The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1916-04-15
Blanca
A Story of Medieval Art
By ETHEL HOLMES

periods. Every now and again he
world is astonished at some new OUT
break of evil-not the ordinary crimi
nality that is always with us. confined
largely to those who are born to crime.
but a harvest of ~villainy among those
who are supposed to stand for moral
ity.
An epidemic of crime settled upon
Italy during the middle ages which
pertained more especially to the very
highest classes. 1t became the custom
to eliminate ones enemy OF such as
stood in ones way by poison. Scien
lists instead of devoting themselves to
Interpreting the secrets of nature with
a view to preserving life used their tai
ents to discover means of producing
death Persons in authority instead of
trying to benefit those Under their
sway sought the means of secretly put
ting out of the way those who opposed
them.
The city of Florence. then in the
province of Tuscany. has always been
the home of art. A young man in Pisa.
Giovanni Tolci. having shown marvel
Gus artistic talents. removed to Flor
enc to get the benefit of the masters
and the works of art to be found In
that city. SO rapid was his progress
and 50 great became his fame that he
received II commission from the pope
to paint an altar piece
During Giovanni TOlci's stay In Flor
ence. while lettering n evening ON
the banks of the Arno. he saw Il girl
on one of the bridges looking down
into the river Going on to the bridge,
Giovanni stood neal her and saw thar
she was looking ut the mild italian
heavens reflected i'm the water From
her rapt appearance he surmised that
she possessed that artistic tempera
mcnt which was in himself. He was
seized with u desire to know her and.
inuuiring VITO she was. secured an In
PRODUCTION
Blanca CeIlini was not an artist her
self. but art was ST. natural 10 her that
she was of ineStimable benefit to Clio
vanni She was able TO warn him when
he was entering upon false ground and
Il encourage him when he struck that
which promised well SO keen was
her artistic sense that he came to rely
upon her entirely and would not trust
his work until she had criticised il
Blanca came to love the man in
whose career she was interested AS
for Giovanni. he was absorbed in his
work. IT he loved Blanca he was NOT
aware of it. though there was Il vague
feeling within him that she was neceS
Sary to him as II companion as well Hs
a critic
When his altar piece was finished he
left Florence with it to take it To Rome
On parting with Blanca he said to her
Whatever success | have made in
this picture ! to you If it brings
me fame YOU are entitled to share il
with me There is no way by which
you can do ,.,at SO well as becoming
wife. That YOU shall he whenever
you chOoSe.
You W me nothing. Giovanni.
was the reply IF | have guided you
on right artistic paths il has been with
the greatest ease, have had simply
TO see with my ewes and speak with
voice"
Giovanni. not considering that his
cold offer was unlikely to draw any
different reply. was much disappointed
in it. II is possible that it revealed to
him that his heart was in Bianca'S pos
session At any rate. he went to Rome
wishing that h had accepted his offer
His altar piece WAS accepted by the
pope and when set up i'm the church
for which it had been created was
much admired The new artistic star
that had arisen was much courted
AT times when he vas surrounded by
fiattererS Blanca was forgotten. bu as
soon us he vas alone she resumed her
accustomed place in his mind. and he
remembered that it was largely due
to her he was enjoying this triumph.
Al this time the Borgias were promi
nent in Rome. S%ignora Beatrici Bor
gia. who had married in the celebrated
Roryia family. hearing of the fame OF
the Florentine artist. expressed a de
sire 70 see him. She was a very amb
tiouS oman one who possessed great
power over men and who achieved her
ends by bringing them under her sway
1t occurred to her to make a conquest
of this shining light. Why she desired
to do so is not clear: but. judging from
her character. it is probable that ii
was simply the eclat the domination oe
a famous man would give her
Signcra Borgia SEN for Giovanni
TOlci and commissioned him to paint
her portrait. During the sittings she
was dressed i'm the most becoming o
tunes thar could he devised. She wa
as beautiful as she was inscriptions
and strove TO dominate the artist
through his enSes While he was II!
work he kept her talking i'm order I"
bring OUT an animated expression. She
to urn the conversation upon
what interested him. for she was de
sirous to earn If his heart vas prenc
cupied