with saints on either hand, a work of rare excellence, which has ever been held in the highest esteem by men versed in our arts.[1] In the church of San Lorenzo, Fra Filippo executed a picture, also representing the Annunciation, which is in the chapel of the Superintendents of Works,[2] with a second for the Della Stufa Chapel, which is not finished. For Sant’ Apostolo, in the same city, he painted a picture[3] in panel for one of the chapels; it presents the Virgin surrounded by different figures. And in Arezzo he executed one for Messer Carlo Marsuppini, to be placed in the chapel of San Bernardo, belonging to the monks of Monte Oliveto, y^herein he depicted the Coronation of the Virgin, surrounded by numerous saints. This work has maintained itself in so remarkable a degree of freshness, that one might suppose it to have but just left the hands of the master. With respect to this picture, the latter was exhorted by Carlo Marsuppini to give particular attention to the hands, his painting of vvhieh, in many of his works, had been much complained of; whereupon Fra Filippo, wishing to avoid such blame for the future, ever afterwards sought to conceal the hands of his figures, either by the draperies or by some other contrivance. In the painting we are now describing, the master has given the portrait of Messer Carlo Marsuppini from the life.[4] In Florence, Fra Filippo painted the picture of Presepio,[5]
- ↑ is perhaps to this picture that Domeuico Veneziano alludes in a letter written from Perugia, in 1438, to Pietro de’ Medici, wherein he says, “Fra Filippo has a picture which is to go to Santo Spirito, but which he cannot finish in five years, though he should work night and day.” This work represents the Virgin and Child, wnth Angels adoring; in the predella are other Angels sounding musical instruments, with Saints, a Bishop and a Nun, the latter in black vestments; it is now in the collection of Lombardi and Baldi, of Florence. So far the last edition, Flor, 1849. Other annotators affirm that the work here named by Vasari, was sent to Paris, in 1812, and still remains in that city.
- ↑ This picture is still in its place, but in a very poor condition. Of that for the Stufa Chapel nothing is known.
- ↑ The fate of this work is unknown.
- ↑ The convent being suppressed in 1785, this work was purchased by the noble house of Lippi, of Arezzo; it was afterw'ards sold to Pope Gregory XVI., who placed it in the gallery of St. John of the Lateran.
- ↑ Representations of the Nativity, with all its attendant circumstances are so called, and are very familiar to those who have frequented Italian churches.
