Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/156

142 the same invention,—outline, expression of the heads, and attitudes, which were peculiar to Lauratfs master, Giotto. The whole work is beautiful, but more so than all is the vaulting of the chapel, where he painted the Assumption of the Virgin, with figures of the Apostles, four braccia in height; and herein he displayed the boldness of his spirit, since he was the first to attempt this grand manner: he, moreover, imparted so pleasing an expression to the heads, and so charming a grace to the draperies, that nothing better could be desired, the times considered. The countenances of a choir of angels, hovering in the air about the Virgin, and with light movements appearing to sing as they float around her, express a gladness truly angelic and divine, the eyes more particularly; which, while these angels are sounding their various instruments, all turn towards another choir of angels, who, supported on a cloud in the form of a “ gloria,” bear the Madonna to heaven, all exhibiting the most beautiful attitudes, and surrounded by rainbows. This picture gave so much satisfaction (and with good reason), that Pietro was appointed to paint the picture in distemper, for the high altar of the same church, a work which he executed in five compartments. The figures are half-lengths, of the size of life; they represent the Virgin with the Child in her arms: St. John the Baptist, with St. Matthew, stand on one side, while St. John the Evangelist, with San Donato, are on the other. There are many small figures in the ornaments above the picture, and on the predella beneath it, all really beautiful, and executed in a very good manner. This picture, when the high altar of the church was entirely restored by my own hand, and at my own cost, was placed on the altar of St. Christopher, at the western end of the church. Nor will it be out of place, that I should here relate what I have myself done in this behalf, and I will not refuse the labour of declaring, that, moved by Christian piety, and by the affection I bear to that ancient and venerable collegiate church, wherein my childhood received its first instructions, and where the bones of my fathers find rest—moved by these causes, I say, and by the degraded condition of the church in that part, I have restored it in such sort, that it may be said