Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Niccolo of Arezzo

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE SCULPTOR NICCOLO, OF AREZZO.

[born...—was living in 1444.]

At the same time with Jacopo della Quercia, and attached to the same pursuit of sculpture, in which he was equally distinguished, lived Niccolo di Piero, a citizen of Arezzo, to whom Nature had been as liberal in her endowments of genius and force of mind, as fortune was niggardly in the gifts of ease and wealth. Niccolo di Piero^[1] was a poor countryman, and having received some kind of injury or mortification, in his native place, from his nearest of kin, he left Arezzo, where he had studied sculpture with great success, under the discipline of Maestro Moccio (who, as we have said elsewhere, executed certain works in Arezzo), although the said Maestro Moccio was not himself very excellent. Niccolo then repaired to Florence, where on his first arrival, and for several months after, he occupied himself with whatever works he could lay his hands on, being sorely beset by poverty and want, and having besides to compete with other young men, who, with severe study and heavy labour, nobly emulating each other, virtuously struggled to advance themselves in the art of sculpture. At length, and after many efforts, Niccolo became a tolerably good sculptor, when the wardens of Santa Maria del Fiore commissioned him to prepare two statues for the campanile of that church. These figures were accordingly placed in the tower, on the side opposite to the canonicate; they stand one on each side of those subsequently executed by Donato, and were considered tolerably good,—better works in full relief not having at that time been often seen. Having left Florence in the year 1383, on account of the plague then raging in the city, Niccolo returned to Arezzo. Here the confraternity of Santa Maria della Misericordia was found to have inherited large possessions from those who had died of the same pestilence, as we have related elsewhere,^[2] and from different persons of that city, who desired to signalize their reverence and devotion towards that holy place, as well as their admiration and respect for the brotherhood thereof; by whom the sick were succoured and tended, and who also buried the dead and performed many other offices of mercy and piety throughout the entire duration of the pestilence, without fear or consideration for themselves. With these funds, the brotherhood resolved to construct a façade for their house, in grey stone, not having marble at hand, and this Niccolo undertook to accomplish. The work had been commenced in the Gothic style, and our artist completed it very successfully, being aided by numerous stone-cutters from Settignano. For this façade the master executed a Virgin^[3] with his own hand; she bears the divine child in her arms, and is attended by angels, who, holding back her mantle, disclose the assembled people of the city sheltered beneath it. Below this group are San Laurentino and San Pergentino on their knees, making intercession for the multitude. On each side, moreover, is a niche three braccia high, wherein stands a statue, also by Niccolo, representing the pontiff St. Gregory on the one side, with the bishop San Donato, patron saint and protector of the city, on the other; the whole work is performed in a very good and satisfactory manner. From what I can learn, it would appear that, before attempting the undertaking here described, and while still very young, Niccolo di Piero had already produced three large figures of “terra cotta”, to be placed over the door of the Cathedral,^[4] but these have been almost entirely destroyed by the frost. Another early work of the same master is the stone figure of Saint Luke, executed for the fa9ade of the same church. In the capitular church of Arezzo, and for the chapel of San Biagio,^[5] Niccolo further produced a most beautiful figure of that saint in “terra-cotta”, with a figure of St. Anthony in high relief, and also in “terra-cotta”, for the church dedicated to the name of the last-mentioned saint. Over the door of the hospital of Arezzo is another saint in a sitting position, likewise by the hand of this master.^[6]

While Niccolo di Piero was occupied with these and other works, the walls of Borgo San Sepolcro were ruined by an earthquake, and Niccolo was sent for to prepare the design for new walls, which he did with great judgment, insomuch that these defences were better and stronger than they had previously been. In this manner he continued, now labouring in his native city, and now in the parts adjacent, and living quietly, and at his ease, in his home, until war, that most dangerous enemy of the arts, compelled him to depart from it. For after the sons of Piero Saccone had been driven from Pietramala, and when the castle had been destroyed even to its foundations, the whole city of Arezzo, with the neighbouring territories, was thrown into confusion: our artist consequently departed from his country and repaired to Florence, where he had already laboured at different times. Here he was appointed, by the wardens of Santa Maria del Fiore, to execute a marble statue four braccia high, which was afterwards placed at the principal door of that cathedral, on the north side. In this figure, which represents one of the Evangelists seated, Niccolo proved himself to be a truly excellent sculptor, and greatly increased his reputation: the work was highly commended, because at that time better figures had not been seen in full relief, as they afterwards were.^[7] Niccolo was, meanwhile, invited to Rome by command of Pope Boniface IX, as the most distinguished architect of his time, for the purpose of strengthening the castle of St. Angelo, and giving it a better form. On returning to Florence, he executed two small figures in marble for the Masters of the Mint; they stand at that side of Or San Michele which looks towards the guild of the wool-workers, and occupy the pilaster above the niche wherein we now see the statue of St. Matthew, which was finished at a later period. These figures were so admirably finished, and so well adapted to the summit of the oratory for which they were destined, that they were highly commended at the time, and have always been much renowned even to these days. In this work Niccolo would seem to have surpassed himself, since he never produced anything better; and they are, in fact, of such a character, that they may safely invite comparison with any similar work known.^[8] This production gained so much credit for the artist, that he was considered worthy to be of the number of those sculptors who were under consideration for the bronze doors of San Giovanni, although he was not in the foremost rank when the trial was made: that great work was however adjudged to another, as will be related in its proper place.

After these things Niccolo proceeded to Milan, when he was made inspector of the works in the cathedral of that city, where he executed certain sculptures in marble, which were considered very good.^[9] Finally, being recalled by the Aretines to his native city, for the purpose of constructing a tabernacle for the sacrament, he set off on his return thither, but was compelled to halt at Bologna, and erect the tomb of Pope Alexander V, who had finished the course of his years in that city: this work Niccolo at first declined to undertake, but eventually completed it, as aforesaid, in the convent of the Friars Minors, not being able to refuse the request of the Aretine Messer Leonardo Bruni, who had been a highly-favoured secretary of that pontiff. On this tomb our artist placed the portrait of Pope Alexander, taken from nature; it is true that the difficulty of procuring marble and other stones compelled him to construct the sepulchre, and form the ornaments, of stucco and terra-cotta; and in the same materials was executed the statue of the pontiff, placed on the tomb, which last is situated behind the choir in the church of the Friars Minors aforesaid. After completing this work, Niccolo fell mortally sick, and shortly expired, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. He was buried in the above-named church, in the year 1417.^[10] The portrait of this master was taken by Galasso of Ferrara,^[11] his very intimate friend, who was at that time painting in Bologna, together with the two Bolognese painters Jacopo and Simone,^[12] and a certain Cristofano,—I know not whether of Ferrara, or, as some affirm, of Modena^[13]—who all painted many works, in fresco, in a church called “Casa di Mezzo”, situated beyond the gate of San Mammalo. Cristofano, for example, depicted various events from the Old Testament on one of the walls, beginning with the Creation of Adam, and ending with the Death of Moses. Thirty stories were composed by Simon and Jacopo, for other portions of the work, the subjects taken from the life of Christ, commencing with his birth, and ending with the Last Supper. Galasso then painted the Crucifixion of Jesus, as may still be seen from the name of each painter inscribed beneath his work. These pictures were executed in the year 1404; the remainder of the church being afterwards painted by other masters, with stories from the life of David, very tolerably done. And it must needs be admitted that the Bolognese have some reason for the high estimation in which they hold these works, not only because they have considerable merit, for works of that period, but also because the colours have maintained their brilliancy and freshness, a circumstance which renders them worthy of high praise.^[14] Some affirm that the above-named Galasso, when he had become very old, painted in oil also, but I have not been able to discover any work from his hand, except paintings in fresco, whether in Ferrara or elsewhere. One of the disciples of Galasso was Cosmè,^[15] who painted a chapel in the church of San Domenico at Ferrara, and the foldingdoors which close the organ of the Duomo, with many other works, which are superior to the paintings of his master Galasso. Niccolo di Piero drew well, as may be seen in our book, where there is the figure of an Evangelist by his hand, with three heads of horses, admirably drawn.^[16]

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1. Niccolo di Piero Lamberti.—Baldinucci.
2. See the Lives of Berna and Duccio.
3. This façade, with its statues, is still in good condition.
4. These figures represent the Virgin, with Saint Donato and Saint Gregory. They are all in existence, as is that of St. Luke, but in a most deplorable condition. —Ed. Flor. 1846-9.
5. This figure has perished.— Ibid.
6. This seated statue, which also represents St. Antony, is still in good preservation, as is that of the same saint mentioned immediately above. —Ibid.
7. This is, without doubt, the figure of St. Mark, which Niccolo executed for Santa Maria del Fiore, and for which he received 130 florins.— See Gaye, Carteggio Jnedito, vol. i, p. 83. The statue is very fine, the attitude is imposing, and the draperies are well arranged. It has been engraved by Cicognara. —Ed. Flor. 1846 -9.
8. These figures are still in their place.— Ibid.
9. Cicognara doubts that Niccolo executed sculptures for the cathedral of Milan, since the writers on that Basilica do not name him, although Baldinucci also affirms that he did so. The archives of Milan preserve memorials of a certain Niccolo Selli, of Arezzo (who is, perhaps, our Niccolo di Piero), who was in the service of Giovanni Galeazzo Visconti, when that ruler was erecting the Certosa of Pavia.
10. In the first edition of Vasari is the following epitaph on this sculptor:—

    “Nicolaus Aretinus Sculptor.
    Nil facis impia mors, cum perdis corpora mille,
    Si manibus vivunt saecla, refecta meis.’’

    —Ed. Flor. 1846-9.
11. The life of Galasso will be found in this second part of our work.
12. Jacopo Avanzo, of whom further notice will be found in the Life of Vittore Scarpaccia and Simone Benvenuti, called Simon of the Crucifixes.— Ed. Flor. 1846 -9.
13. Vidriano calls this artist a Modenese; Baldi, Bumaldo, and Masini, on the contrary, consider him to belong to Bologna; while the people of Ferrara claim him for themselves.
14. The remains of the pictures by which this church, now called that of the Madonna di Mezzaratta, was adorned, have been freed from the whitewash, and diligently restored.— Ed. Flor. 1846 -9.
15. Cosmè, or Cosimo Tura, court painter to Borso D’Este. He painted a kind of history in fresco, in one of the halls of the palace at Schivanoja; the work is in twelve compartments, and Borso himself is its hero. These paintings were whitened over in the last century, but have lately (1840) been in great part restored to view by Alessandro Campagnoni, a meritorious painter of Bologna.
16. Gaye, Carteggio Inedito fyc. vol. i, p. 82, et seq. gives a letter from the Signoria of Florence to the Doge Michael Steno, dated 8th June 1403, from which we learn that the Venetian Republic had sought to secure the services of Nicolo di Piero, for the construction of a certain hall in the ducal palace of Venice, but that this master, engaged to the Guild of Notaries, and occupied with various labours for the Florentine Cathedral, was not able to comply with the wishes of the Venetians. Other memorials of this sculptor have been collected by Gaye, from documents relating to the works of the Duomo of Florence. Among them is one by which “hath been awarded to Niccolo Piero Lamberti, Donato di Niccolo Betti Bardi (Donatello), and to Nanni d’Antonio (di Banco),—to each a figure in marble, for the four Evangelists, on condition that the fourth figure shall be executed by him who shall best have completed that here assigned to him.”