Page:The painters of Florence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century (1915).djvu/300

256 three windows, looking out on the distant hills. Leonardo began the work early in 1495, but, after his wont, lingered over it till both the Prior and the Duke's patience were well-nigh exhausted. Matteo Bandello, the novelist, who was a novice in the convent at the time, has described how he often saw the master mount the scaffolding and remain there, brush in hand, from sunrise to sunset, forgetting to eat and drink. Sometimes he would stand before the fresco for an hour or two, lost in contemplation, and would not take up his brush for three or four days. At other times he would leave the Castello, where he was modelling his equestrian statue, and hurry through the streets, in the blazing noontide sun, to the convent outside the city gates, add a touch or two to the fresco, and then return as quickly as he came. But he was always courteous to visitors, and liked to hear them express their opinions freely on his work. When Cardinal de Gurck paid a visit to Milan, early in 1497, and was lodged in the convent, he came to see the painter, and praised his fresco highly; but six months later it was still unfinished, and Lodovico sent the Marchesino Stanga to urge him to complete the work without delay.

The Prior, Vasari tells us, could not understand why the painter should stand before his picture for half the day without making any visible progress, and appealed to the Duke, who sent for Leonardo and discussed the subject with him. The master explained that he was really producing most when he seemed to be idle, and added that he had still two heads to paint, that of Christ, which he could