A Contract with Orcagna for the Altar-Piece of 1357
Tommaso di Rossello Strozzi left a rough note of the terms of the contract for the altar-piece of his chapel. Doubtless the actual contract was much fuller. The minute is published by Filippo Baldinucci, Opere, Milano 1811, Vol IV. p. 397.
“Herewith is to be written [on my part] and Andrea called Orcagna that I Tommaso di Rossello aforesaid have given to paint for the altar-piece which is made for the altar of [the chapel] in Santa Maria Novella, of a breadth of five braccia, 1 sol. [over 10 feet] there or thereabouts. The aforesaid Andrea is to paint in fine and splendid colors; and gold, silver and everything else are truly to be used in the entire panel and pinnacles, that is [gold] leaf. Only in the side columns may silver be used.... And [with] as many figures as [directed] by me Tommaso it shall be completed. And the said panel to be entirely painted by his own hand.
“[[1]] 354 in twenty months....
“Should it come about that the aforesaid Andrea should not give it to us completed and painted.”
“He should pay me for every additional week that he works at the painting as it shall seem right to the judgment of the here named arbitrators.”...
“Should it come to more than the aforesaid price, we will take the judgment of Carlo, Paolo and Fra Jacopo.”
Such is approximately the sense of this very difficult and quite grammarless annotation of Tommaso Strozzi. The arbitrators must have had occasion to act, for the panel is dated 1357, two years after the promised time.
Fig. 33. Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Madonna of San Francesco.