a passing good master, who painted so
many walls in chiaroscuro and so many panels in Siena, and who, if he
had lived longer, would have done himself much credit in his art, in so
far as one may judge from the little that he executed. Domenico wrought
for the Confraternity of Arezzo a baldacchino painted in oil, a rich and
costly work, which was lent not many years ago for the holding of a
representation in S. Francesco at the festival of S. John and S. Paul,
to adorn a Paradise near the roof of the church. A fire breaking out in
consequence of the great quantity of lights, this work was burnt,
together with the man who was representing God the Father, who, being
fastened, could not escape, as the angels did, and many church-hangings
were destroyed, while great harm came to the spectators, who, terrified
by the fire, struggled furiously to fly from the church, everyone
seeking to be the first, so that about eighty were trampled down in the
press, which was something very pitiful. This baldacchino was afterwards
reconstructed with greater richness, and painted by Giorgio Vasari.
Domenico then devoted himself to the making of glass windows, and there
were three by his hand in the Vescovado, which were ruined by the
artillery in the wars.

Another pupil of the same master was the painter Angelo di Lorentino,
who was a man of passing good ability. He painted the arch over the door
of S. Domenico, and if he had received assistance he would have become a
very good master.

The Abbot died at the age of eighty-three, leaving unfinished the Temple
of the Madonna delle Lacrime, for which he had made a model; it was
afterwards completed by various masters. He deserves praise, then, as
illuminator, architect, painter, and musician. He was given burial by
his monks in his Abbey of S. Clemente, and his works have ever been so
highly esteemed in the said city that the following verses may be read
over his tomb:

PINGEBAT DOCTE ZEUSIS, CONDEBAT ET AEDES
NICON, PAN CAPRIPES, FISTULA PRIMA TUA EST.
NON TAMEN EX VOBIS MECUM CERTAVERIT ULLUS;
QUAE TRES FECISTIS, UNICUS HAEC FACIO.

He died in 1461, having added to the art of illumination that beauty
which is seen in all his works, as some drawings by his hand can bear
witness which are in our book. His method of working was afterwards
imitated by Girolamo Padovano in some books that he illuminated for S.
Maria Nuova in Florence; by Gherardo, a Florentine illuminato