the portico in the
courtyard of St Peter's. This is a truly marvellous work, well
deserving its high reputation among all persons of taste. In addition
to its excellent design, the apostles are admirably disposed, toiling
in different ways in the midst of the tempest, while the winds fill
the sail, which bellies out exactly like a real one; and yet it is a
difficult task so to unite those pieces of glass to form the light
and shade of so real a sail, which, even with the brush, could only
be equalled by a great effort. Besides all this, there is a fisherman
who is standing on a rock and fishing with a line, whose attitude is
expressive of the extreme patience proper to that art, while his face
betrays his hope and desire to catch something. Beneath the Navicella
are three small arches painted in fresco, but as they are almost
entirely effaced, I will say no more about them. All artists,
however, unite in praise of these works.

At last, when Giotto had painted a large crucifix in tempera in the
Minerva, a church of the Friars Preachers, which was then much
admired, he returned to his own country, from which he had been
absent for six years. But soon after Pope Clement V. was elected at
Perugia, on the death of Pope Benedict IX., and Giotto was obliged to
accompany the new pontiff to his court at Avignon to execute some
works there. Thus, not only in Avignon, but in several other places
of France, he painted many very beautiful frescoes and pictures,
which greatly delighted the Pope and all his court. When he at length
received his dismissal, he was sent away kindly with many gifts, so
that he returned, home no less rich than honoured and famous. Among
other things which he brought away with him was the Pope's portrait,
which he afterwards gave to Taddeo Gaddi, his pupil. The date of this
return to Florence was the year 1316. But he was not long permitted
to remain in Florence, as he was invited to Padua to do some work for
the lords della Scala, for whom he painted a beautiful chapel in the
Santo, a church built in those times. He thence proceeded to Verona,
where he did some pictures for the palace of Messer Cane,
particularly the portrait of that lord, and a picture for the friars
of S. Francesco. On the completion of these things he was detained at
Ferrara, on his way back to Tuscany, to paint for the lords of Esti
in their palace and S. Agostino some things which may be seen there
to this day. When the news of Gio