ea, and it was much praised, because he imitated therein the good
ancient manner, contrary to his wont, which was ever far distant from
it, as some drawings testify that are in our book, wrought by his hand,
wherein are drawn all the stories of the Apocalypse.

Now, seeing that Andrea had applied himself in his youth to the study of
architecture, there came occasion for him to be employed in this by the
Commune of Florence; for Arnolfo being dead and Giotto absent, he was
commissioned to make the design of the Castle of Scarperia, which is in
the Mugello, at the foot of the mountains. Some say, although I would
not indeed vouch for it as true, that Andrea stayed a year in Venice,
and there wrought, in sculpture, some little figures in marble that are
in the facade of S. Marco, and that at the time of Messer Piero
Gradenigo, Doge of that Republic, he made the design of the Arsenal; but
seeing that I know nothing about it save that which I find to have been
written by some without authority, I leave each one to think in his own
way about this matter. Andrea having returned from Venice to Florence,
the city, fearful of the coming of the Emperor, caused a part of the
walls to be raised with lime post-haste to the height of eight braccia,
employing in this Andrea, in that portion that is between San Gallo and
the Porta al Prato; and in other places he made bastions, stockades, and
other ramparts of earth and of wood, very strong.

[Illustration: _Alinari_

SALOME AND THE BEHEADING OF S. JOHN THE BAPTIST

(_Details, after_ Andrea Pisano, _from the Gates of the Baptistery,
Florence_)]

Now because, three years before, he had shown himself to his own great
credit to be an able man in the casting of bronze, having sent to the
Pope in Avignon, by means of Giotto, his very great friend, who was then
staying at that Court, a very beautiful cross cast in bronze, he was
commissioned to complete in bronze one of the doors of the Church of S.
Giovanni, for which Giotto had already made a very beautiful design;
this was given to him, I say, to complete, by reason of his having been
judged, among so many who had worked up to then, the most able, the most
practised and the most judicious master not only of Tuscany but of
all Italy. Wherefore, putting his hand to this, with a mind determined
not to consent to spare either time, or labour, or diligence in
executing a work of so great importance, fortune was so propitious to
him in the