Page:The painters of Florence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century (1915).djvu/77

1430] in the Lower Church, formerly ascribed to this master, belong to an earlier period, between 1300 and 1310, and were probably, as Mr. Berenson suggests, painted by the unknown assistant who completed Giotto's series in the Upper Church. Giottino's work at Assisi was interrupted by illness, brought on, we are told, by neglect of his health and excessive devotion to his art, and he came back to Florence, where he died soon afterwards, to the grief of his contemporaries, who felt that in him they had lost a truly great master. He was buried by his parents outside the walls of Santa Maria Novella, and Latin epitaphs lamenting his short life and rare promise were written in his honour.

A third artist who painted in Santa Croce during the latter half of the fourteenth century, was Agnolo Gaddi, the son of Taddeo. His first work of importance, the frescoes on the legend of the True Cross, which he painted for the Alberti family in the choir of Santa Croce, show a close following of the Giottesque tradition, modified by Sienese influences, and the example of Giovanni da Milano. The type of face with the long nose and heavy chin is still the same as in Taddeo's works, but there is more charm of feature and colouring, and some of the heads, such as St. Helena, with her braided hair and quaint coif, are distinctly attractive. The story of the Finding of the True Cross by the Empress, and of the miracles worked by the sacred relic, as recorded in the Golden Legend, is told with a variety of picturesque incident; and the third fresco, in which the vision appears to Heraclius in his sleep, and he is seen on horseback charging the hosts of Chosroes, evidently supplied