Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Simone Mosca

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE SCULPTOR AND ARCHITECT, SIMONE MOSCA.

[born 1496-8?—died 1552.]

From the times of the ancient Greek and Roman Sculptors., no modern master has been found to equal the beautiful and difficult works performed by them in pedestals, capitals, friezes, cornices, festoons, trophies, masks, candelabra, birds, grottesche, and other decorations of similar character, with the exception of Simone Mosca of Settignano, who in our own times has produced works of that kind in such perfection that he, by his genius and art, has made manifest the truth that the studies and cares of the modern masters who had preceded him, had not supplied them with means to imitate the best of the works produced by the ancients, neither had they adopted the best manner in their sculptures, seeing that all their works betray a certain dryness, and that the turn of their foliage in particular has in almost all instances a something laboured, angular, and hard.

Simone Mosca, on the contrary, gives evidence of great power and boldness in this part of his labours, and these are made apparent in the rich and full abundance which he imparted to all, intertwining his foliage in a manner wholly new, carving the leaves with a pleasing variety of form, and with finely executed indentations; he added to all likewise the most delicately beautiful blossoms, seeds, and tendrils that can be conceived, to say nothing of the birds which he so gracefully carved in the richest variety among the festoons and foliage of his ornaments.

We may indeed safely affirm that Simone (be it said without offence to any other artist) has alone attained to the power of depriving the marble of that hardness which is too often perceived in the works of the sculptors, and by his mode of handling the chisel has brought his productions to such a point of perfection that they do verily seem to be living and breathing forms: nor is less commendation due to the cornices and other works of similar kind, performed by this artist, since he executed all with infinite judgment, and finished them with the most attractive grace.

Having studied design with much profit in his childhood, and subsequently acquired great facility in carving, Simone Mosca was conducted to Rome by Antonio da San Gallo, to whom his genius and good abilities had become clearly apparent. Arrived in Rome, San Gallo set him for his first work to prepare certain capitals and bases with some friezes of foliage also, for the Church of San Giovanni of the Florentines. Antonio likewise entrusted to Simone a portion of the works required for the palace of Alessandro,^[1] the first Cardinal Farnese.f^[2] The disciple meanwhile devoted himself zealously, whenever he could steal a moment of time, to the delineation of the rich antiquities which abound in Rome, employing for that purpose more especially the festival days, and such other holidays as he could command, by which means it came to pass that no long period had elapsed before Simone drew and made plans with more grace, propriety, and beauty than did Antonio San Gallo himself; being thus wholly given up to his studies and perpetually occupied at every leisure moment in making designs from the antique, Simone successfully adopted the manner of the ancients, drawing his foliage entirely after their models, and giving the leaves that boldness and freedom of which we have before made mention: he bestowed much pains on the entire perforation of such works as were executed in stone, to the end that all might receive the ultimate perfection of which they were capable, taking from the ancient examples what each presented of best and most meritorious, and selecting one thing from one work and one from another, insomuch that in a few years he acquired a power and method of composition, so varied, so beautiful and so universally applicable, that he ever afterwards did everything well, whether working with his companions or labouring alone.

Among other proofs of his ability may be cited certain escutcheons of arms which were to be placed in the abovenamed Church of San Giovanni de’ Fiorentini, in the Strada Giulia, and on one of which there was to be made a large Lily, the ancient device of the Commune of Florence. This Simone executed with leaves twined around it, and these leaves were accompanied by tendrils, seeds, &c. of such extraordinary beauty that they caused amazement in all who beheld them.^[3]

No long time after the completion of the above-named escutcheons, Messer Agnolo Cesis caused Antonio da San Gallo to prepare the marble ornaments of a chapel and tomb for himself and his family, which he afterwards, in the year 1550 namely, caused to be constructed in the Church of Santa Maria della Pace: San Gallo then entrusted a portion of the work, consisting of richly decorated pillars and socles, to Simone Mosca, who acquitted himself so well, and completed these parts in so beautiful a manner that those by his hand may be readily distinguished, by their grace and beauty, from all the rest, without requiring any more exact description at my hand. It is indeed not possible to imagine anything more admirable or more appropriate than the altars for sacrifice after the antique manner, which Simone executed as part of the socles belonging to this work. San Gallo afterwards caused the Fountain which he had been employed to finish in the Cloister of San Pietro in Vincula to receive the decorations of its lip or edge from the hand of Simone, who embellished the same accordingly with large masks of extraordinary beauty.

Simone returned, shortly after having completed this work, and during the summer season, to the city of Florence, where Baccio Bandinelli was then employed in the execution of the Orpheus in marble which was subsequently placed in the court of the Medici Palace. The pedestal for this statue, Bandinelli had confided to Benedetto da Kovezzano, but Simone, having now acquired a good name among the artists, received commission from Baccio to execute the festoons and other beautiful carvings to be seen thereon, and this he did very much to his credit, although there is one of the festoons which was never brought to completion, and still remains in its unfinished state. Simone likewise executed other works in macigno stone, of which we need not make further mention; he was then preparing to return to Rome, but the sack of that city intervening, he did not carry out his purpose, remaining in Florence instead; here he took a wife, and occupied himself with such works as came to hand, matters of small importance, but being compelled to support his family and having no private income, he was fain to accept whatever was offered.

Now it happened in those days that the Aretme stonemason and master in carving, Pietro di Subisso, arrived in Florence, and he, having a large number of persons constantly employed under him, since all the buildings erected in Arezzo passed through his hands; he, I say, conducted Simone Mosca, among others, to Arezzo, where he gave our artist a chimney-piece in macigno stone to execute for a hall in the house which belonged to the heirs of Pellegrino da Fossombrone, a citizen of Arezzo, with a Lavatory for the same building, but neither of these works was of any great cost or importance. This is the house which the excellent astrologer Messer Piero Geri had formerly caused to be erected, after the designs of Andrea Sansovino, but which had been sold by the nephews of Messer Piero.

Commencing the chimney-piece, therefore, Simone raised it on two pillars, and in the depth of the chimney, towards the fire that is to say, he placed two niches, adding an architrave, frieze, and deep cornice to the pillars, with a pediment over all, which he enriched with festoons, and to which he added the arms of the family; nay, he proceeded to embellish every part of the work with the utmost care, executing so many fine carvings, and finishing the whole in so masterly a fashion, that this chimney-piece, although only in macigno stone, became under his hands of more value than marble, and more surprising to the beholder.^[4] It is true that the artist was somewhat facilitated in his work by the nature of the stone, which is not so hard as marble, and is indeed rather of a crumbling character: but Simone laboured at this undertaking with extraordinary diligence, adorning the pillars with trophies, partly in mezzo-rilievo, and partly in bassorilievo, all which are indescribably beautiful, they consist of helmets, cuisses, shields, quivers, and many other pieces of armour: he furthermore added masks, marine animals, and other graceful fantasies, all so accurately figured and carved in such perfect relief, that they look like silver.

The frieze, which is between the architrave and the cornice in this work, was moreover adorned by Mosca with an exquisite ornament of foliage carved into full relief, and entirely detached from the ground of macigno; this he covered with birds which are so admirably executed that they seem to be flying in the air: it is indeed a marvellous thing to see the tiny legs of those minute creatures, none larger than life, all entirely detached from the stone in a manner that might well be thought impossible: the whole work indeed is more like a miracle than mere art. Simone, furthermore, added a festoon of fruit and foliage so perfectly rounded and detached from the stone, every part being finished with the most subtle delicacy, that these fruits do in a certain sense surpass the productions of nature. As the completion of the work, there were certain large masks and chandeliers, which are also truly beautiful, and although Simone was by no means called on to give so much labour to a work of that kind and for which he was to be but very frugally paid by that family, which had not great possessions, yet, incited by the love which he bore to art, and by the pleasure that one finds in doing a thing well, he chose to treat it in the manner we have said. With respect to the lavatory executed for the same house, he did not proceed in like manner, and although he made it sufficiently handsome it was yet but a work of the ordinary kind.

At this time Simone was also most useful in other matters to Piero di Subisso, who did not know very much, and whom Simone assisted in preparing designs for his various fabrics; plans for houses that is to say, with drawings for doors, windows, or other things appertaining to the vocation of the architect. At the corner of the Albergotti for example, and beneath the School and College of the Commune, there is a very fair window, constructed after the design of Simone Mosca,*^[5] and in the Pelliceria^[6] there are two windows by the same artist, both in the house of Ser Bernardino Serragli. There is, besides, a large escutcheon of the Arms of Pope Clement VII. in macigno stone, also by his hand, at one corner of the Palace of the Priors.^[7]

A chapel of the Corinthian Order was likewise built in macigno stone under the direction and partly from the designs of Simone, who executed a portion of the fabric himself; it was erected in the Abbey of Santa Fiore, a tolerably handsome monastery in Arezzo, which belongs to the Black Friars, and was constructed at the expense of Bernardino di Cristofano da Ginovi.^[8] Now in this chapel the master of the same would fain have had an Altar-piece which he intended to have painted, first by Andrea del Sarto and next by Rosso, but he could not bring the matter to bear, for these masters, being first prevented by one thing and then by another, could never do him that service.

Bernardino finally turned himself to Giorgio Vasari, but had considerable difficulty with him also; and there was no little trouble in finding a method by which the affair could be arranged; for this chapel was dedicated to the two saints Jacopo and Cristofano, and Bernardino desired to have depicted there, not only Our Lady with the Divine Child in her arms, but also the Giant St. Christopher, with another and very small figure of our Saviour Christ on his shoulder. But this idea seemed altogether absurd, besides that a giant of six braccia high could scarcely find room in a picture of which the total height was but four braccia. Yet since Giorgio was very much disposed to serve Bernardino, he prepared for him a design after the following manner:—

Enthroned amidst the clouds is Our Lady, with a Sun behind her, and on the earth beneath is San Cristofano, kneeling at one side of the picture, with one of his legs in the water, and the other in the act of moving, he being about to raise himself up, while the Virgin has placed the Infant Christ upon his shoulder, the Saviour holding the globe of the world in his hands: San Jacopo was also to be brought into the remaining space of the picture, with other Saints, but in such a manner that no unpleasant effect would have been caused. This design pleased Bernardino greatly, and would have been put into execution, but as he died before that was effected, the chapel was left in its unfinished condition to the heirs, who have not done anything further in the matter.

While Simone was labouring at this chapel, it chanced that Antonio da San Gallo passed through Arezzo, on his return from the fortification of Parma,, and was then proceeding to Loretto, whither he had already despatched II Tribolo, Raffaello da Montelupo, the young Francesco da San Gallo, and Girolamo da Ferrara, with Simon Cioli, and other statuaries, carvers, and stone-masons, he being commissioned to complete the work which Andrea Sansovino had left unfinished at his death; and Antonio then took measures which at length enabled him to secure the assistance of Simone Mosca likewise.^[9] When the last-named artist arrived in Loretto, San Gallo gave him the care, not only of the carvings, but of certain details in the architecture also, with that of other ornaments required for the same work; and in these commissions Simone acquitted himself admirably well: there are, indeed, some things which he executed with his own hand, of which the beauty is very remarkable, more especially the children in marble, carved in full relief on the pediments, which are over the doors; and although there are some of these which are by the hand of Simon Cioli, yet the best, which are indeed most beautiful, are all due to Mosca.

The last-named artist likewise undertook the whole of the festoons in marble which pass entirely around that work, and which he executed with the most exquisite art; the carvings are indeed most graceful, and worthy of the very highest commendation, insomuch that none need marvel if these works are admired and esteemed to such a degree, that many artists have travelled from various distant parts for the purpose of repairing to Loretto, there to behold these productions.

Perceiving the great value of the services rendered by Simone on all important occasions, Antonio da San Gallo not.only availed himself gladly of that aid, but had it much at heart to reward him very largely at some future time for the same, and to prove to him, whenever the occasion should offer, the high estimation in which he held the skill and ability which he had displayed. It thus happened that when, after the death of Pope Clement, Paul III. of the house of Farnese, being elected High Pontiff, gave orders that the fountain, or well, of Orvieto, which had remained unfinished, should be entrusted for its completion to San Gallo; it happened, I say, that Antonio took Simone Mosca thither, to the end that the latter might finish the mouth of the well, about which there was some important difficulty, more especially as regarded the framework and decoration of the doors. For the edge of the well, being a circle convex on the outer side and hollow or concave within, the two circles interfered with each other, and rendered it difficult to arrange the rectangular doors, with their framework and decorations of stone, in a fitting and satisfactory manner: the happy genius and resources of Simone prevailed nevertheless, and he brought all to completion with so much grace, that no one could have suspected the existence of any difficulty in the arrangement or execution of the same. The uppermost circle and the outer edge of the wrell are of macigno-stone, filled in with brick; inscriptions on white stone, handsomely prepared and decorated for that purpose, were also added, with other ornaments corresponding with those of the doors.

The master likewise placed the arms, executed in marble, of the above-named Pope Paul of the house of Farnese on that fountain, or rather, where there had previously been the balls for Pope Clement, who had indeed caused the work to be undertaken, Simone was compelled to substitute lilies in relief, which he did admirably well, thus changing the arms of the Medici for those of the Casa Farnese, although Pope Clement VII., as I have said, had been the true author of that most regal and magnificent work; but of him (for so do things go in this world) not a syllable has been added to this, the last, and, to the eyes of the mere spectator, most striking part of the whole.

While Simone was occupied with the completion of this well, the Wardens of Santa Maria, which is the cathedral of Orvieto, desired to have an end put to the marble chapel, which the Veronese architect Michele San Michele^[10] had decorated with certain sculptures, but had completed only to the first cornice; when, knowing that Simone Mosca was a truly excellent artist, they determined to place that undertaking in his hands. Having made an agreement, therefore, the master, finding the manners and conversation of the Orvietans very agreeable to him, caused his family to join him, to the end that he might remain in that city the more commodiously; there he then set himself to work with a quiet mind and composed spirit, being very greatly honoured by every one.

He had no sooner made a commencement, almost as it were by way of sample, with certain pilasters and ornaments of different kinds, than the men of that city, perceiving the skill and ability of Simone, commanded that he should receive a stipend of two hundred golden crowns yearly; and these being paid him, he was enabled to conduct the work to a satisfactory conclusion. In the centre and between two sculptured ornaments it was resolved to have a representation in mezzo-rilievo, executed in marble, and the subject chosen was the Adoration of the Magi, when Simone Mosca invited his intimate friend the Florentine sculptor, Raffaello da Montelupo, to assist him in that part of the work, and Raffaello finished about half the story in a very beautiful manner, as we have before related.^[11]

Among the decorations of this chapel are certain pedestals, each two braccia and a half wide, which stand at either end of the altar, and above which are two pilasters on each side, the height of these last being five braccia: between these is the story of the Magi, and on the pilasters, next to the story, of which two of the surfaces are seen, there are chandeliers decorated with grottesche, masks, small figures, and foliage, which are divinely beautiful. In the predella, which passes from pillar to pillar above the altar, there are the half-length figures of little angels, each holding an inscription in his hands; and over all, between the capitals of the pillars that is to say, and where the architrave, frieze, and cornice project to the depth of the same, are festoons of great beauty. Above the central pier, and in a space equal to its width, is formed an arch which serves as a framework to the story of the Magi, and within this arch are numerous angels: over the arch there is a cornice, which is continued from one pillar to another, even to the two last, which serve as a kind of outwork to the whole. In this part there is a figure of the Almighty Father, in mezzo-rilievo; and at the sides, where the arch rises over the pillars, are two figures, each representing the Goddess of Victory, and both also executed in mezzo-rilievo.

The whole of these decorations are so admirably composed and arranged, they are so finely sculptured, and exhibit so rich a profusion of embellishment, that one cannot sufficiently admire the delicate minutiee of the perforated marbles, and the excellence of perfection to which every detail has been conducted,—capitals, cornice, masks, festoons, all are truly beautiful, as are the candelabra, which form the completion of this certainly most admirable performance.

Simone Mosca thus dwelling in Orvieto, there availed himself of the aid of a son of his own, named Francesco, and called as a bye-name Moschino, who was then fifteen years old. Having been produced b}r Nature almost with the chisel in his hand, and endowed with extraordinary genius, this youth could effect almost anything that he desired to do, and that with the perfection of grace and beauty. Under the guidance of his father, therefore, he executed certain portions of this work almost miraculously; the angels holding the inscriptions betwmen the pillars, the figure of the Almighty Father, the Angels in the arch above the Adoration of the Magi executed by Raffaello da Montelupo, and finally the figures of Victory, which are on each side of the Lunette, were all by his hand, and caused every one who beheld them to remain astonished. It happened, moreover, that when the chapel was completed, the Wardens of the Cathedral commissioned Simone Mosca to construct another of similar character on the opposite side, to the end that the space about the chapel of the High Altar might be suitably occupied; directing him to adopt the same order of architecture with that of the one first executed, but to vary the figures: in the centre, for example, was to be placed a Visitation of Our Lady; and for this the commission was given to the abovenamed Moschino.^[12]

The contract was made accordingly, when the father and son both set hand to the work,^[13] and while employed therein, Mosca wras in many ways useful to that city, preparing numerous designs for houses and buildings of various kinds. Among other things he prepared the ground-plan, and designed the façade for the house of Messer Raffaello Gualtieri, father of the Bishop of Viterbo, and of Messer Felice, both gentlemen and nobles who are most excellent and highly honourable persons. Simone prepared in like manner the plans for certain houses belonging to the Signor Counts of Cervara, and in many places near to and around Orvieto he constructed edifices of various kinds, for the Signor Pirro Colonna da Stripicciano in particular, who employed him in the preparation of numerous models for his different buildings.

Now it was about this time that the Pope caused the fortress, of Perugia to be erected on the site previously occupied by the houses of the Baglione family,^[14] and Antonio San Gallo sent for Mosca, to whom he entrusted the care of executing the decorations of the building, all the doors, windows, chimney-pieces, and similar work, were therefore constructed and adorned after the designs of Simone Mosca, who also executed two large and beautiful escutcheons of the arms of his Holiness. This work brought Simone into connection with Messer Tiberio Crispo, who was then Castellan of Perugia, and by him our artist was sent to Bolsena, in the fortress of which place and in the most elevated part thereof, where the fabric overlooks the lake that is to say, he constructed a large and magnificent dwelling, partly on the old foundations, and partly founding it anew, with an exceedingly beautiful flight of steps forming the ascent thereto, and with many rich ornaments of various kinds sculptured in stone.

No long time after this was effected, the above-named Messer Tiberio being made Castellan of the castle Sant' Angelo, invited Mosca to Rome, where he availed himself of the sculptor’s services in many works, employing him among other things in the restoration of certain apartments in that castle. Over the arches which form the entrance into the new Loggia which looks towards the meadows for example, Messer Tiberio caused Simone to execute two escutcheons in marble, of the arms of the above-named Pope, and in these the artist succeeded to admiration. The mitre or triple crown, and the keys, with certain festoons and small masks which make part of this work, are so delicately finished and so skilfully detached from the ground of the marble beneath them, that they are truly wonderful.

Returning subsequently to Orvieto for the purpose of completing the before-mentioned chapel of the cathedral, Simone laboured at the same during all the time that Pope Paul lived, conducting it in such a manner that it proved to be equally beautiful with that first mentioned, as may be seen; nay, perhaps it is even more so, seeing that Mosca, as we have said, bore so perfect a love to his art, and found so much pleasure in his labours, that he could never have working enough, and constantly, sought to effect what may be truly called the impossible. Nor was this from a desire to accumulate wealth; on the contrary it was purely from love of art and desire for glory, Simone being far more anxious to labour worthily in his vocation than to render himself rich.

In the year 1550, Julius III. was elected to the papal chair, and men began to think that they ought earnestly to set hand to the fabric of San Pietro; Mosca then repaired to Rome, where he made an attempt to enter into an agreement with the superintendents in respect to the execution of certain capitals in marble, but more to accommodate and provide occupation for his son-in-law, Giovan Domenico, than for any other motive.

It having then chanced that Giorgio Vasari, who had ever borne a great love to Mosca, encountered the latter in Rome, whither Giorgio also had been invited to enter the service of the Pope;—Giorgio Vasari, I say, thought beyond all doubt to have employment which he could offer to Mosca, and the rather as the old Cardinal di Monte had at his death left directions to his heirs to the effect that they should cause a marble sepulchre to be constructed to his (the Cardinal’s) memory in San Pietro-a -Montorio, and Pope Julius, his nephew and heir, had commanded that this should he done, and had given charge of the undertaking to Vasari, who wished much that Mosca should execute some extraordinary work in sculpture for that monument.

But Giorgio having prepared certain models for the tomb above-mentioned, the Pope took counsel with Michelagnolo as regarded the whole structure, before he would decide on anything. Wherefore Buonarroti advised his Holiness to have nothing to do with sculptures in that work, seeing that while they enrich the composition, they produce a kind of confusion, and thus detract from the beauty of the figures, while a simpler mode of ornamentation, if well executed, is more beautiful as well as in better keeping with the statues, which do not love to be surrounded by other works in relief; and his Holiness gave orders that as Michelagnolo counselled, so it should be done; on which account Vasari could not give Mosca anything to do for that sepulchre, and he was dismissed, the tomb being finished without any sculptures whatever, and did indeed eventually produce a much better effect than it would have done had they been added.^[15]

Simone then returned to Orvieto, where he was commissioned to prepare designs for two large tabernacles in marble, which vrere to be constructed under his direction in the transept and towards the upper part of the church. These II Mosca erected accordingly, and certainly with fair proportions and much grace. For one of these Tabernacles Raffaello Montelupo executed a nude figure in marble of Our Saviour Christ, bearing his cross on his shoulders; this was placed in a niche of the same. For the other, Moschino was commissioned to execute a figure of San Sebastiano, also nude. It was then determined to proceed with the statues of the Apostles commenced for the same church, and Moschino received the charge of two, San Piero and San Paolo namely. He was ordered to make them of equal size, and they are tolerably well executed figures.

The work of the chapel of the Visitation was meanwhile not suffered to be neglected, but was carried forward with so much diligence that it was completed during the lifetime of Mosca, with the exception of two Birds only, and even these would not have been left unfinished, had it not chanced that Messer Bastiano Gualtieri, Bishop of Viterbo, had kept Simone occupied (as I have said before) with certain decorations in marble consisting of four pieces; these, when they were finished, the Bishop sent into France to the Cardinal of Loraine, who always had held them in great estimation, and with reason, for they were indeed beautiful to a marvel; finely enriched with exquisitely varied foliage, &c., and so carefully executed, with so delicate a finish, that this is considered to be one of the best works ever performed by Mosca.

That artist died no long time after the completion of the above-named decorations, and his death was not a little to the loss of that church of Orvieto, wherein he was honourably interred, an event which took place in the year 1554, and when Mosca had attained his fifty-eighth year.

Francesco Moschino was chosen by the wardens of the Cathedral to succeed his father Simone, but did not greatly value the appointment, which he left to Raffaello da Montelupo.^[16] Moschino afterwards repaired to Rome, where he finished two very graceful little figures in marble for Messer Roberto Strozzi, the Mars and Venus that is to say, which are in the court-yard of Messer Roberto’s house in the Banchi.^[17] He afterwards executed a story of very small figures almost in full relief, and which represented Diana surprised while bathing with her Nymphs, by Action, whom she turns into a stag, when he is torn to pieces by his own hounds; this work Moschino took with him to Florence, and presented it to the Signor Duke Cosimo, whose service he was very desirous of entering.

His Excellency having accepted and much commended the work, did not refuse to comply with the wish of Moschino, as indeed he never has refused to fulfil the wishes of any one who has desired honestly to labour in any manner. Francesco was accordingly sent to the Cathedral of Pisa where he has been occupied much to his credit up to the present time in the chapel of the Annunciation, which had been constructed by Stagio di Pietra Santa, and where Moschino has executed sculptures and works of all kinds; among these are figures four braccia high representing the Angel and the Madonna, with others of Adam and Eve who have the Apple between them.^[18] There is besides a large figure of God the Father, surrounded by angels in the form of children, in the vaulting of that chapel; the whole being in marble, as are the two figures previously mentioned, and which have obtained considerable reoutation and honour for Moschino.^[19]

But the chapel of the Annunciation is now on the eve of completion, and his Excellency has given orders to the effect that the chapel, which is opposite thereto, being the one which is close to the entrance of the church on the left hand, and is called the Chapel of the Incoronata, should be at once put in hand.^[20] This same Moschino has also acquitted himself very well in such of the works required for the preparations consequent on the marriage of her most serene Majesty the Queen Joanna and of the most illustrious Prince of Florence, as were entrusted to his care.

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1. Of this Palace, our readers will remember that there is mention in the Life of Antonio San Gallo, ante, p. 21, et seq.
2. Afterwards Pope, under the name of Paul III.
3. These arms, according to Bottari, are in the socles along that front of the Church which was erected by Pope Clement XII., after the designs of Alessandro Galilei.
4. The work is still preserved in Arezzo, and may be seen in the house of the Falciaj family, which is situate in the Borgo Maestro. —Ed. Flor. 1832-8.
5. Still in its place, but somewhat injured by time.—Bottari
6. These also are still in existence.
7. The arms of Pope Clement fell down in the last century, and were not replaced.
8. The Chapel of the Ginovi family, as we are informed by tne churchman Bottari, was removed in the sixteenth century, when the Church of Santa Fiore was restored.
9. See ante, p. 14, where Mosca is called by an oversight Antonio instead of Simone.
10. Whose life will be found in a subsequent page of the present volume.
11. See vol. iii. p. 139, el seq.
12. The reader who shall desire more minute details respecting the works executed in the Cathedral of Orvieto by Raffaello da Montelupo, the two Moscas, and other sculptors not mentioned by Vasari, will find them in Della Valle, Storia del Duomo D'Orvieto.
13. See Della Valle, as above cited.
14. For the details of the frightful oppressions inflicted by papal despotism on that unhappy family, whose sole crime was the attempt to save their native city from becoming the bond-slave of the Pontiffs, see Vettori, Sormmario dell’ Istoria d'Italia, M.S.
15. An impartial annotator and compatriot of our author here remarks on the honesty with which Vasari cites the opinion of Michelagnolo, though directly opposed to what had been his own wishes and purposes of the moment: the same writer points out the candour of Vasari’s admission that the result proved Michelagnolo to have been right, himself consequently, who had intended to decorate the tomb with sculptures, totally wrong.
16. Della Valle tells us that Raffaello and Simone were eventually laid in the same tomb. See Storia del Duomo D'Orvieto, p. 323.
17. Where they still remain. The house now belongs to the Niccolini family.— Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
18. The apple-tree that is to say. — Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
19. The works of Moschino are still to be seen in this chapel.—Ibid.
20. There are also certain works by Moschino in the Chapel of San Ranieri, but these were probably not in existence at the time when Vasari wrote the Life of Mosca.