The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-06-12

lures and frescoes were constantly in
demand. No gallery was perfect,
no cathedral or convent was properly
decorated unless the hand of Lippi
had left its mark there. Impressed
with this sentiment, the nuns of the
convent of Santa Martha di Prato,
near Florence, ordered an altar piece
to be painted by the still young ar
tist,-Lippi went to the convent to
begin his work, but as he passed into
the chapel he caught sight of the
beautiful novice, Lucrezia Butt, who
had been sent thither by her friends
that she might eventually take the
veil. That glance at her beautiful
features made the favored courtier,
the successful painter, for the mo-
ment the most miserable of men. He
was desperately, and too probably,
hopelessly in love.
But he went on with the altar
piece. After day or two, however
he suggested to the lady superior,
that he should paint more success
fully when he began on the picture
of the Virgin which formed part of
the group, had he living subject by
which he might guide his hand and
eye, and suggested the beautiful
novice as a proper person. The alb
hess was pleased that any one had
discovered that religeuses were not
necessarily ugly, and, considering the
worthy object of the request, she at
once assented. The beautiful Luz
crezia was Immediately installed in
the artists chair and the picture
again proceeded with all possible
success. But who can wonder if at
the same time, this fascinating young
cavalier, for whom all the beauty of
Florence sighed, who loved so ten
derby himself, succeeded in imbuing
her with some portion of like af-
lection. He told his tale of love; she
smiled, and as the artist left the con-
vent one day, unpreceived by any one,
the novice left with him;-the elope-
ment was not discovered till pursuit
was useless. The respondent lover
had become once more the happiest
of men.
The noble relations of Lucrezia,
however, were beyond measure in
ceased at the outrage. While the
happy lovers wandered through Ger
many the relations nursed their re-
venge in silence; but as the stain had
been inflicted on the family escut-
cheon, they thought to make the best
of it by procuring from the Pope a
dispensation, so that the artist and
the novice might marry. After due
solicitation the dispensation was
granted, and then Lippi chose to
show bis independence of them and
theirs by refusing to make use of it.
He had, he said, conscientious scruples
which forbade him from marrying
Lucrezia. This insult was not to be
borne. Through the rest of his life
they watched for their chance of re-
venge, and success at length crowned
their activity. By the skill of one of
their agents poison was mingled with
his food one day, many years after
the elopement from the convent, and
the man whom we have seen as an or
phan, friar, a slave, an artist,
courtier and lover died the death
of dog in the village of Spoleto.
We have but word more to add.
Two years after, Lorenzo de- Medici lin
passing through Spoleto, begged per-
mission from the magistrates to re-
move the remains of the artist to the
church of Santa Maria del Fiore, at
Florence. They were unwilling to re-
linquish so honorable deposit, and
Lorenzo therefore engaged Philippine
Lippo, the son of our artist and of the
unfortunate Lucrezia, who equalled
his father in skill and talent, to erect
monument of marble to his memory
in Spoleto. Politiano wrote the in
scription for this monument, which
still remains;-those Latin verses
have handed down to the present
day the praises of the unfortunate
Filippo.