painter, greatly desired to have a chapel painted
by him in order to do honour to their name and
family.

Accordingly they went to the Ricci family and
offered to have the whole chapel painted and to pay
the artist themselves. Moreover, they said that
the arms or crest of the Ricci family should be
painted in the most honourable part of the chapel,
that all might see that the chapel still belonged to
them.

To this the Ricci family gladly agreed, and
Ghirlandaio was set to work to cover the walls with
his frescoes.

`I will give thee twelve hundred gold pieces when
it is done,' said Giovanni Tournabuoni, `and if I
like it well, then shalt thou have two hundred more.'

Here was good pay indeed. Ghirlandaio set to
work with all speed, and day by day the frescoes
grew. For four years he worked hard, from
morning until night, until at last the walls were
covered.

One of the subjects which he chose for these
frescoes was the story of the Life of the Virgin, so
often painted by Florentine artists. This story I
will tell you now, that your eyes may take greater