t, although pictures are
forbidden among that people by the Mahometan law, nevertheless he
accepted them with great good-will, praising the art and the craftsman
without ceasing; and what is more, he demanded that the master of the
work should be sent to him. Whereupon the Senate, considering that
Giovanni had reached an age when he could ill endure hardships, not to
mention that they did not wish to deprive their own city of so great a
man, particularly because he was then engaged on the aforesaid Hall of
the Great Council, determined to send his brother Gentile, believing
that he would do as well as Giovanni. Therefore, having caused Gentile
to make his preparations, they brought him safely in their own galleys
to Constantinople, where, after being presented by the Commissioner of
the Signoria to Mahomet, he was received very willingly and treated with
much favour as something new, above all after he had given that Prince a
most lovely picture, which he greatly admired, being wellnigh unable to
believe that a mortal man had within himself so much divinity, so to
speak, as to be able to represent the objects of nature so vividly.
Gentile had been there no long time when he portrayed the Emperor
Mahomet from the life so well, that it was held a miracle. That Emperor,
after having seen many specimens of his art, asked Gentile whether he
had the courage to paint his own portrait; and Gentile, having answered
"Yes," did not allow many days to pass before he had made his own
portrait with a mirror, with such resemblance that it appeared alive.
This he brought to the Sultan, who marvelled so greatly thereat, that he
could not but think that he had some divine spirit within him; and if it
had not been that the exercise of this art, as has been said, is
forbidden by law among the Turks, that Emperor would never have allowed
Gentile to go. But either in fear of murmurings, or for some other
reason, one day he summoned him to his presence, and after first causing
him to be thanked for the courtesy that he had shown, and then praising
him in marvellous fashion as a man of the greatest excellence, he bade
him demand whatever favour he wished, for it would be granted to him
without fail. Gentile, like the modest and upright man that he was,
asked for nothing save a letter of recommendation to the most Serene
Senate and the most Illustrious Signoria of Venice, his native city.
This was written in the warmest possible terms, and afterw