Page 132 - SUMMARIES OF GIOVANNI BOCCACCIO’S DECAMEON : A Visionary Journey In 100 Stories And 100 Etchings By Petru Russu

Cisti the Baker and Messer Geri Spina

In the heart of Florence, where status and spectacle often overshadow substance,
Cisti the baker lives a life of quiet distinction. Though his trade is humble, his soul is
anything but. Fortune, in one of her rare moments of grace, has rewarded him with

wealth, refinement, and a wine cellar that rivals those of the city’s noblest houses.
Yet Cisti remains grounded, his dignity wrapped not in silk but in flour and fire.

Each morning, Messer Geri Spina, a man of high rank and papal favor, escorts
the Pope’s ambassadors past Cisti’s bakehouse. The baker, observing their

passage, wishes to offer them refreshment, not out of vanity, but out of
genuine hospitality. A man of his station cannot presume to invite nobles into
his domain. So he devises a subtle strategy: seated in his doorway, dressed

immaculately, he sips his finest wine with theatrical delight, letting the aroma
and his satisfied sighs drift into the street.

The bait is irresistible. After several mornings, Messer Geri, unable to resist
the allure, asks about the wine. Cisti, with gracious humility, offers a taste. The

nobleman and his guests are astonished by its quality, and soon, their daily
walks include a stop at the baker’s door.

Later, when Messer Geri hosts a grand banquet, he sends a servant to request
a flask of Cisti’s wine. But the servant, greedy and presumptuous, arrives with
a vessel far too large, hoping to skim some for himself. Cisti, recognizing the
THIS PAINTING VIBRATES impropriety, refuses, not with anger, but with a gentle reminder that such a
WITH SUBTLE SATIRE, AN
request could not have come from Messer Geri himself. The servant returns, and
ELEGANT FLURRY OF LIMBS
the nobleman, upon seeing the size of the container, understands the insult. He
AND FRAGMENTED POSTURE
SUGGESTING NOT CONFLICT, sends a proper flask, and Cisti, satisfied that respect has been restored, sends
BUT CONVERSATIONAL not just a taste, but his entire supply. The tale ends not with fanfare, but with
FINESSE; NOT A BAKERY
quiet admiration. Messer Geri learns that nobility is not confined to birth or title,
RENDERED, BUT A BALLET OF
SOCIAL NUANCE. it can be found in the integrity of a baker who knows the value of his craft.
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