The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-07-12
anecdotes Of E0,ly Painters.
CIMABUE AND GIOTTO

taste for drawing. Happening TO see
the works of some Greek painters. he
was affected by an extraordinary desire
to study under them; his wishes were
agreed to; and so diligently did he Dur
sue his profession, that he soon exceIled
his masters. From his performances a
school OF art sprung up in Florence
which thus took the lead in the revival
OF taste. Cimabue lived to the aoe of
SIXTY, and died in 1900. A notice of
S!mabue Interestingly leads to the
history of hissuccessor.
In the year 1916, about forty miles
from Florence, in the town of Nespigu
ano, there lived a poor laborinp man
named Bondone. This man had a son
whom be brought up in the ignorance
usual to the lowly condition of peasant
boy. But the extraordinary powers of
the enid, uncultivated as they neces-
safliy were, and his surprising quick
ness OF perception and never falling
NlNaelty made him the delight of his
la1her, and the unsophisticated people
among whom he lived. At the ace of
ten, his father intrusted him WITH the
care of flock. Now the happy little
shepherd boy strolled at his will over
meadow and plain with his wool!y
charge, and amused himself with lying
on the grass and sketching, as fancy led
him, the surrounding objects on broad
HAT stones, sand, or soft earth His sole
pencils were hard stick or a sharp
piece of stone; his chief models We're
his flock, which he used TO copy as they
gathered around him in various atti-
tubes.
One day as the shepherd boy Law in
the midst OF his flock, earnestly sketch
Ing something on a stone, there came by
traveller. Struck with the boys deep
attention to his work, and unconscious
grace of his attitude, the stranger stop
ped, and went to look at his work. It
WAS sketch of y sheep, drawn with
such freedom and truth of nature, that
the Traveller heheld it with astonish-
ment.
3" Whose son are you - cried he with
cagerness.
The startled boy looked up in the face
OF his dRestioner. !" My father is Boz
done. the lahorer, and | am his little
Giette, SO please the signor,n said he.
I" Well, then little Giotto, should you
like 70 come and live with me, and learn
how to draw and paint sheep like this,
and horses, and even men ?s
The ehld's eyes flashed with delight
that. But" he added, ~ q Sudden re-
Election made him change color, 81
must first go and ask my father; can
do nothing without his Leave. =
THAT is quite right, nay boy, and so
we will go to him together,' said the
stranger. 1t was the painter, Gmabue
Great was the wonder of old Bondone
at such a sudden proposal but he per-
ceived his sons wish, though Giotto
was fearful of expressing it, and con-
sented. He accompanied his boy to
Florence, and there left his little Giotto
under the painters care.
His pupils progress surpassed Gina
INTERPRETATIONS. delneating nature
Giotto soon went beyond his master, to
whom Il good deal of the formalty of
modern Greek art, which he had been
tn first to east aside, still clung. One
morning the artist came into his studio,
and looking at a half-fnished head, saw
a fly resting on the nose. Cimabue tried
to brush it off, when he discovered that
ii was only painted.
Who has done this ~ cried he, half
angry and half delighted.
Giotto crept trembling from a corner,
and confessed his fault. But he met
with praise instead of reproof from his
master, who loved art too well to be in
dignant at his pupils talent, even tho
the frolic were directed against himself.
AS Giotto grew older, his fame spread
far and wide. Pope Benedict IN. sent
messengers to him one day they enter
ed the artists studio, and informed him
of the Pope's request, that he should
send a design for an intended church
for Giotto, like most of the artists OF
those early times, was an architect as
well as a painter. He took sheet of
paper, fixed his elbow at his side to keep
his hand steady, and drew instantly
perfect circle.
"Tell His Holiness that this is my
design said he; and with all their re-
monstfanees, Giotto refusen to give any
other. Pope Benedict was Il learned
man he saw that Giotto had given tie
best instance Of perfection i'll his art
sent for him to Rome, and honored and
rewarded him. Ground as Giotto's or
became ar italian rrovcrb. Giotto, as
these stories testify, was pleasant and
humorous man.
The talents Of Gotto won him the
patronage Of the great Of his country.
He visited iii succession Padua,. Yer