rds perfection in any science or art,
is overtaken by death in the happy course of his life, his memory does
not become wholly spent, if only he has laboured worthily in order to
attain to the true end of his art. Wherefore every man should labour the
most that he can in order to attain to perfection, since, although he
may be hindered in the midst of his course, he will gain praise, if not
for the works that he has not been able to finish, at least for the
excellent intention and diligent study which are seen in the little that
he leaves behind.

Masolino da Panicale of Valdelsa, who was a disciple of Lorenzo di
Bartoluccio Ghiberti, was a very good goldsmith in his youth, and the
best finisher that Lorenzo had in the labour of the doors; and he was
very dexterous and able in making the draperies of the figures, and had
very good manner and understanding in the work of finishing. Wherefore
with his chisel he made with all the more dexterity certain soft and
delicate hollows, both in human limbs and in draperies. He devoted
himself to painting at the age of nineteen, and practised it ever
afterwards, learning the art of colouring from Gherardo Starnina. And
having gone to Rome in order to study, the while that he dwelt there he
painted the hall of the old house of the Orsini on Monte Giordano; and
then, having returned to Florence by reason of a pain in the head that
the air was causing him, he made in the Carmine, beside the Chapel of
the Crucifixion, that figure of S. Peter which is still seen there. This
figure, being praised by the craftsmen, brought it about that he was
commissioned to adorn the Chapel of the Brancacci, in the said church,
with the stories of S. Peter; of which chapel, with great diligence, he
brought a part to completion, as on the vaulting, where there are the
four Evangelists, with Christ taking Andrew and Peter from the nets and
then Peter weeping for the sin committed in denying Him, and next to
that his preaching in order to convert the Gentiles. He painted there
the shipwreck of the Apostles in the tempest, and the scene when S.
Peter is delivering his daughter Petronilla from sickness; and in the
same scene he made him going with S. John to the Temple, where, in front
of the portico, there is the lame beggar asking him for alms, and S.
Peter, not being able to give him either gold or silver, is delivering
him with the sign of the Cross. Throughout all that work the figures are
made with ver