Everything about it is
radiant, superb, and unforgettable.

One other picture which the young painter made for his patron--or in
t