ork in connection with the "Arte" is in 1455, when
he made for the Compagnia di S. Agnese delle Laudi, which met in the
Carmine, a chest with a bookcase of some sort. Five years later he
carved some candlesticks for the Monastery of S. Monaca, and constructed
some cupboards ornamented with inlaid work and perspectives for the
Badia of Fiesole. Among his architectural work may be mentioned the
Chapel of S. Fina at S. Gemignano, which Ghirlandajo embellished with
frescoes. He commenced a choir for the Duomo at Perugia, decorated with
both carving and tarsia, but since he went to Naples shortly after 1481,
and died there in 1490, the greater part of the credit of this work must
be given to Domenico del Tasso, who completed it in 1491. His brother
Benedetto, to whom he turned over most of his commissions for tarsia,
when he became much occupied with architectural work, was born in 1442.
He assisted his brother in many of his works, such as the doors of the
hall of audience in the Palazzo Vecchio, made between 1475 and 1480,
representing Dante and Petrarch, with ornamental borders and other
panels, in which Il Francione also had a hand. He gave up tarsia in
disgust for the following reason, according to the story told by
Vasari:--"He made two chests, with difficult and most splendid mastery,
of wood mosaic, which he wished to show to Matthew Corvinus, then King
of Hungary, who had many Florentines at his Court, and had summoned him
with much favour; so he packed his chests up and sailed for Hungary,
where, when he had made obeisance to the King, and had been kindly
received, he brought forward the said cases and had them unpacked in his
presence, who much wished to see them; but the damp of the water and the
mouldiness of the sea had so softened the glue that when the parcels
were opened almost all the pieces of the tarsia fell to the ground, at
which every one may understand how astonished and speechless Benedetto
was in the presence of so many lords. However, he put the work together
again as he best might, and satisfied the King; still he was disgusted
with that kind of work, not being able to forget the vexation which
he had suffered, and gave it up, taking to carving instead." He finished
his brother's presses in the sacristy of S. Maria dei Fiori, and, in the
opinion of Vasari, surpassed him and became the best master of his
period. He died in 1497. Vasari ascribes the celebrant's seat in Pisa
Cathedral to Giuliano, toge