since been removed to make way for modern paintings. The last work performed by Giovanni Tossicani was a most beautiful annunciation, with St. James and St. Philip, which he executed for the Countess Joanna, wife of Tarlato da Pietramala, in one of the chapels of the episcopal church of Arezzo; but the back of the wall on which the last-mentioned work was placed being towards the north, the painting was almost entirely destroyed by the damp, when the Annunciation was restored by Maestro Agnolo di Lorenzo, of Arezzo. The St. James and St. Philip[1] were also restored some short time afterwards by Giorgio Vasari (who was then but a youth), and that to his great profit, for from doing so he acquired much useful knowledge—'which he could not then obtain from other masters—from examining the methods of Giovanni, and studying the shadows and colouring of that work, injured as it was. There is a monument in this chapel to the memory of the countess who caused it to be built and decorated, on which may still be read the following words:
“ Anno Domini 1335, de mense Augusti hanc capellam constitui fecit nobilis domina comitissa Joanna de Sancta Flora uxor nobilis militis domini Tarlati de Petramala ad honorem JBeatce Marice Virginis”[2]
The works of other disciples of Giottino do not require to be mentioned here, since they were but ordinary productions, and do but slightly resemble those of their master or of their con-disciple Giovanni Tossicani. Tommaso Giottino drew admirably well, as may be seen by certain drawings from his hand, preserved in our book, and which are finished with infinite care.
- ↑ The Annunciation has perished, but the St. James and St. Philip are still in existence. — G. Montani.
- ↑ If Giottino was born in 1324, how could Tossicani, whose last work was finished in 1335, have been his disciple? The want of documents, or other causes, have made Vasari fall into frequent error when speaking of Giottino’s disciples. —Ed. Flor. 1846.
