Part 30
[231] Milanesi, _Op. cit._ vol. iii. p. 77.
[232] All these letters are reproduced in Milanesi's _Doc.u.menti per l' Arte Senese_, vol. ii. pp. 430-452.
[233] "Entro il quale facevasi l'acconciatura delle pietre, el erano le ma.s.serizie e la scuola."--Della Valle, _Il Duomo di Orvieto_.
[234] Milanesi, _Doc. per la storia_, etc., vol. ii. p. 48.
[235] 1459. Uno letto e chapezale di penna di peso libbre 200 die dare lire trenta-una; soldi uno: denari otto. Sono per tanti ne abiamo messi a uscita di Vanni di Ser Giovanni di Bindo Kamarlingho; il quale letto lo tiene al presente Maestro Donatello da Firenze che fa le porti di bronzo. Archivio detto Libro Rosso a carte 162 pergo.
Milanesi, _Doc.u.menti_, etc., vol. ii. p. 298.
CHAPTER III
THE FLORENTINE LODGE
THE FLORENTINE LODGE
----+---------+--------------------------+--------------------------------- 1.
1258
Magister Jacopo Tedes...o...b..ilt castles at Arezzo and
da Campione
Poppi; and the Bargello at
Florence.
1298 }
2.
to }
M. Arnolfo (his son?)
C.M. of the Duomo. Built the
1310 }
Palazzo Vecchio.
3.
1340-48
M. Giotto
Designed the campanile, and
sculptured the first row of
reliefs.
4.
M. Andrea Pisano
Made door of Baptistery.
5.
1349-59
M. Francesco Talenti
C.M. of the Duomo.
6.
1350
M. Neri Fieravanti }
}
7.
M. Niccolaus Beltrami }
Four Masters who went to
}
Carrara to buy marbles for the 8.
M. Benozzus Niccolaus, }
Campanile, of which they were
his son }
joint architects.
}
9.
M. Albertus Arnoldi }
10.
1355
M. Frate Jacopo
Brother of Francesco Talenti;
sent to Rome for marbles.
11.
"
M. Francesco da Siena
Carved stalls in Siena
(called Francesco del
cathedral: sent for to carve the
Coro)
stalls of the choir of S. Croce.
12.
"
M. Benci Cione
{ Father of Orcagna. They were
{ called in the Council of the 13.
"
M. Ristoro Cione (a
{ Opera to consider Francesco
relative)
{ Talenti's design for the
{ chapels, July 1355.
14.
"
M. Lapo Ghino
Descended from Ghini Ventura
di Diotisalvi of Siena.
15.
"
M. Giovanni di Lapo
C.M. with F. Talenti, 1360 to
Ghino.[236]
1368.
16.
M. Bartolo da S. Ghallo
A Lombard from S. Gall,
grandfather of the famous
Giuliano and Antonio San Gallo.
17.
1356
M. Ambrogio Lenzi
Son of Guglielmo da Campione;
(Ambroxios da Campione)
was C.M. of the Baptistery in
1356; C.M. of the Duomo in 1362.
18.
M. Stefano Metti
19.
1357
M. Domenico di Noffo
Sent to Siena to buy marbles.
20.
"
M. Giovanni Belchari
{ These three were joint C.
{ Maestri for the upper part of 21.
M. Vigi Grilli
{ the Campanile. In 1362 Gio.
{ Belchari was poor and infirm, 22.
M. Bancho Falchi
{ and the guild gave him a
{ pension.
23.
M. Agostino Falchi }
(brother of the }
Joint Masters for the walls
preceding) }
and columns of the Duomo.
}
24.
M. Niccol Megli }
25.
M. Andrea di Cione
In council with Frati and
(Orcagna)
Magistri about the s.p.a.ce
between the columns. Later he
became famous as painter and
sculptor, and made the shrine
in Or San Michele.
26.
M. Jacopo di Lapo
Makes a model of the shaft.
Chavacciani
27.
M. Mato di Cenni }
These were engaged for the
}
bases of the columns.
28.
M. Jacopo di Polo }
29.
1362
M. Barna Batis
Provveditore after Filippo
Marsili.
30.
M. Davinus Corsi
31.
1363
M. Simone Johannes dal
Engaged to carve the twisted
Pino
columns of red marble in the
windows of the Duomo.
32.
"
M. Ambrosius Ghini
A relative of Lapo Ghino.
33.
1364
M. Sandro Macci
In council on the domes, with
many others named before and
after.
34.
M. Francesco Neri
Sculptured pila and relief in
Sellari
S. Croce.
35.
1366
M. Simone di Francesco
C.M. of Or S. Michele in 1376.
Talenti
With Taddeo Ristori in 1366 he
made a design for a chapel.
36.
"
M. Jacopo Pauli
Engaged Aug. 31, 1366, to make
capitals for columns in the
sacristy.
37.
"
M. Mato Jacobi }
}
38.
"
M. Aldobrando Jacobi }
His three sons who a.s.sisted
}
him.
39.
"
M. Corso Jacobi }
40.
1367
M. Bernabe Pieri }
Made a contract on Aug. 31,
}
1366, to carve some capitals.
41.
"
M. Manetti Pieri }
42.
1368
M. Francesco Michaeli
Advises about Or San Michele
with Gio. di Lapo Ghino.
43.
M. Mattheo olim Cionis
One of the Masters employed
in Or San Michele, brother of
Orcagna.
44.
1375
M. Giovanni Giuntini
45.
M. Francesco Salvetti
C.M. in 1375, but resigned
later in favour of Giovanni
Fetti.
46.
1376
M. Taddeo Ristori
One of the Cione family;
architect at Or San Michele,
and the Loggia de' Lanzi after
his uncle Benci Cione.
47.
M. Ambrogio di Vanni }
}
Masters in stone-carving.
48.
M. Leonardo olim Masis }
49.
1377
M. Johannes Michaeli,
Went to Prato on Oct. 2, 1377,
brother of Francesco
with Tommaso Mattei to buy
(No. 42)
marble.
50.
M. Tommaso Mattei
Son of Matteo di Cione.
51.
M. Zen.o.bio Bartholi
Was paid 18 florins on Dec.
15, 1377, for a figure of the
Angel Michael. He also carved
two other figures at 20
florins.
52.
"
M. Simone Francesci
Elected C.M. in 1377. Son of
Talenti
the C.M. Francesco. He
sculptured a figure in 1377,
and was paid 13 florins.
53.
1380
M. Jacopo da Scopeto
Worked in the choir.
54.
M. Pietro Landi of Siena
Son of the famous Lando, C.M.
of Siena Lodge.
55.
1381
M. Johannes Fetti
Elected C.M. with Guazetta on
March 14, 1381. Designed the
window under the vault on the
north side.
56.
M. Johannes Stefani,
Was a famous Master in
called Guazetta, son of
woodwork; he was noted for
No. 18.
foundations and scaffolding.
57.
1383
M. Laurentius Filippi
C.M. of the Loggia dei Lanzi
with Benci Cione, who was
master builder.
58.
1384
M. Giovanni di Ambrogio
Gave his vote at a meeting on
da Lenzo (son of
April 4, 1384, about the
No. 17).
pilasters of the tribune. Was
chosen C.M. on Feb. 28, 1400.
1386
M. Luca di Giovanni da
Carved some angels.
Siena
59.
1388
M. Michael Johannis Lapi
Succeeded Lorenzo Filippi
Ghini
as C.M. on July 15, 1388.
60.
1389
M. Antonio Francisci
Elected _Arch Magistrum_,
but deposed in 1420 by the
council; and Giovanni di
Ambrogio of Campione was
elected.
61.
1404
M. Niccolao called Pela
Sculptured the door of the
chapel of the Crucifix from
Giovanni d'Ambrogio's design.
62.
1418
M. Baptista Antoni (son
Elected C.M. when Giovanni
of Antonio, No. 60)
d'Ambrogio resigned by reason
of old age.
63.
M. Piero d'Antonio
Nicknamed Fannulla (Do
(another son of Antonio,
nothing).
No. 60)
64.
"
*M. Matteo di Leonarda
All the masters marked * sent
in plans for the Cupola. The 65.
*M. Vito da Pisa
design of Brunellesco, who I
believe not to have been of 66.
*M. Piero di Santa Maria
the guild, was chosen.
67.
*M. Donatello
68.
*M. Nanni di Banco
69.
*M. Lorenzo Ghiberti
_Provisore_ of the Cupola with
Baptista Antoni when
Brunellesco's plan was chosen.
70.
"
M. Andrea Berti }
Martignoni }
}
71.
"
M. Bonaiuti Pauli }
}
All these Masters were employed 72.
"
M. Papi di Andrea }
to erect a large model of the
}
design of Brunellesco for the 73.
"
M. Aliosso }
Cupola, on the Piazza del
}
Duomo.
74.
"
M. Cristoforo di Simone }
}
75.
"
M. Giovanni di Tuccio }
}
76.
"
M. Jacobo Rosso }
77.
"
M. Giovanni dell Abbaco
Worked at the Cupola under
Brunellesco.
78.
M. Antonio di Vercelli
M. Gherardo (_tedesco_) }
}
M. Ghabriella }
Three Germans who were paid
(_tedesco_) }
for models of a cupola.
}
M. Averardo ("_magistro }
teutonico_") }
----+---------+--------------------------+-------------------------------
Art is like a flower. If the seeds are sown in favourable soil the plant grows, develops, and bears beautiful blossoms, which in their turn leave seed for future generations. If the soil be not favourable, the plant may perhaps reach its flowering season, but it is weak, and the seeds lack the power of reproduction.
Thus in small cities like Modena, Parma, Orvieto, etc., the artistic atmosphere and soil were wanting. The lodges of those cities never became firmly rooted. The Lombard Masters placed there did their work, and then moved to other cities, but the natives remained uninfluenced.
In Pisa, art first took root. The Pisans, whose artistic faculties had been awakened by the cla.s.sic spoils they had gathered together in their conquests, found a practical outlet for them in the teaching of the _laborerium_ set up in their midst by Buschetto and his a.s.sistants and followers. Pisans joined the lodge, and from it great teachers arose. Siena was the next lodge that took root, and drew native artists into it; then followed Venice and Florence; and through them all, distinct as they became in later times, the seed was always sown by the Comacines or Lombard Masters. The Campionese and Buoni families are at the bottom of all the Tuscan schools, and every one of these cradles of art was of the self-same form, _i.e._ composed of the school, the _laborerium_, and the _Opera_ of the Comacine Masters.
And what connection had Arnolfo, the first designing architect of the Florentine cathedral and Palazzo Vecchio, with this Masonic company?
He had much to do with it, inasmuch as he was an hereditary member, in fact one of the aristocracy of the guild, and he had a most complete training in it. The first trace we get of Arnolfo is his instruction in the school of Magister Niccol Pisano. The proof of this is a deed drawn up in Siena on May 11, 1266, in which these words occur--"requisivit Magistrum Nicholam Petri de Apulia quod ipse faceret et curaret ita; quod Arnolfus discipulus suus statim veniret Senas ad laborandum in dicto opere, c.u.m ipso magistro Nichola." Here we have Niccol di Pisa as Master in the guild, and his disciple Arnolfo not yet having graduated.
Another paper relating to Niccol's work on the pulpit at Siena says--"Sec.u.m ducat Senas Arnolphum et Lapum, suos discipulos."
By 1277 Arnolfo seems to have graduated, for when Niccol and Giovanni di Pisa were at work on the beautiful fountain at Perugia in that year, Fra Bevignate, the _soprastante_ of the work, sent to call Magister Arnolfo from Florence to a.s.sist in the sculpture of the fountain. Arnolfo, however, declared in a letter dated Aug. 27, 1277, that he could not go to Perugia, or undertake any work there without the consent of King Charles of Anjou (King of Naples and Sicily) or of Hugo, his vicar in Rome. King Charles was applied to, and on Sept. 10 of that year he wrote conceding permission to Arnolfo to go and a.s.sist his old master--then 74 years of age--and also to take the marbles necessary.[237]
These doc.u.ments are very valuable apart from the fact they chronicle.
They show how the guild was not only privileged by the reigning monarch, but that he was the active president of it. It explains all those queer words on Longobardic inscriptions, beginning--"In tempore Dominus Honorius Episcopus," "In tempore praesule Paschalis, etc.,"
showing that they point out the reigning king, pope, or patron bishop who was at the time president of the Great Guild. The name of this highest magnate is usually followed in these inscriptions by the Grand Master, _soprastante_ or _operaio_ of the special lodge. The universality of the guild is also shown; its president, the king, being at Naples, his "vice" at Rome.
The next place in which we see Arnolfo is in Rome, where he worked with his _socio_ (fellow Freemason), Pietro, at the tabernacle of San Paolo fuori le mura. Here, with this ancestor of the Cosmati, Arnolfo learned his love of polychrome sculpture, which he afterwards adapted to the larger uses of architecture; for his grand Florentine Dome seems only a magnified inlaid casket. There is a beautiful piece of inlaid work in the Opera del Duomo which I believe to have been the _pluteus_ or parapet of the tribune in Arnolfo's time. It is in the Cosmatesque work which Arnolfo often executed. That he was as apt a pupil of the Cosmatesque revival of the _opus Alexandrinum_ as he had been of Niccol's figure sculpture, and his father Jacopo's architecture, is evident by his tomb of Cardinal de Braye at Orvieto, where we next find him working in 1285.[238] The tomb is a beautiful mixture of Cosmatesque ornamentation with the legitimate sculpture which he had learned from Niccol. The capitals of the spiral inlaid columns of the sarcophagus are of the true old Romano-Lombard form. In the simple grace of the rec.u.mbent figure we descry a forerunner of Donatello and Desiderio.
