Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/186

172 diadem of the saint, consoling themselves by hurling all the abusive words they could think of at the head of Buonamico and of every other Florentine. But Buffalmacco, safe in his own citv, cared but little for the outcries of the Perugini, and set himself to execute many works, of which, for the sake of' brevity, I will not now speak further. One only shall here be mentioned, namely, the figure of our Lady with the Child in her arms, which he painted in fresco at Calcinaia. But the man for whom he had executed this work, gave him only words in place of payment, and Buonamico, who was not accustomed to be trifled with or made a tool of, resolved to have his due by some means. He repaired one morning therefore to Calcinaia, and turned the child which he had painted in the arms of the Virgin into a young bear (but using watercolours only). This change being soon after discovered by the countryman who had had it painted, he hurried in despair to Buonamico, and implored him to remove the bear’s cub and replace the child as before, declaring himself ready to pay all demands. This Buffalmacco amicably agreed to do, and was paid at once both for the first and second painting, a wet sponge having sufficed him to restore all to its pristine beauty. But it would occupy too much time if I were to recount all the pictures painted, and all the jests made by Buonamico, more particularly while he frequented the shop of Maso del Saggio, which was the general resort of all the jovial spirits and facetious companions to be found among the citizens of Florence. Here, then, I will make an end of my discourse concerning Buffalmacco. He died at the age of seventy-eight; and being extremely poor, because he had spent more than he had gained, which was ever his custom, he was succoured in his last illness by the Confraternity of the Misericordia, in the hospital of Santa Maria Novella, and being dead, wras buried with the other poor in the Ossa (for so they call the cloister or cemetery of the hospital), in the year 1340. The works of this painter were praised during his life, and since his death have ever been highly valued among the productions of that age.