"Cardinal de Gurck was lodged at the Monastery delle Grazie at the time; he entered the refectory at the moment when the gentlemen in question were assembled before the painting. As soon as Leonardo perceived him, he came down to pay his respects to him, and the prelate received him graciously, and loaded him with praise. Many subjects were discussed, notably the excellence of the painting; several of those present expressed regret that none of the ancient pictures so highly extolled by classic writers had survived, that we might decide

whether the masters of our time were equal to those of antiquity. The cardinal asked the painter what salary the Duke gave him. Leonardo replied that his regular pay was 2,000 ducats, apart from the gifts and presents the Duke continually lavished on him with the greatest munificence. The cardinal said it was a great deal. After he had quitted the refectory, Leonardo began to tell the assembled gentlemen a pretty story, showing how great painters have been honoured in all ages, and I, being present during his discourse, made a note of it in 1 Cardinal de Gurck visited Milan in January, 1497, and lodged at the monastery. Signor Uzielli infers that the Last Supper was finished by then. (Leonardo da Vinci e tre Gentildonne milanesi del Secolo xv., p. 5.)

B B

my memory, and had it present in my mind when I began to write my Novelle."

Tradition says the Prior tormented Leonardo unceasingly to get the painting finished promptly. "This simple person could in no way comprehend," says Vasari, "wherefore the artist should sometimes. remain half a day together absorbed in thought before his work, without making any progress that he could see; he would have had him work away as did the men who were digging in his garden, never laying the brush aside. Nay, more; he went and complained to the Duke, and with such importunity, that the latter was at length compelled to send for Leonardo. Lodovico very adroitly exhorted Leonardo to finish the work, taking care to let it be seen that he had only acted on the solicitations of the Prior. Leonardo, knowing the prince to be intelligent and judicious, discoursed with him at some length on the matter, talking of art, and making him understand that men of genius are sometimes producing most when they seem to be labouring least, their minds being occupied in invention, and in the formation of those perfect conceptions to which they afterwards give form and expression with the hand. He added that he still had two heads to execute: that of Christ, which he could not hope to find on earth, and yet had not attained the power of presenting to himself in imagination, with that perfection of beauty and of celestial grace proper to the Godhead incarnate; and that of Judas, which also gave him much anxiety, since he could not imagine a form by which to render the countenance of a man, who, after so many benefits received, had a heart so base as to be capable of betraying his Lord, and the Creator of the world. With regard to the second, however, he would continue to make search; and, after all, if he could find no better, he might always make use of the head of that indiscreet and importunate Prior. This last touch made the Duke laugh heartily; he declared Leonardo to be completely in the right; and the poor Prior, utterly confounded, henceforth occupied himself in overlooking the workers in his garden, and left Leonardo in peace." We know, however, that Lodovico was at last obliged himself to press the over-fastidious artist. On June 30, 1497, he ordered one of his agents "to beg Leonardo the Florentine to finish his work in the refectory of Santa Maria