Palatino 766 pipes, pools, cliffs, streams... (by Taccola)

[Jorge_Stolfi]

They meet in an apothecary. In 1400s Siena, apothecaries are not just places where you can buy medicine for illness. According to the 1355 Breve Degli Speziali law, which regulates such places, apothecaries in Siena were allowed to sell (new and used) parchment, manuscripts, herbs (and herbals), ink, paint for illumination, alchemical supplies and other "strange" or non-common items. Why did Taccola and the high-ranking city official Giacomo della Quercia need to meet in such a place? According to the text in the letter above, Giacomo was leaving on administrative business and was leaving two of his colleagues as representatives in his stead. Thus they needed witnesses to sign the document. But why do all this is a "shady" place like an apothecary's emporium?

I don't see anything shady or strange, and I don't see that letter as implying that Taccola was connected to that apothecary shop or had alchemical interests.  

My reading is that Giacomo della Quercia, a contractor or manager of the Dome Opera (construction works) asked Taccola and the painter Dominico to be his witnesses for the legal document stating the transfer his duties to two other managers.  So the three met a the apothecary shop, that evidently doubled as a notary public. 

All the best, --stolfi