in the frieze, in the middle of which, and on the corners, are several heads, and among them that of Buffalmacco himself, as I have said, the head bearing a cap, exactly as he is seen in the portrait we have here given.[1] In this work is represented the Father of Creation, supporting the heavens and the earth—nay, the whole uni verse—by the force of his hand, and Buonamico, willing to explain the picture in verses similar to the paintings of that time, wrote a sonnet with his own hand, in capital letters, beneath the pictures. I add these verses here, for the sake of their antiquity, and also that the reader may be made acquainted with the simple modes of speech proper to those days; otherwise I do not think them likely to give much pleasure, although they may perhaps be welcome, as shewing of what the men of those times were capable:—
“ Voi che avvisate questa dipintura
Di Dio pietoso soramo creatore,
Lo qual fe tutte cose con amore,
Pesate, numerate, ed in misura.
In nove gradi angelica natura
In ello empirio ciel pien di splendore.
Colui che non si muove, ed e motore
Ciascuna cosa fecie buona e pura.
Levate gli occhi del vostro intelletto,
Considerate quanto e ordinato
Lo mondo universale; e con atfetto
Lodate lui che l’ha si ben creato:
Pensate di passare a tal diletto
Tra gli angeli, dove e ciascun beato.
Per questo mondo si vede la gloria,
Lo basso e il mezzo, e l’alto in questa storia.”[2]
- ↑ In Vasari’s second edition.
- ↑
“ Ye, who God’s image here depicted see—
The High—the Merciful—who by His love
All things created, and perfected all—
Giving to each due weight and order due:
Who to the choirs angelic their true grades
Hath meted; whom the splendent heavens obey—
Sun, moon, and stars; who moves and governs all
His fair pure world—Himself immoveable.
To Him, ye who here gaze, lift up your hearts,
Adoring:—offer praise to Him whose hand
Formed all, and all sustains. Raise, too, your thoughts
