Lorenzo de’ Medici,[1] who, being a man of talent, and one who respected ancient memorials, sought to bring once more into use that art which had, for many years, remained hidden.[2] Receiving great pleasure from painting and sculpture, he could not fail to have an interest in mosaic also; and perceiving that Gherardo, then a painter of miniatures, and a man of much ingenuity, was inquiring into the difficulties of that art, Lorenzo, as one who constantly assisted those in whom he found the germ of genius, favoured him greatly; wherefore, associating Gherardo with Domenico del Ghirlandajo, he caused him to obtain from the Wardens of the works of Santa Maria del Fiore, a commission to execute decorations for the chapels of the Transepts, and in the first instance that of the Sacrament, where reposes the body of San Zanobi. Thus put forward, Gherardo, exerting the utmost powers of his mind, would, without doubt, have accomplished admirable works in company with Domenico, had not death interposed to prevent him, as we may judge from the commencement made in that chapel, but which remained unfinished.[3]
Gherardo, in addition to his ability as a mosaic master, was an excellent miniature painter, and executed large figures also in mural paintings. Without the gate of Santa Croce there is a Tabernacle in fresco by his hand, and another within the city of Florence, at the end of the Via Larga, which is highly extolled.[4] On the front of the church of San Gilio, near Santa Maria Nuova, beneath the story painted by Lorenzo di Bicci, and which represents the Consecration of that church by Pope Martin V., Gherardo executed a fresco, depicting the same Pope conferring the Habit of the Order and many privilege.s, on the Director of
- ↑ Vasari must here be understood to mean Lorenzo the Magnificent, not the brother of Cosimo, pater patriae.—Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
- ↑ The practice of mosaic had never fallen out of use in Florence any more than in Venice, Orvieto, and other cities, in all of which the art was exercised with great success. —Masselli.
- ↑ In the following life, that of Ghirlandajo, Vasari describes this work as interrupted by the death of Lorenzo; this happened in 1494. The mosaic was consequently commenced some time previous to that date. (Ed. Flor., 1832-8.) No part of it now remains. —Ibid. 1849.
- ↑ The last-mentioned tabernacle, which is near the Piazza di San Marco, has been much injured and disfigured by re-touching.
