nd to Arezzo
to the Bishop Guido de' Tarlati a picture with three half-length
figures, which is now in the chapel of St Gregory in the Vescovado.
While Simone was working at Florence, a cousin of his who was a
clever architect, Neroccio by name, succeeded in the year 1332 in
sounding the great bell of the commune of Florence, which no one had
been able to accomplish for the space of seventeen years, except by
the efforts of twelve men. This man, however, balanced it so that it
could be moved by two persons, and when once in motion one person
alone could ring it, although it weighed more than sixteen thousand
pounds; accordingly, in addition to the honour, he received three
hundred gold florins as his reward, a considerable sum for that time.
But to return to our two masters of Siena. Besides the things already
mentioned, Lippo executed from Simone's design a picture in tempera,
which was taken to Pistoia and put over the high altar of the church
of S. Francesco, where it was considered very fine. When Simone and
Lippo at length returned to their native Siena, the former began a
large coloured work over the great gate of Camollia. Here he
represented the coronation of Our Lady with a quantity of figures,
but the work remained incomplete, as he fell very sick, and
succumbing to the disease he passed from this life in the year 1345,
to the great sorrow of the whole city, and of Lippo his brother, who
gave him honoured burial in S. Francesco. Lippo afterwards finished
many pictures which Simone had left imperfect. Among these were a
Passion of Jesus Christ at Ancona, over the high altar of S. Niccola,
in which Lippo finished what Simone had begun, imitating what he had
done in the chapter-house of S. Spirito at Florence, and which
Simone had entirely completed. This work is worthy of a longer life
than it appears likely to enjoy, for it contains many finely posed
horses and soldiers, actively engaged in various matters, wondering
whether or no they have crucified the Son of God. At Assisi he also
finished some figures which Simone had begun in the lower church of
S. Francesco, at the altar of St Elizabeth, which is at the entrance
of the door leading into the chapel, representing Our Lady, a St
Louis, King of France, and other saints, eight figures in all, from
the knees upwards, but good and very well coloured. Besides this
Simone had begun in the principal refectory of that monastery, at the
top of the wall, many small s