Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/399

Rh vina, and which are not well done; this arose from the fact that he never devoted himself to his art with the love and diligence required to ensure success, but thought only of squandering the property and possessions of his father and grandfather. This Vittorio ultimately repaired to Ascoli, whither he had been summoned to serve as architect under Pope Paul III, and where he was murdered in the night by one of his servants, who had planned to rob him. Thus the family of Lorenzo Ghiberti became extinct, but not so his fame, which will endure to all eternity. But let us return to our artist, during his lifetime he gave his attention to various branches of art, and took delight in painting and working in glass. It was by him that the rose-windows around the cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore were made, one only excepted, that namely in which is represented Christ crowning the Virgin, and this is from the hand of Donato. The three window's above the principal door of Santa Maria del Fiore are likewise by Lorenzo Ghiberti, with all those of the chapels and tribunes, as well as the rosewindow in the façade of Santa Croce. This master also made a window for the principal chapel of the capitular church of Arezzo; on it is represented the Coronation of Our Lady, with two other figures, all which were done for Lazzaro di Feo di Baccio, a very rich merchant of that city; but as all these windows were made of Venetian glass of very dark colour, they tend rather to obscure than to enlighten the buildings wherein they are constructed. Lorenzo was appointed to assist Brunellesco, when the latter received the commission for the cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore, but this arrangement was afterwards altered, as will be related in the life of that master. The same Lorenzo wrote a book in the vulgar-tongue, wrherein