Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/427

Rh whereby they desired to intimate their own return, as a kind of resurrection from death to life, with the expulsion and abasement of their enemies and rivals; or it may have been that this signification was attributed to the words, from the fact of that illustrious house having returned from exile about that period, seeing that the human intellect is much given to apply words spoken previously to actions succeeding them, as if the one were the effect of the other; be this as it may, certain it is, that such was the opinion prevailing at the time, and it is spoken of even yet.

But we will now return to the art and works of Piero. He received a commission to paint a picture for the chapel of the Tebaldi family, in the church of the Servite Monks, who therein preserve the vestments, and a cushion or pillow, used by San Filippo, who was a brother of their order. The subject of this work is Our Lady, standing on a slight elevation; she has a book in her hand, but is not accompanied by the divine Child; she turns her head towards the heavens, and above her is seen the Holy Spirit, by whose light she is illuminated; nor has the artist permitted any other light, except that proceeding from the dove, to appear in the picture, yet this illumines, not only herself, but the figures which surround her; these are Santa Margherita and Santa Caterina, who are kneeling in adoration before the Virgin, with San Giovanni Evangelista, San Filippo, the Servite Monk; and Sant’ Antonino, Archbishop of Florence who are standing in fixed contemplation of the Madonna. Piero likewise added a landscape of very fanciful character, whether as regards the singular looking trees he has placed in it, or the caves and grottoes which also form a portion thereof. PTere are, of a truth, many beautiful parts in this work, as for example, certain heads, which have much grace, while they likewise evince considerable power of design; the colouring also has great merit, for Piero was certainly well acquainted with the true method of painting in oil. On the predella of this work he executed small historical representations, which are extremely well done, among others that of