painter, says that he is poor and without anything
to live on; that he has a girl of marriageable age and a young boy; that
he owes money to several people. He had a dower of 200 florins which
came from a possession which the nuns of Ogni Santi held, because they
said that they were heirs to his daughter-in-law, a nun in that convent
(!) and they had kept possession for six years and he could not sue
these nuns at law on account of his poverty. There are several documents
referring to money and property which his brother left to this man, but
which he seems to have difficulty in obtaining possession of, and he
gives one the impression of being unfortunate through life. In the same
year Antonio di Ser Naddo, painter, says he has a house with an oven
within the walls of Siena, "male in ponto," in which he lives in the
Contrada of Camporegi. That he has three useless mouths in the house
which gain nothing, two children, one a boy, and the other a girl of
marriageable age, but if he dowered her, so that she could be married,
he would have nothing to live on. Also that he owes 20 florins to
various people. In the same year others, both painters and woodworkers,
complain that they have nothing to live on and owe money, some saying
that they have become old and poor in the art. In 1478 Ventura di Ser
Giuliano, architect and woodcarver, says that he has a little house in
the city division in the place called of S. Salvador, and that he is
away at Naples because of his debts, for he is afraid to return. That he
owes Ser Biagio, the priest, 80 florins and other persons 402. In 1488
Giovanni di Cristofano Ghini, painter, says that he has a vineyard at
Terraia in the commune of S. Giorgio a Papaino from which he receives in
dues about 24 florins. That he has a wife and three sons and nothing to
keep them on. That five years ago he had sold all that he had in the
house, for times were very bad. That though he sticks to his work so
closely that he does not even go for a walk he has not made the bread
which he has eaten in the last six years. That he and his father have to
keep a sister who was married to Andreoccio d'Andrea di Pizichino with
her three little sons unless they are to die of hunger, and that they
have a girl of marriageable age in the house, his sister, "Che e il
fiorimento d'ognichosa." In the same year Benvenuto di Giovanni says
that he is obliged to work away from Siena because his gains are so
small; and finally in 15