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Chap. XI. GIOTTO VISITS NAPLES. 317 CHAPTER XI. GIOTTO AND HIS COTEMPORARIES AT NAPLES. Giotto had been commissioned at Florence, in 132S, 1 to paint in the Palazzo dei Signori the portrait of Charles of Calabria kneeling before the Virgin. 2 This prince who was the son of Robert of Naples, had been elected ruler of Florence in 1326, and retired from his office at the close of 1327. He seems to have made his father acquain ted with the fame of Giotto; and Robert, in 1330, 3 invited the artist to Naples to decorate some of the numerous edifices which then adorned that city. 4 1 Vasari relates as occurring in 1322, events which, had they been as he states, must have taken place in 1328. He says that Giotto visited Lucca to paint in S. Mar tin, for Castruccio, a Virgin and saints adored by a Pope and an Emperor. (Vasari, Vol. I. p. 324.) The altarpiece at all events exists no longer, though Rosini (Stor. Vol. II. p.64) pretends to have seen it: “Many believed, adds the Are- tine, that the pontiff and Emperor were Frederic of Bavaria and Nicolas the V th .” Louis, not Fre derick of Bavaria was crowned in Italy when Nicolas V. ascended the papal throne, and the date of this is 1328 not 1322. But in 1328 Giotto was in Florence. 2 Vasari. Vol. III. p. 274. Vita di Michelozzo Michelozzi. The portrait has been lost. 3 As the record is rare, here it is in full: 1330. January 20. Neapoli. Ro- bertus rex Joctum (vulgo die. Giotto), &e. Reg. Rob. 1329 A p. 20. Robertus, &c. universis, &e. Quos morum probitas approbat et virtus discretiva commendat, fa- milie nostre libenter consorcio aggregamus. Sane, attendentes quod Magister Joctus de Floren- tia pictor familiaris et fidelis noster, fulcitur providis actibus et exercitatur servitiis fructuosis, ipsum in familiarem nostrum re- cipimus, et de nostro hospicio re- tinemus, volentes,ut illis honoribus et privilegiis potiatur et gaudeat, quibus familiares alii potiuntur, recepto provide solito juramento. In cujus rei testimonium presen- tes exinde fieri et pendenti ma- jestatis nostre sigillo, jussimus communiri. Datum Neapoli, anno Domini MCCCXXX' die XX" Ja- nuarii XIII Ind. regn ,n nost 1 " XXI°. Vide Schulz. Denkma- ler. ub. sup. Vol. 4 p, 76. 4 On his way to Naples, says Vasari in the life of Agostino and