Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/242

228 Giovanni dal Ponte was popular with his acquaintance, but more because he promoted their amusements, than on account of his works. Yet he took pleasure in the society of the learned, more especially of those who studied to attain excellence in the art to which he was himself attached; for although he had not sought to acquire for himself those qualities which he valued in others, yet he never failed to recommend conscientious labour to his brother artists. Having attained the age of fifty-nine years, Giovanni was attacked by a disease of the chest, which carried him off in a very few days. Had he lived longer, it would only have been to suffer many inconveniences from want, since he had scarcely so much remaining as sufficed to give him decent burial in San Stefano dal Ponte Vecchio. His works date about the year 1365. In our book of the designs of different artists, ancient and modern, is a drawing in water-colours by Giovanni. It represents St. George on horseback, in the act of killing the dragon, together with a skeleton. From this specimen we can sufficiently judge of Giovanni’s method in drawing.

The great honour and utility of becoming distinguished in one of the noble arts is rendered sufficiently manifest in the case of Taddeo Gaddi, who, combining self-government with high talent, not only secured great fame by his labours, but acquired large possessions also, and left the affairs of his family in such a state, that his two sons, and Giovanni,