r painters who preceded him. This was possibly due to his close
friendship and intercourse with Cimabue, for, whether it was through
congeniality of disposition or through the goodness of their hearts,
they became very much attached to each other, and their frequent
conversations together, and their friendly discussions upon the
difficulties of the arts, gave rise to many great and beautiful ideas
in their minds. This came to pass the more readily, because they were
aided by the quality of the air of Florence, which usually produces
ingenious and subtle spirits, and which made them strangers to that
ruggedness and coarseness from which Nature cannot entirely free
herself even when assisted by the rivalry of the good craftsmen and
the precepts laid down by them in every age. It is, indeed,
abundantly clear that, when things have been talked over in a
friendly way, without any reserve of convention, although this rarely
happens, they may be brought to a great state of perfection. The same
remark applies to those who study the sciences; for, by discussing
difficulties among themselves when they arise, they remove them,
rendering the path so clear and easy, that the greatest glory may be
won thereby. But, on the other hand, there are some who, with
devilish arts, and led by envy and malice, make profession of
friendship under the guise of truth and affection, give the most
pernicious advice, so that the arts do not attain to excellence so
soon as they do where the minds of noble spirits are united by such a
bond of love as that which drew together Gaddo and Cimabue, and, in
like manner, Andrea Tafi and Gaddo. It was Andrea who took Gaddo into
his companionship to finish the mosaics of S. Giovanni. Here Gaddo
learned so much, that he was able, without assistance, to make the
prophets, which may be seen round the walls of that sanctuary, in the
squares under the windows; and, as he executed these unaided and in a
much improved style, they brought him great renown. Encouraged by
this, he prepared himself to work alone, and devoted himself
constantly to the study of the Byzantine style, combined with that of
Cimabue. By such means, it was not long before he became an excellent
artist; so that the wardens of S. Maria del Fiore entrusted to him
the semi-circular space within the building above the principal
entrance, where he introduced a Coronation of the Virgin, in mosaic.
Upon its completion, it was pronounced by all the foreig