ornaments, by his own hand, Orgagna sculptured seven marble figures in mezzo-relievo, representing the seven theological and cardinal Virtues,[1] which are so admirably done, that, taken in conjunction with the rest of the work, they prove this master to have been no less excellent as a sculptor, than he was as a painter and architect. In addition to his talents, Andrea was, besides, endowed with a most cheerful disposition and kind heart; no man, of his condition, was ever more amiable, or of pleasanter manners. While occupied with any one of his three professions, Andrea never neglected the other two; thus, while the Loggia was in progress of construction, he painted a picture in distemper, comprising many large figures, with smaller ones on the predella. This picture was intended for that chapel of the Strozzi wherein he had previously executed certain works in fresco, with his brother Bernardo; and here, believing that this painting would offer more conclusive testimony to his skill in art, than could be presented by his labours in fresco, he in scribed his name in the following words:—
“anno domini mccclvii, andreas cionis de florentia me pinxit.”[2]
This work being completed, Andrea executed other pictures, also on panel, which were sent to the pope, in Avignon, and are still in the cathedral church of that city. Shortly after, the men of the brotherhood of Orsanmichele, having collected large sums of money by the ordinary alms-giving, and in consequence of the mortality which prevailed in 1348, when large donations of money and lands were offered to their Madonna, determined to construct a chapel, or rather tabernacle, around her, enriched not only with marbles, sculptured in all possible ways, and adorned with other rich stones of price, but decorated moreover with mosaics and ornaments of bronze; embellished, in short, to the utmost extent practicable to the art of the period. They resolved that the building should surpass all that had been previously erected
- ↑ These Virtues are six, the seventh is the figure of the Virgin. They are declared by Baldinucci to have been designed by Agnolo Gaddi, in 1367, and sculptured bv a certain Jacopo di Pisa, about 1368.
- ↑ This picture, which still retains its place, and is in good preservation, deserves to be considered one of the best works of the master.— Montani.
