also designed by the Prior Guglielmo; and these things were executed with much diligence and perfect success by the stone-cutter Santi.
Delighting in labour and occupying himself continually, winter and summer, with mural paintings, a practice calculated to render the most robust unhealthy, Guglielmo suffered greatly from the humidity amidst which he worked; disease ensued, for which he was treated by physicians: but unable to endure the operation to which they submitted him, he sank beneath his sufferings after a few days’ illness, resigning his soul into the hands of Him who had given it; first receiving the sacraments of the church as befitted a good Christian, and making his will. Entertaining a particular veneration for the Eremite monks of Camaldoli, who have their abode on the summit of the Apennines, at the distance of twenty miles from Arezzo or thereabout; to them it was that the Prior Guglielmo left his property and his body. His glasses, implements of labour, and drawings, he left to his disciple, Pastorino of Siena, who had been with him many years. We have ourselves a specimen of the latter in our book of designs, the subject of the work being the Submersion of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, in the Red Sea.
Pastorino afterwards occupied himself with many branches of art, and among them, with the preparation of painting on glass, although he did not produce many works of that kind; Masso Porro, of Cortona, was also a zealous follower of the Priors method, but succeeded better in burning and joining the glass than in painting it. Battista Borro, of Arezzo, was among the pupils of Guglielmo, and still continues to imitate him much in the windows he executes. The Prior likewise taught the first principles of art to Benedetto Spadari and to Giorgio Vasari of Arezzo. He lived to the age of sixtytwo, and died in the year 1537. Infinite praises are due to this artist, since it was by him that the art of painting on glass, with all the delicacy and perfection that can be desired, was brought into Tuscany; wherefore, since he has conferred upon us so great a benefit, we also will show ourselves friendly to him by unceasing praise and honour, exalting him continually, both in his life and in his works.[1]
- ↑ “Here,” remarks an Italian writer, “we have another proof of Vasari’s
