ey
kept the very best Vernaccia (a kind of delicious Tuscan wine, kept for
the uses of the mass) to be found in Florence, told his fair patrons,
that this defect could only be remedied by mixing the colors with good
Vernaccia, but that when the cheeks were touched with colors thus
tempered, they would become rosy and life-like enough. "The good
ladies," says Vasari, "believing all he said, kept him supplied with
the very best Vernaccia during all the time that his labors lasted, and
he joyously swallowing this delicious nectar, found color enough on his
palette to give his faces the fresh rosiness they so much desired."
Bottari says, that Buonamico, on one occasion, was surprised by the
nuns, while drinking the Vernaccia, when he instantly spirted what he
had in his mouth on the picture, whereby they were fully satisfied; if
they cut short his supply, his pictures looked pale and lifeless, but
the Vernaccia always restored them to warmth and beauty. The nuns were
so much pleased with his performances that they employed him a long
time, and he decorated their whole church with his own hand,
representing subjects from the life of Christ, all extremely well
executed.

BUFFALMACCO, BISHOP GUIDO, AND HIS MONKEY.

"In the year 1302," says Vasari, "Buffalmacco was invited to Assisi,
where, in the church of San Francesco, he painted in fresco the chapel
of Santa Caterina, with stories taken from her life. These paintings are
still preserved, and many figures in them are well worthy of praise.
Having finished this chapel, Buonamico was passing through Arezzo, when
he was detained by the Bishop Guido, who had heard that he was a
cheerful companion, as well as a good painter, and who wished him to
remain for a time in that city, to paint the chapel of the episcopal
church, where the baptistery now is. Buonamico began the work, and had
already completed the greater part of it, when a very curious
circumstance occurred; and this, according to Franco Sacchetti, who
relates it among his Three Hundred Stories, was as follows. The bishop
had a large ape, of extraordinary cunning, the most sportive and
mischievous creature in the world. This animal sometimes stood on the
scaffold, watching Buonamico at his work, and giving a grave attention
to every action: with his eyes constantly fixed on the painter, he
observed him mingle his colors, handle the various flasks and tools,
beat the eggs for his paintings in distemper--all that he di