Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Antonio da San Gallo

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE FLORENTINE ARCHITECT, ANTONIO DA SAN GALLO.

[born 148..?—died 1546.]

How many great and illustrious princes, richly abounding in the goods of fortune, would leave an enduring glory attached, to their names, if, together with the distinction of riches and station, they had also received minds attuned to greatness and disposed to such pursuits as not only tend to promote the embellishment of the world, but are likewise capable of securing infinite advantage and perpetual enjoyment to the whole human race! But what can, or should great men and princes do the most effectually to profit by the various endowments of those who serve them, and to maintain the memories of such men and of themselves in perpetual duration, if not to erect great and magnificent edifices? For what, of all the vast outlay made by the ancient Romans when at the topmost summit of their glory, what other has remained to us, upholding the eternal splendour of the Roman name, what but those relics of buildings which we honour almost as something holy, and labour incessantly to imitate as the sole erections really beautiful? And to what extent the minds of certain princes who were ruling in the days of the Florentine architect Antonio da San Gallo were disposed to these things, will be clearly seen in the life of that master which we are now about to write.

Antonio was the son of Bartolommeo Picconi, a cooper of Mugello, and having learned the craft of the carpenter in his early youth, he departed from the city of Florence on hearing that his uncle Giuliano da San Gallo was employed in Rome, together with Antonio da San Gallo^[1] the brother of Giuliano; and followed them thither,^[2] where he devoted himself with his whole heart to the study of architecture, giving promise at once of that distinction which we have seen him evince at a more mature age in the many works produced by his skill in all parts of Italy.

Now it chanced that Giuliano, disabled by the internal disease with which he had been long afflicted, was compelled to return to Florence, but Antonio had by that time been made known to the architect Bramante of Castel Durante,^[3] who was also become old, and being no longer able to work as he had formerly done, from gout and paralysis of the hands, received assistance from Antonio in the designs which he was preparing. These the young architect completed to such perfection that Bramante, finding his sketches executed with the utmost exactitude, became more and more disposed to leave the charge of such works as he was then conducting to the care of Antonio, Bramante describing the arrangements which he desired to have made, and supplying all the compositions and inventions for every operation that remained to be accomplished.

With so much judgment, care, and expedition did Bramante then find himself served on all these occasions by Antonio, that in the year 1512 he committed to him the care of the Corridor which led towards the trenches of the Castel Sant’ Angelo, an occupation which brought him in ten scudi per month; but the death of Pope Julius II. then intervening, the work remained unfinished. Antonio had meanwhile already acquired the reputation of possessing considerable ability in architecture, and was reputed to give evidence of a very good manner in building; this caused Alessandro, who was first Cardinal Farnese, and afterwards Pope Paul III., to conceive the idea of restoring, by his help, the old palace in the Campo di Fiore, in which he dwelt together with his family; and Antonio, anxious to put himself forward, prepared numerous designs in different manners. Among these, one by which the fabric was divided into two separate dwellings was that which best pleased his most reverend lordship, he having two sons, the Signor Pier Luigi and the Signor Ranuccio, whom he thought he should leave well accommodated by that arrangement. The edifice was commenced accordingly; a certain portion being regularly constructed every year.

The church of Santa Maria di Loreto in Lome, which is situate at the Macello de’ Corbi, near the Column of Trajan, was at this time in course of erection, and was finished by Antonio with decorations of the utmost beauty;^[4] soon after the completion of this work, Messer Marchionne Baldassini caused a Palace to be erected near Sant’ Agostino, after the designs and under the direction of Antonio. This building is arranged in such a manner, that small as it is, it merits to be and is considered the most commodious and most judiciously arranged dwelling in Rome: the steps, the court, the loggie, the doors, the communications, all parts, in short, are distributed in the most admirable manner, and each separate portion is finished with the most perfect grace.^[5] Messer Marchionne was highly satisfied with this result, and determined that the Florentine painter, Perino del Yaga, should adorn one of the Halls with paintings of historical representations and other figures, as will be further described in his life, and these decorations imparted infinite grace and beauty to that portion of the fabric. The House of the Centelli family, near the Torre di Nona, was likewise completed under the direction of Antonio; this also is small, but exceedingly commodious.

No long time elapsed after these things before the architect was sent to Gradoli, a place within the domain of the most reverend Cardinal Farnese, where he directed the building of a very handsome and commodious Palace for that Prelate; and in his way to Gradoli, he performed a very important service, the restoration, namely, of the Fortress of Capo di Monte, which he furthermore caused to be surrounded by a low wall of most judicious construction. He prepared, at the same time, the design for the Fortress of Capraruola; and Monsignore, the most reverend Cardinal Farnese, perceiving himself to be served in a manner so satisfactory by Antonio in these numerous works, was constrained to feel great good-will for him, and as his estimation of him continually increased, he always favoured Antonio in all his undertakings to the utmost of his power.

The Cardinal Alborense, then desiring to leave a memorial of himself in the church of his native city, caused Antonio to construct a marble chapel in the church of San Jacopo degli Spagnuoli, with a tomb for himself. This chapel was afterwards painted, in the intercolumniations that is to say, by Pellegrino da Modena, as I have related: on the altar, likewise, there was placed a very beautiful statue in marble of San Jacopo which was executed by Jacopo Sansovino. The whole work is considered a veijy fine one, the architecture being greatly extolled, more particularly for the marble vaulting, which has octangular compartments of great beauty.

No long time after the completion of this work, Messer Bartolommeo Ferratino, for his own convenience and the enjoyment of his friends, as well as in the hope of leaving an enduring and honourable memorial of himself, caused a palace to be built by Antonio on the Piazza d’Amelia, and this also is a very creditable and beautiful work, from which the architect derived no small reputation as well as advantage.

Now at that time Antonio di Monte, Cardinal of Santa Prassedia, was in Rome, and desired that Antonio should build for him the Palace,^[6] in which he afterwards dwelt, and which looks into the Piazza, whereon stands the Statue of Maestro Pasquino.^[7] In the centre of that side which is turned to the Piazza, the Cardinal caused a Tower to be erected, and this was adorned from the first to the third story with a beautiful composition of columns and windows, all arranged and completed after the design of Antonio with infinite judgment and graee; it was then decorated, both within and without, by Francesco dell’ Indaco, with figures and historical representations in terretta.

Antonio was now much employed by the Cardinal of Rimini also, and that Prelate commissioned him to erect for his use a Palace at Tolentino in the March. For this work he was not only most liberally rewarded by the Cardinal, but was ever afterwards considered by that personage to have laid his lordship under great obligations. While these matters were in progress, and the fame of Antonio, increasing largely, became bruited abroad, it happened that the advanced age of Bramante, with various infirmities, rendered him the denizen of another world, whereupon three architects were immediately appointed by Pope Leo to take charge of the church of San Pietro, Raphael of Urbino, namely, Giuliano da San Gallo (the uncle of Antonio), and Fra Giocondo da Yerona. But no long time had elapsed before Fra Giocondo left Rome, and Giuliano da San Gallo having become old, received his dismissal from the Pontiff, and was enabled to return to Florence. Then Antonio, being in the service of the most reverend Cardinal Farnese, earnestly requested him to make supplication to Pope Leo, to the intent that the place of his uncle Giuliano might be granted to himself.^[8] And this was a thing very easy of attainment, first, because of the abilities of Antonio, which rendered him worthy of that appointment, and next on account of the interest made for him by the friendly feeling that existed between the Pontiff and the most reverend Cardinal; thus, in companj1- with Raphael da Urbino, Antonio continued the building, which proceeded coldly and slowly enough.

About this time Pope Leo repaired to Civita Yecchia, to fortify that city, and with him there went a large number of nobles, Giovan-Paolo Baglione and the Signor Vitello among others, with certain men of distinction for ability, as were the engineer Pietro Navarro, and the architect Antonio Marchisi, who then superintended the Fortifications. The latter had repaired thither from Naples, by command of Pope Leo, and as the discourse very frequently turned on the best methods of fortifying Civita Vecchia, opinions respecting the same were many and various, some proposing one design and some another. Among so many plans, Antonio da San Gallo displayed one which was declared by the Pontiff and all those nobles and architects, to be superior to all the rest, both for beauty and strength; it was further commended for the admirable forethought displayed in its many appropriate provisions. This brought Antonio into very great credit with the court, and his abilities were soon afterwards further displayed by the reparation of a very serious oversight which he effected, and the matter was on this wise:—

Raphael of Urbino, for the purpose of obliging certain persons about the court, had permitted several void spaces to be left in the walls beneath the papal apartments and loggie, to the great injury of the whole fabric, seeing that the strength of those parts was not able to support the weight laid upon them, and the edifice already began to show signs of weakness from the insufficiency of power to sustain the superincumbent weight; nay, that part would without doubt have come down, had the abilities of Antonio not been brought to aid: but he, by means of piles and beams, filled in those little chambers or cavities thus left in the building, and, refounding the whole, imparted so much strength to the walls, that they were rendered firmer and more secure than they had ever been.

Meanwhile the Florentine nation, or community of that people abiding in Rome, had commenced the erection of their church, which is situate behind the Banchi in the Via Giulia, after a design prepared by Jacopo Sansovino; but they had brought their fabric too close to the river, and saw themselves compelled to expend a sum of twelve thousand scudi on foundations which had to be laid in the water. This was effected in a very secure and beautiful manner by Antonio da San Gallo, and the method for doing this, which Jacopo Sansovino could not discover, was found by Antonio, who erected several braccia of the edifice on the water, making a model for the same which was of such extraordinary beauty, that the work, had it been completed after that model, would without doubt have been most admirable and even astonishing. It was nevertheless a great mistake to bring the fabric so close to the river, and their having done so proves that there was but little discretion in those who were then chief of the Florentine nation in Rome. It is certain that architects should never be permitted to found a church of such extent in a river so violent, for the mere sake of obtaining some twenty braccia of length, thereby casting away so many thousands of scudi for no better purpose than that of having ever afterwards to maintain an eternal combat with the waters.

These rulers were besides all the more to blame, because they might very easily have raised their church on land had they been willing to extend their limits in another direction, and agreed to give the building a different form, nay, what is more, they might have almost brought the whole to completion at the cost here expended so injudiciously. But if those who governed the affair put their trust in the riches possessed by the merchants of that nation, they were taught in good time the perfect fallacy of their hopes, since in all the years that the papal throne was held by Leo X. by Clemente de’ Medici, by Julius III., and by Marcellus (although the latter it is true occupied it but a short time), all of whom were of the Florentine people;—through all the time of these pontiffs, I say, and notwithstanding the greatness of so many cardinals and the riches of so many merchants, the building has remained, and still remains at the same point wherein it wras left by our San Gallo.^[9] It is manifest therefore, that architects, and all else who have to do with the erection of buildings, should think much and well of the end, taking every thing carefully into consideration, before they lay hands on a work of importance.^[10]

But to return to Antonio: this architect restored the Fortress of Monte Fiascone, which had been constructed by Pope Urban, and for the restoration of which he received commission from the Pontiff, who took him to those parts one summer in liis train.^[11] In the island of Viscentina also, which is in the lake of Bolsena, he built two small temples for the Cardinal Farnese, one of which he made an octangle on the outside, and round within, while the other was a square externally, but octangular within, the latter having four niches at the angles, one at each angle namely. These two little temples, completed as they were in a very fine manner, bore testimony to the extent of Antonio’s abilities and to the variety which he was capable of imparting in architecture.^[12] While they were still in course of erection, Antonio returned to Rome, where he commenced a palace for the Bishop of Cervia; that fabric was situated at the corner of Santa Lucia, where the New Mint now stands, but the building was not brought to completion. This architect constructed the church of Santa Maria di Monferrato which is near the Corte Savella, and is considered exceedingly beautiful; he also built a house for a certain Marrano which is behind the palace of Cibo, and near the houses of the Massimi family.

Then followed the death of Pope Leo X. and with him were buried all those beautiful and noble arts which had been recalled to life by his care and by that of his predecessor Julius II.; for when Adrian VI. succeeded to the pontificate, the arts and talents of all kinds were held in so little esteem, that if he had long retained the apostolic seat, there would once more have happened in Rome under his government what had taken place at a former period, when all the statues left by the Goths, the good as well as the bad, were condemned to the fire. Nay, Pope Adrian had already begun, perhaps in imitation of the pontiffs of the times just mentioned, to talk of his intention to destroy the chapel of the divine Michelangelo, declaring it to be a congregation of naked figures, and expressing his contempt for the best pictures and statues, which he called sensualities of the world, and maintained them to be shameful and abominable inventions. This caused not only San Gallo but all the other men of genius to repose during the pontificate of that Pope, seeing that no works of any kind were proceeded with in Adrian’s time; nay, to make no mention of other buildings, there was scarcely anything done to the church of San Pietro to the progress of which he might at least have proved himself friendly, since he displayed so much enmity for all worldly things.^[13]

At this time therefore, Antonio found leisure to give his attention to works of no great importance, and under that Pontiff he restored the side-aisles of the church of San Jacopo degli Spagnuoli, furnishing the principal front with handsome windows. He also constructed the tabernacle for the image of the bridge which is in Travertine, and, though small, is a very graceful work; it was afterwards adorned by Perino del Yaga, with a beautiful painting in fresco. The unfortunate arts were already beginning to suffer great wrong from Adrian’s modes of thinking, when Heaven, taking pity upon them, decreed that by the death of one man thousands should receive new life; wherefore the command went forth which removed Pope Adrian from this life, and made him give place to one who could more worthily fill the station which he had held, and who would handle the affairs of this world in a different spirit. Such was Pope Clement VII. his successor, full of generous sentiments, pursuing the traces of Leo, and the other forerunners of his illustrious house; and, remembering that in his cardinalate he had already called man)/- fine memorials of himself into existence, he considered that during his papacy it behoved him to surpass all who had preceded him, in the erection, restoration, and adornment of buildings.

The election of this pontiff was thus as the restoration to life of many a timid and dejected spirit, many were the artists consoled and reassured by that event; and to those who had sunk into despair, the accession of Clement imparted new courage and unhoped-for life; yea, these spirits, thus resuscitated, then produced those noble and beautiful works, which we now behold with so much admiration. Antonio was among the first of those who were called into action by the new pontiff, and, receiving a commission from his Holiness for the restoration of the court before the loggie of Raphael, he set instantly to work. The court was soon rendered by his labours a very beautiful and commodious one, for whereas the passage had previously been by narrow and tortuous ways, San Gallo extended the latter and gave all a better form. But this part of the palace is not now as Antonio left it, Pope Julius III. having taken from it the granite columns wherewith it was adorned, to decorate his villa with the same; the place is therefore entirely changed.

The principal façade of the Old Mint of Rome, which is situate in Banchi, was very beautifully restored by Antonio, who turned the angle of that building in a circular form, which is considered a very difficult thing to accomplish, and is much admired; on this building the architect placed the arms of the Pontiff. The death of Pope Leo had prevented the completion of the papal Loggie, and the carelessness of Pope Adrian had caused them to remain in their unfinished state; in his pontificate they were indeed not even touched, but Antonio was now commanded to proceed with them, and at the desire of Pope Clement, they were at length brought to a conclusion.

His Holiness then determined to fortify Parma and Piacenza, when, after many plans and models had been made by divers artists, Antonio was sent to those places, and with him Giuliano Leno, the inspector of the fortifications; San Gallo had his disciple Labacco to assist him in this work, and Pier Francesco da Viterbo, a very skilful engineer, was also there, as was the Veronese architect Michele da San Michele; when all together they brought the designs for those fortifications to perfection. Antonio then left the others remaining there and returned to Rome.^[14] Here he received a commission from the Pope to build certain apartments in the Papal palace, where there was but little convenience in respect to the chambers; he commenced those over the Ferraria accordingly, where the public concistory is now held, and these he arranged in such a manner that the Pope was highly satisfied with his work, and caused him to erect rooms for the chamberlains of his Holiness above those before-mentioned. Over these chambers, moreover, Antonio raised others, which were exceedingly commodious, although the construction thereof was a very difficult undertaking by reason of the new foundations required for the same. On this point Antonio was of a truth very skilful, his buildings never show a crack, nor has there ever been one among the architects of modern times who has proved himself to be more cautious, or who has displayed greater prudence in the execution of masonry.

In the time of Pope Paul II. the church of the Madonna of Loretto, was very small, and had its roof erected immediately over the columns, which were constructed of brick in a very rude manner; but during the pontificate of that Pope, this church was partially rebuilt and enlarged to the extent we now see, by favour of the genius and skill of Giuliano da Majano. Under Sixtus IY. and others it was continued to a certain height, as we have before said; but in the year 1526, and in the time of Pope Clement YII., although there had before never been the slightest intimation of decay perceived, the edifice began to crack in such a manner, that not only were the arches of the Tribune in danger of falling, but the whole church also was in many places threatened with ruin, the cause being that the foundations were not sufficiently strong, nor of adequate depth. Antonio was therefore sent to Loretto by the Pontiff, to the end that he might repair so grievous a disorder; and having arrived there, he gave the requisite supports to the arches, and providing for every demand, like the bold and judicious architect that he was, he restored the whole fabric, strengthening the piers and walls both within and without, giving the building a beautiful form in the whole; and carefully regulating the proportions of each separate part; he thus finally rendered the wmlls strong enough to bear any weight that might require to be laid on them, however massive.

Antonio continued the transept and aisles of the church in one and the same order, adorning the architraves over the arches with superb mouldings; the frescoes and cornices also being equally beautiful: he likewise imparted the utmost richness to the basement of the four great piers, which, passing around the eight sides of the tribune, support the four arches, three of which are in the transepts namely, where the chapels are constructed, and the larger one in the middle aisle. Now this work does certainly merit to be celebrated as the best which Antonio ever performed, and that not without reasonable cause, for while he who constructs an entirely new building, erecting it from its foundations, has full power to raise or lower it at his pleasure, and to bring it to such perfection as he will or can, without impediment of any kind; he, on the contrary, who has to rectify or restore the edifice commenced by others, but who have succeeded badly, either by misfortune or by the inability of the artist, finds himself to possess none of these advantages; wherefore, it may be truly affirmed, that Antonio resuscitated the dead, and performed that which was all but impossible. Having effected all that we have related, the master then arranged for the covering of the church with lead, and gave directions for the manner in which all that still remained to be completed should be done; insomuch, that by his endeavours this most renowned temple may be said to have received a better form, and more perfect grace, than it had previously possessed, with the hope also of a very long duration.

Prom Loretto Antonio returned to Rome, which he did after that city had been plundered, and when the Pope was abiding in Orvieto. The whole court was then suffering the utmost inconvenience from the want of water; for which cause, and by command of the Pontiff, Antonio constructed a fountain for the city of Orvieto, sinking the well for that purpose, and executing the work entirely in stone, the width being twenty-five braccia, and the descent by a winding stair. This is cut in the Tufa, one step above another, according to the winding of the path to the well, to the bottom of which one descends by these spiral stairs with all convenience; and the animals which carry the water, entering by one door, descend by one of these planes or steps, and having arrived at the platform where they take in their load, they receive the water, and, without turning round, they pass to the other branch of the spiral ascent which turns over that by which they descended, and thus emerge from the well by a different and opposite door to that by which they entered it. This construction, which was a most ingenious, useful, and admirably beautiful work,^[15] had almost attained completion before the death of Clement, and as the only part remaining to be executed was the mouth of the well, Pope Paul III. commanded that it should be finished, but not after the manner in which Pope Clement, following the counsels of Antonio, had intended to have it completed. The master was greatly extolled for this beautiful work, and it is certain that the ancients never produced anything of the kind which could be considered equal to it, whether as regards the art or laborious industry manifested in its construction; the circular space of the centre is contrived in such a manner that it gives light to the two staircases we have mentioned, even down to the bottom, by means of windows inserted at given distances.^[16]

While this work was m progress, the same architect was also directing those of the fortress of Ancona, which was completed at a later period. Pope Clement at the same time resolved to construct an impregnable fortress in Plorence, of which city his nephew Alessandro de’ Medici was then Duke.^[17] Alessandro Vitelli, Pier-Francesco of Viterbo, and Antonio Sangallo took orders for this enterprize accordingly, and by them the Castel or Fort,^[18] which stands between the gate of Prato and that of San Gallo, was erected and completed with such expedition that no edifice of the kind, either in ancient or modern times, was ever brought to conclusion in so short a period. Beneath one of the towers, that namely which was the first founded, and which was called the Tower of Toso, various inscriptions and medals were deposited with great solemnity and splendour. This work is now famous throughout the world, and is considered to be entirely impregnable.^[19]

By the direction of Antonio da San Gallo it was that the sculptor Tribolo, Baffaello da Monte Lupo, Francesco da San Gallo, who was then very young, and Simon Cioli, were invited to Loretto, when the stories in marble, which had been commenced by Andrea Sansovino, were completed by those masters. Antonio likewise invited to the same place, the Florentine Antonio II Mosca, an excellent worker in marbles, and who was at that time occupied, as will be related in his life, with the execution of a mantel-piece, in stone for the heirs of Pellegrino da Fossombrone, which proved to be a most divine work of carving, when fully completed.^[20] This Mosca, I say, complying with the request of Antonio, repaired to Loretto, where he executed certain festoons and garlands in stone, which are most exquisitely beautiful; and the decoration of that Chamber of Our Lady was thus completed with diligence and promptitude by the cares of Sangallo, although he had at that time five works of importance on his hands. Nay, though all of these were in different places, and distant each from the other, yet did Antonio so arrange his time that he never suffered any one to be neglected, and if at any time he was unable to be present when required at either of them, he sent his brother Battista as his substitute. These five works were: first the above-named Fortress of Florence,^[21] next that of Ancona, thirdly the Chapel of Loretto, fourthly the Apostolic Palace, and finally the Well of Orvieto.

On the death of Pope Clement VII., and when Cardinal Farnese had been elected High Pontiff, taking the name of Paul III., Antonio San Gallo, who had been the friend of the new Pope during his cardinalate, rose into still higher credit, and his Holiness having created his son, Pier-Luigi, Duke of Castro, despatched Antonio to Castro, there to prepare designs for the Fortress, which the Duke Pier-Luigi proposed to construct at that place, as also other designs for the Palace to be erected on the Piazza, called l’Osteria, and for the Mint, which is built in the same place of Travertine, and after the plan of that in Rome. Nor were these the only plans prepared by Antonio in that city; he also made designs for many other palaces and buildings of various character, for different persons, some natives of the place, and some strangers. These edifices were in many instances erected at such enormous cost that to whoever has not seen them, the account would seem incredible; they were finished at all points, with the most commodious arrangements, and in the richest manner; this being done by many, without doubt for the purpose of gaining credit with the Pope, for so it is that many seek to obtain favour for themselves by flattering the humour of princes, and in such cases as these it may at least be admitted that the thing deserves commendation in a certain sense, inasmuch as that it redounds to the convenience, advantage, and enjoyment of all.^[22]

In the year which saw Charles V. returning victorious from Tunis, and when there were erected in Messina, Apuglia, and Naples, very magnificent Arches of Triumph in celebration of so great a victory, Antonio received a commission from the Pope to erect a Triumphal Arch^[23] of wood-work at the Palace of San Marco in Rome likewise, the Emperor being expected to visit that city also. This construction presented a square of four sides, being intended to form the entrance of two streets, and was so beautiful, that a more admirably proportioned or more superb work in wood has never been seen. Nay, if the splendour and cost of marble had been added to the forethought, art, and care, bestowed on the design, formation, and construction of this fabric, it might with truth have been enumerated—the perfection of its statues, decorations in painting, and other ornaments considered—among the seven wonders of the world. The Arch was placed at the outermost angle of the place, where it turns towards the principal piazza namely; it was of the Corinthian order, the four round columns of silver-gilt standing on each side, the capitals thereof being beautifully carved in foliage, and richly gilded with gold. Over the columns, both within and without, there were also very superb architraves, friezes, cornices, and ressaults, with four historical delineations painted between the columns, two on each side namely; so that there were in the whole eight of these representations, the subjects of several among them being events from the life of the Emperor Charles, as will be further described in the lives of the artists by whom they were painted.

The splendour of this erection was further enhanced by the addition of two figures in relief, each four braccia and a half high, which were placed on the summit of the two sides of the said arch, and presented the effigies of Rome, her figure standing between two others, representing Emperors of the House of Austria that is to say, those at the one side being Albert and Maximilian, those on the other Frederick and Rudolph. At the angles, on each of the sides were furthermore placed Four Captives, two on each side, with a vast number of Trophies, also in relief, and with the Arms of his Majesty; the whole of which Antonio da Sangallo caused to be executed under his own direction by the most eminent sculptors and the best painters then to be found in Rome. Nor was this all; for not only was the arch directed by Antonio, but every other preparation for the festival to be held on the reception of this great and invincible monarch was arranged under the direction of the same artist.

Our architect then continued the Fortress of Nepi, for the Duke of Castro; with the fortifications of the entire city, which is very beautiful as well as impregnable.

He laid out many streets also in the same place, and prepared designs for numerous houses and palaces by commission from the citizens thereof. His Holiness then caused the bastions of Rome, which are of great strength, to be constructed, and the Gate of Santo Spirito being included among these works; this last was built after the design and under the direction of Antonio, by whom it was adorned with decorations of Travertine, in the rustic manner. This work unites so much strength with its extraordinary magnificence, that it may well bear comparison with the labours of antiquity. Attempts were made, after the death of Antonio, by those who were actuated by envy rather than by considerations of a more reasonable character, to procure the destruction of this gate, and that by very unusual means, but they did not obtain their ends from the rulers who were in power at the time.^[24]

It was under the direction of the same architect, that almost the whole of the foundations beneath the Apostolic Palace were strengthened and restored; many parts besides those we have mentioned, being in great danger of ruin, more particularly on one side of the Sistine Chapel, that whereon are the works of Michelagnolo namely, and on the façade also. This Antonio effected in such a manner, that not the slightest cleft or crack was afterwards perceptible; a work in which there was more danger than honour. He also enlarged the great hall of the Sistine chapel, and in two lunettes on the principal side he constructed those two immense windows which we now see there, with their extraordinary sashes, and compartments thrown forward into the vaulting and decorated with stucco-work: all which was done at great cost, and is a work of so much beauty that this may be considered the richest and most beautiful hall which had then been seen in the world. To this hall the master added a magnificent staircase, forming the communication between the Sistine Chapel and the church of San Pietro: this also is so beautiful and commodious an erection, that nothing better has ever been seen, whether among the ancients or moderns. The Pauline Chapel, wherein the sacrament is deposited, is likewise by Antonio Sangallo, and is a building of singularly beautiful and attractive character; it is indeed so exquisitely proportioned and arranged, that the graceful fabric appears to present itself arranged in festive smiles, as if to welcome the entrance of the visitor.

At the time when contentions were existing between the Pope and the people of Perugia, Antonio constructed the fortifications of that city; this work, in the progress of which the dwellings of the Baglioni family were razed to the ground, was completed by the architect with extraordinary rapidity, and was considered to be very finely executed. Antonio also built the fortress of Ascoli, and brought it to such a state in the course of a few days, that it could be held by the guard; whereas the Ascolani, as well as other people, having supposed that it could not be put forward to that extent under a lapse of years, stood confounded on seeing the garrison so instantly appointed and installed;—the people, I say, remained looking at each other in utter astonishment, and could with difficulty credit what their eyes beheld. For his own house in the Strada Giulia at Rome, Antonio subsequently made new foundations; these being needful for the better defence of the same against the floods of the Tiber; and he not only began but also completed a great part of the palace near San Biagio, which he then inhabited himself, but which is now the property of the Cardinal Riccio da Montepulciano,^[25] who has added many beautiful rooms thereto, and decorated the whole at a great cost in addition to what had been expended by Antonio, which was not less than many thousands of scudi.

But all the works performed by Antonio da San Gallo for the use and advantage of the world, were as nothing in comparison with the model of the most venerable and most stupendous fabric of San Pietro at Rome, which, having been first planned by Bramante, was afterwards re-arranged and enlarged in a most extraordinary manner, and after a new plan by himself, who imparted its due dignity to the whole as well as correct proportion and befitting arrangement to every separate part. The truth of this assertion may be seen by the model made of wood and finished at every point with the utmost exactitude, by the hand of San Gallo’s disciple, Antonio Labacco. This model, by which San Gallo acquired a very great increase of fame, was engraved and published after his death, together with the ground-plan of the whole edifice, by Antonio Labacco, who proposed thereby to make known the extent of ability possessed by San Gallo, and also to the end that all men might learn what had been the real opinions and intentions of that architect, seeing that new orders of a totally opposite character had been given by Michelagnolo, and out of these changes and new arrangements there had arisen many disputes and contentions, as will be related in the proper place.^[26] It appeared to Michelagnolo and to many others also, by whom the model of Antonio Sangallo has been examined, and who have seeri such portions of the work as were executed by him, that he has injured the effect of the whole, and diminished its force, by the many ressaults and divisions which he has adopted, and by members which are too small, as are the columns for example, and those arches above arches and cornices over cornices with which he has loaded his work.

It appeared also that the decoration or garland of columns, small and numerous, with which he had surrounded the two bell-towers of his plan as well as the four small tribunes and the principal Cupola, had failed to give satisfaction, neither did or do please very greatly all those minute pyramids of which he proposed to form the finish, seeing that in all these things the model does rather seem to imitate the Teutonic or Gothic manner than the good and ancient one now usually followed by the best architects All these various parts being completed by Labacco soon after the death of Antonio, it was found that the above-described model of San Pietro, in that which appertains to the wood-work and the carpenters only, had cost a sum of 4184 scudi; but the said Labacco, who had the charge of that work, did certainly acquit himself exceedingly well in the construction of the same, he being intimately acquainted with the details of architecture, as may be clearly perceived by the book which he has published in relation to the buildings of Rome, and which is indeed an extremely beautiful work. With respect to the model here in question, and which may now be seen in the principal chapel of San Pietro,^[27] the length thereof is thirty-five palms and the width twenty-six, its height is twenty palms and a half, whence the completed work would have had a length, according to this model, of 1040 palms or 104 canne, and the width would have been 360 palms or sixty-three canne, for, according to the measure of the masons, the canna used at Rome consists of ten palms.

For the labour he had given to this model of his and for various designs presented by him, Antonio was adjudged by the superintendents who were over the fabric of San Pietro to receive a sum of fifteen hundred scudi, and of these he was at once paid a thousand, but he never received the remainder, seeing that shortly after he had completed such model he passed to the other life. Antonio enlarged and increased the strength of the piers in the above-named church of San Pietro, to the intent that the weight of the tribune might repose securely thereon, he also filled in all the scattered parts of the foundations with solid material, and thereby rendered the whole so strong, that there is now no cause of fear lest the fabric should display further cracks, nor is there any chance of its being in danger of falling as was the case in the time of Bramante. And if this masterpiece of care and prudence were upon the earth instead of being hidden as it is beneath it, the work would cause the boldest genius to stand amazed, for which cause the name and fame of this admirable artist must ever retain a place among those most distinguished in the domain of art.^[28]

We find that even as early as the times of the ancient Romans, the dwellers in Terni and the men of Narni were ever at the bitterest enmity with each other, and so does it remain with those people to the present day; and the reason has been, that the lake of Marmora, sometimes becoming stagnant, frequently caused very great injury to one of the aforesaid communities; but when the people of Narni would fain have given outlet to the waters, the men of Terni could by no means be brought to consent thereto, for which reason there has ever been strife between them, whether Pontiffs or Emperors were ruling in Rome. We find that in the time of Cicero, that orator was despatched by the senate to compose these differences; but the quarrel remained unappeased nevertheless, In the year 1546 ambassadors were sent on the same subject to Pope Paul III., who thereupon commissioned Antonio Sangallo to repair to the place, and do his best for the termination of the contest. It was then resolved, by the advice of the architect, that an outlet should be made for the lake on the side whereon the wall is situated, and Antonio caused it to be cut through at that part, but not without extreme difficulty. The heat also was very great, and this, with other inconveniences, Antonio being now old and weakly, caused him to fall sick of a fever at Terni, when he soon after gave up the ghost.

The death of Antonio was the occasion of infinite grief to his friends and kindred, many buildings also were much delayed by this event, more particularly the palace of the Farnese family, near the Campo di Fiore. Pope Paul III., while he was still Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, had already brought that fabric to a considerable height, the first floor in the principal front was in process of construction, the inner hall and one side of the court-yard were likewise erected, but the building had not proceeded to such extent as to display the perfection of its details, when the Cardinal, being elected. Pontiff, Antonio changed the whole plan, since it appeared to him that he had no longer to erect the palace of a Cardinal, but of a Pope.^[29] Having demolished certain of the old houses that stood around it, therefore, and taken down the staircase, which he rebuilt in a more commodious form, he extended the court and the entire palace, enlarged the halls, added to the number of the rooms, and enriched the whole with elaborately-carved ceilings, and many other decorations.

Antonio had thus completed the principal front to the second floor, and nothing was now wanting than that the cornice, which was to surround the whole, should be added to the fabric; but as the Pope, who was a man of an aspiring mind and possessed very good judgment, desired to have a cornice more beautiful and richer than had ever been seen in any other palace whatever, he determined that, in addition to the designs prepared by Antonio, all the best architects of Pome should prepare one, each after his own manner, from which the Pontiff might then choose that which best pleased him,but intending, nevertheless, that Sangallo should carry the design chosen into execution. Thus it happened one morning, while the Pontiff was at breakfast in the Belvidere, that these collected designs were laid before his Holiness in the presence of Antonio, the masters proposing these plans being Perino del Yaga, Fra Bastiano del Piombo, Michelagnolo Buonarroti, and Giorgio Vasari, who was then very young and in the service of the Cardinal Farnese, by commission from whom and from the Pope, he had prepared not one only but two designs of different character for that work. It is true, that Buonarroti did not take his own design himself, but sent it by the above-named Giorgio Vasari, who had gone to him to show the designs which he had made, to the end that Michelagnolo as a friend might give him his opinion respecting them. To Vasari, therefore, Michelagnolo gave his design, desiring that he would present it to the Pope, and would at the same time make an excuse for that he, being indisposed, had not brought it in person.

The designs being all laid before the Pontiff accordingly, his Holiness examined them all attentively and for a long time, commending all as ingenious and beautiful, but extolling that of the divine Michelagnolo above all. Now all this did not take place without some vexation to Antonio, whom that mode of proceeding on the part of the Pope could not much gratify, since he would fain have done every thing by himself: but the thing which displeased him more than all the rest was to see that Pope Paul made great account of a certain Jacopo Meligliino of Ferrara, and even availed himself of his services as an architect in the building of San Pietro; nay, although Meligliino possessed no ability in design and showed no judgment in his proceedings, the Pope had conferred on him a stipend equal to that of Antonio, on whom all the labours devolved. And this happened because this Melighino, having been a faithful follower of the Pope for many years without any reward, his Holiness was pleased to make it up to him in that manner. He had besides the care of the Belvidere, and of some other buildings belonging to the Pope.

When his Holiness, therefore, had sufficiently examined all the designs presented to him by the above-named masters, he remarked, perhaps by way of putting Antonio to the trial, “All these are beautiful, but it would not be amiss that we should look at one which has been made by our Melighino.” Thereupon Antonio, getting somewhat angry, and convinced that the Pope was only making a jest of him, replied, “Holy Father, Melighino is but an architect in joke.” Hearing which, the Pope, who was seated, turned towards Antonio, and bowing his head almost to the ground, made answer: “Antonio, it is our pleasure that Melighino should be an architect in earnest, and so you may see by the stipend he receives.” Having said this, he rose and went away, dismissing all who were present, and herein he perhaps intended to show that it is sometimes by the will of princes, rather than by their own merits, that certain men are conducted to such greatness as the said princes shall please to confer.^[30] The cornice in question v%s afterwards erected by Michelagnolo, who gave an almost entirely different form to the greater part of that palace, as will be related in his life.

At the death of Antonio Sangallo, there remained behind him his brother, Battista Gobbo, a man of considerable ingenuity, who had devoted nearly the whole of his time to the buildings of his brother, but was not treated very well by him. This Battista did not live many years after Antonio, and when he died he left all that he possessed to the Florentine Brotherhood of the Misericordia in Rome, but with the condition that they should cause to be printed a book of Remarks on Vitruvius, which he had written. That book has, nevertheless, not been given to the world, although it is believed that it may be a good one,^[31]f seeing that Battista was well acquainted with the details of his art, possessed admirable judgment, and was a most upright and sincere man.

But to return to Antonio. His death having taken place at Terni, he was carried to Rome and there borne to the tomb with very great pomp, being followed to his grave by all the artists in design and many other persons. His remains were deposited in the church of San Pietro, by command of the superintendents of that fabric, being placed in a sepulchre near the chapel of Pope Sixtus, which is in that church, and here he wTas honoured with the following inscription:^[32]

Antonio Sancti Galli Florentino urbe munienda ac Publ. operibus, precipueq. D. Petri Templo ornan. architectorum facile principi, dum Velini Lacus emissionem parat, Paolo Pont. Max. auctore, interamne intempestive extincto, Isabella Deta uxor Maestiss posuit, mdxlvi. iii Calend. Octobris.

And of a truth, Antonio, having been a most excellent architect, has no less merited to be extolled and renowned, as his works fully demonstrate, than any other master in the same art, whether ancient or modern.^[33]

1. For the lives of these masters see vol. ii. of the present work.
2. It was therefore that he afterwards received the name of San Gallo.
3. See vol. ii.
4. “For the honour of this architect,” observes Bottari, “I must needs observe, that the completion of the Cupola of the Madonna of Loretto, the architecture of which is very singular and strange, is not by Antonio, but was designed by the Sicilian, Giacomo del Duca ”
5. Milizia remarks that the pedestals of the columns which flank the portal are “immeasurably high.”
6. Which stood where now stands the Palazzo Braschi, built after the design of Morelli, towards the close of the last century.
7. This figure is the upper part of the Statue of Menelaus, and belongs to a celebrated antique group, of which there exist several copies and some repetitions; from these we learn that the hero was represented in the act of supporting Patroclus. It was called Pasquino, because the fragment was discovered near the shop of a free-spoken tailor so called, and was erected before the same. On this figure were afterwards appended the satirical songs and caustic remarks, called from that circumstance “Pasquinades.”
8. Antonio had already taken part in the buildings, but is mentioned in the books of the works as a carpenter only. After the 22nd Jan., 1517, he appears as “Ajutante del Architetto.”
9. It was afterwards completed by Giacomo della Porta. — Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
10. Bottari considers the want of judgment here reproved to have been manifested principally in the rejection of three plans, all presented by Michael Angelo, but not one of which found favour in the eyes of the chiefs. These plans were afterwards lost by the neglect of the same persons.
11. This fortress is almost entirely destroyed. —Bottari.
12. The little temples still remain on the island.—Ibid.
13. Vasari, as an artist, censures Pope Adrian for his neglect of the fine arts; hut the churchman Bottari has most justly eulogized his holy life, and the efforts made by this excellent Pontiff in the service of religion and morals. See also Ranke, History of the Popes, vol. i.
14. In the first edition, we find “Antonio departed alone, and going to Rome, he took Florence in his way, for the purpose of visiting his friends, and this happened in the year mdxxvi.” Then follows the account of his marriage, as it will be given in a subsequent note.
15. Bottari tells us that there is a well of this kind in the Palace of Chambord, the well-known (i Pleasure-house” of Francis I. of France, and his successors.
16. Milizia, Memorie degli Architetti Antichi e Moderni, mentions a construction of similar character as existing at Turin.
17. Gaye, Carteggio inedito, &c., gives a letter from Alexander de’ Medici to Antonio da San Gallo, bearing date the 10th March, 1534, and wherein the Duke proposes this undertaking to the architect.
18. The fort here in question is that called the Fortezza da Basso, and also that of San Giovanni Battista. —Ed. Flor. 1832 -8.
19. This would now no longer be affirmed of the fort in question. — Masselli.
20. This work, of which more in the Life of Mosca, is now in the Casa Falciai at Borgo Maestro.—Förster.
21. From the letters of Nanni Unghero to Antonio, and which will be found in the Lettere Pittoriche, we learn that Sangallo sent plans and directions for this work from Loretto to Florence, for the guidance of those to whom the superintendence of the works had been committed.
22. The city having been afterwards demolished, all the works here alluded to have perished. — Bottari.
23. A particular description of this arch, with its elaborate ornaments, will be found in the Life of Battista Franco, which follows.
24. This magnificent gate was never completed, and will now very probably remain unfh ished, the extension given to the walls of San Pancrazio by Pope Uiban VIII. having rendered the gate of Santo Spirito useless.
25. Agincourt, Histoire de l'Art d'apres les Monument, has given a plate of this building, No. 32, pl. lxxii. It is now in the Sacchetti Palace.
26. In the Life of Michael Angelo.
27. The useless repetition of columns, pilasters, and decorations of all kinds to be remarked in this model, which is still preserved in the “Ottagono di San Gregorio,” fully justifies the dissatisfaction here intimated by Vasari. We find it related that, to one who was remarking that this model u afforded a fine field,” Michael Angelo replied, interrupting, “Aye, verily, for oxen and homed cattle, wrho understand but little of architecture.”
28. The principal merit of Antonio San Gallo consisted in the solidity of his buildings, as Vasari has before remarked. Bramante, on the contrary, neglected this essential point in his great haste, and constructed edifices which have cost more to maintain them in order than they did to erect them.—Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
29. Ferrario, Palazzi di Roma, has given the sketch of this palace. Plates of the same may also be found in D’Agincourt, De’ Rossi, and others.
30. Piacenza, in his additions to Baldinucci, has the following plaint:— “Too many of the race of the Melighini may be found, even in our own day, nor.i3 there any lack of the Paul III. genus.”
31. In the Corsini Library in Rome is still preserved the printed copy of Vitruvius, on which Battista wrote his marginal notes, and wherein he designed numerous figures, by way of illustration to the text. His translated MS. of the same work is also there, but is exceedingly obscure, and this may perhajDS have been one cause of its not having been printed.
32. This inscription is no longer to he seen.
33. Antonio left two sons, Orazio and Giulio, the mother of whom, Isabella, or Lisabetta Deti, was a woman of singular beauty; the relation of his marriage with her is inserted in the first edition of our author, but is omitted in the second. After speaking of Antonio’s return from Parma to Florence, Vasari proceeds to say: “And so, as it chanced that he looked about him in the streets as one does after a long absence on returning to the native place, he espied a young girl of most beautiful aspect, with whom for her beauty and her grace he forthwith fell in love; when conferring with his kindred respecting a marriage with this girl, they discouraged that purpose greatly, but in despite of all, and much to the discontent of his brother, he persisted in his intention, and fulfilled his wishes. Antonio had always shown himself harsh and obstinate towards his parents, nay, the life of his father was shortened visibly by the grief he felt at being abandoned by his son. This woman, whom Antonio thus married against all counsel, soon proved herself exceedingly proud and haughty; she lived rather in the manner of a most splendid lady than of an architect’s wife, running into such disorders and making such outlay, that her husband’s gains, large as they were, proved as nothing to the pomps and vanities of this woman. She drove her mother-in-law from the house, and caused her to die in misery; never could she look with a peaceful eye at any one of Antonio's relations, she thought of nothing but exalting her own kindred, but as for his relations, they might get them beneath the earth. Yet, not for all this did Battista, who was singularly endowed by nature and richly adorned with goodness, refrain from honouring and serving his brother; but all in vain, for he never received any token of affection from Antonio, either during the life or at the death of the latter.” The widow of Antonio soon married again, seeing that in the year 1548 we find mention of her as the wife of the Florentine, Giovanni Romei of Castiglion, when she was involved in much trouble on account of her first husband's affairs.