Chapter 9: Gooseberries and Belladonna (Part II)

A minor who was once an adult, a minor who was almost indistinguishable from an adult even if he was only eight years old, and another minor who, because of his face cursed by the devil, had lost his innocence and naivety as a child prematurely, they could not gather together without any taboos and do whatever they wanted, as other children do. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info they went together to see the real blackcurrants, well, the blackcurrants that were still blooming, but the strawberries were ripe, and there was a monk who looked after them, because this sweet fruit was to be offered to kings and bishops, but you know, nothing could remain loyal to gold coins and power, so they were soon given a small handful of fruit that was "damaged and not grown", and Father Valencia had a quota of one spoonful of honey a day, and he brought it to Joshua, And Giulio shared.

After the afternoon prayer, they read the Bible together and thanked God for the gift of how many children as old as Joshua and Julio had difficulty even saying a coherent sentence.

After that, Joshua took his leave, and he still had homework to do.

So, what does a Medici need? It's almost uninquiring, and who doesn't knowβ€”Giovanni. The Medici had long been a patron of the painter Masaccio (who revolutionized painting in terms of perspective, etc., and can be said to have influenced every painter after him), and in 1419 commissioned Brunelleschi to rebuild the church of San Lorenzo; Giovanni's son, Cosimo de' Medici, was even more than that, collecting many Greco-Roman documents and sculptures, displaying them in mansions and courtyards, and almost rebuilding the whole of Florence, from the council chamber to the library, from the church to the monastery, from the Romanesque and Gothic styles used in the past, to the classic shapes of Greece and Rome BC, making Florence the center of the Renaissance throughout Europe - and even more craftsmen and painters who were financed by him. One of the most important is Brunelleschi, a sinister villain with an ugly face, but like Masaccio, he has a talent that shines like a star, and Cosimo commissioned him to rebuild the Cathedral of Florence, also known as Giuliano. The church of Santa Maria del Fiore, where the Medici was assassinated, was dedicated in 1436 and was called one of the most brilliant jewels in the Florentine crown before it was completely completed.

Cosimo's son, Piero I the "Gout", was equally keen to fund and collect, while Piero's son, Lorenzo. Not only was the Medici a poet himself, but he also commissioned agents to collect a large number of ancient Greek books from the Far East, and after employing a large number of scribes to copy them, these elegant, simple and profound texts containing profound truths and philosophies soon spread throughout Europa and planted important seeds in the hearts of the people.

Although he supported many painters and craftsmen, unlike his grandfather and father, he did not look down on them, he allowed them to stand side by side with him, so in the Medici palace, there were often gathered those outstanding people who seemed to have been kissed by angels on their fingers and foreheads at birth, among which we can often see the Medici royal painters Botticelli, Girlandaio, Da. Vinci and his teacher, Verrocchio, and the Medici's patronage allowed them not to worry about life and opportunity, but to continue to dedicate wonderful works that have fascinated and admired countless people.

So it was only natural for Father Valencia to take the little Medici to admire and appreciate the thirty-two frescoes that Giotto painted for St. Francis's basilica, which completely depict the holy life of St. Francis, starting with "St. Francis of Assi" - the young man in the picture is undressing and returning it to his father - at that time, the painters were invited to paint the frescoes in the church, and who was asked to do this most important work, there is a lot of controversy. No one expected that in the end, it was a farmer's son who won the award.

Precisely because Giotto's original teacher was not the Chimabue, as they say, but the wilderness of the mountains and the vivid cattle and sheep, as soon as he left the wings of his teacher, his style of painting naturally regained simplicity and simplicity - and it was this simplicity and simplicity that strangely coincided with the teachings of the Franciscans on the inducement of self-esteem and sympathy for the weak, and his paintings of St. Francis were benevolent and humble, pious and faithful, and people stood in front of the frescoes, without tears, which, as one poet said, is not what a mortal can do. An angel must have held Giotto's hand and made a record of the saint for him.

Many children like the painting "St. Francis Preaching to the Birds", this picture of the saint bowing his head slightly, making sacred gestures, the bird lands on his body and feet, the little head is slightly tilted, as if he is really listening to the teachings of the saint, for those young children who are not yet able to understand the scriptures and stories, this painting has trees, there are birds, it is more interesting than other pictures. But Julio. The Medici, however, paused in front of another picture.

"St. Francis at the Sultan's Court." Father Valencia whispered the name of the picture: "Do you know what this is described? The Giulio Brothers. ”

"Faith and Sacrifice." Julio. Medici said.

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Joshua hurried to the kitchen, for the new brother who would not be afraid of him had almost forgotten that today was an important day - he had been sent to Assisi when he was a baby, but his father and mother had not forgotten him, and that the twelfth day of the month was the day when the church was buying candles, and the merchant who had brought the candles would bring Joshua a message from his parents, and then, if he had any requests, he would tell the merchant and let him tell them.

If there is any most urgent request, it is probably to return to his parents, which Joshua only made in the first month of his five years, and was not answered, and he never mentioned it again, and he did not resent his parents, because he should have been drowned at birth, and if they did not love him, he would not have done such a dangerous thing.

After that, Joshua stopped calling them my father and mother, and he didn't want to bring them more trouble, he just said "the lord and his wife," as he now says, "What happened to the lord?" ”

"He's good. Except for one thing. ”

"What?"

"Go to the resting place of St. Francis after the night prayer tonight, where someone awaits you."