was appointed general of the
congregation of Monte Oliveto, nineteen years after he had employed
Spinello to do a number of things at Florence and at Arezzo, as has
been said above. Being stationed according to the custom of the
order, at Monte Oliveto the greater, of Chiusuri in the Siena
district, as being the principal house of that body, he conceived a
longing to have a beautiful picture made in that place. Accordingly
he sent for Spinello, remembering how well he had been served upon
other occasions, and induced him to do the picture for the principal
chapel. Here Spinello produced a large number of figures in tempera,
both small and great, on a gold ground, with great judgment, and
afterwards caused it to be framed in an ornament in half-relief by
Simone Cini of Florence, while in some parts he put an additional
ornament with stucco of a rather firm glue, which proved very
successful. It was gilded all over by Gabriello Saracini, who wrote
at the bottom the three names: Simone Cini of Florence did the
carving, Gabriello Saracini the gilding, and Spinello di Luca of
Arezzo the painting, in the year 1385.

On the completion of this work, Spinello returned to Arezzo having
received numerous favours from the general and other monks, besides
his payment. But he did not remain long there for the city was in
disorder owing to the feuds of the Guelph and Ghibelline parties and
was just then sacked. He removed with his family and his son Parri,
who was learning painting, to Florence, where he had a goodly number
of friends and relations. In that city, in order to pass the time, he
painted an Annunciation in a tabernacle outside the gate at S. Piero
Gattolini on the Roman road, where the way branches to Pozzolatico, a
work which is now half destroyed, and other pictures in another
tabernacle, where the ruin of Galluzzo is. Being afterwards invited
to Pisa to finish in the Campo Santo beneath the life of St Ranieri
the remainder of other subjects in a blank space, in order to unite
them to the scenes painted by Giotto, Simone of Siena, and Antonio of
Venice, he there executed in fresco six stories of St Petitus and St
Epirus. The first represents the saint as a young man, presented by
his mother to the Emperor Diocletian, and appointed general of the
armies which were to march against the Christians. As he is riding
with his troop Christ appears to him, and showing him a white cross
commands the youth not to persecute Him