Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/288

274 of thirteen months, and had ultimately been persuaded to consent to the sale), the commune of Florence caused Gherardo Starnina to paint a picture in commemoration of that event. Accordingly, on the façade of the palace belonging to the Guelphic party, Starnina depicted St. Dionysius the bishop, and two angels, with the city of Pisa—a faithful portrait—beneath. This work the master executed with so much care in every part, more particularly as to the colouring in fresco, that in despite of the air, the rains, and the unfavourable exposure of a northern aspect, that picture remains in good preservation to the present time; it has ever been considered worthy of the highest praise, and is still so considered, because the colours retain their freshness and beauty as perfectly as if but just painted. By these and other works Gherardo Starnina had attained to the summit of honour, both in his own country and others, when envious death, ever the enemy of great deeds, cut him off in the most successful period of his labours, thereby destroying the confident hope of many still better things, wrhich the world had promised itself from his hand. Gherardo unexpectedly attained the end of his career at the age of forty-nine, and was buried with most honourable obsequies in the church of San Jacopo-sopra-Arno. The disciples of Starnina were Masolino da Panicale, who was first an excellent goldsmith and afterwards a painter; and