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

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE FLORENTINE ARCHITECTS, GIULIANO AND ANTONIO
DA SAN GALLO.

[born 1443 — died 1517.] [born 1448?—died 1534.]

Francesco di Paolo^[1] Giamberti, who was a tolerably good architect of the time of Cosimo de’ Medici, by whom he was frequently employed, had two sons, Giuliano and Antonio, both of whom he destined to the art of carving in wood.^[2] With this view he placed the elder with the joiner Francione, who was an exceedingly ingenious person, well versed in perspective, and an able wood-carver, with whom Francesco di Paolo was intimately acquainted, they having executed in company many vmrks, both in carving and architecture, for Lorenzo de’ Medici. So rapidly did Giuliano acquire all which his master Francione taught him, that the beautiful carvings and works in perspective which he afterwards executed without assistance, when he had left liis master, in the choir of the cathedral, are held in esteem to the present day, and even when seen with the various works in perspective executed in our own times, are not regarded without admiration.

While Giuliano was still occupied with his studies in design, and the blood of youth was still dancing in his veins, the Duke of Calabria, moved by the hatred which he bore to Lorenzo de’ Medici, brought his army to encamp before Castellana, proposing to occupy the territories of the Florentine Signoria, and, if he succeeded in his first enterprise, to attempt something of still greater magnitude. The illustrious Lorenzo thereupon saw himself compelled to despatch an engineer to Castellana for the purpose of constructing bastions and defences of various kinds, and who should also take cfiarge of the artillery, to the management of which few nen were at that time competent. He therefore sent thither Giuliano, whom he Considered to be a man of intelligence, promptitude, and resolution, one, too, who was known to him as being the son of Francesco, who had ever proved himself a faithful servant of the house of Medici.

Arrived at Castellana, therefore, Giuliano fortified the place within and without, constructing good walls and strong outworks, with all other defences necessary to the security of the town. He remarked that the artillery-men handled their guns very timidly, standing at a distance from them while loading or raising them, and firing them with evident fear; he set himself therefore to remedy this evil, and so contrived that no further accidents happened to the artillery-men, although several of them had previously been killed by the recoil; they not having experience and judgment enough to fire their pieces with the degree of management proper to prevent that recoil from doing injury to those around. Nay, furthermore, when Giuliano took the control of that department, his intelligence in the details of the arrangements connected therewith, inspired the camp of the Duke with so much terror that, being compelled by this and other adverse circumstances, he was glad to come to terms, and so raised the siege.^[3] These things gained Giuliano no small praise in Florence, and obtained him the good-will of Lorenzo, who received him most favourably and loaded him with commendations.

Having afterwards turned his attention to architecture, Giuliano commenced the first Cloister of the Monastery of Cestello,^[4] and constructed that part of it which is of the Ionic order, placing the capitals on the columns, and finishing them with their volutes, which turned, winding down, to the collerino where the shaft of the column terminates; beneath the uvola and fusarola he added a frieze, the height of which was a third of the diameter of the column. This capital was copied from a very ancient one in marble, which had been found at Fiesole by Messer Leonardo Salviati, bishop of that place, who had it for a long time, with many other antiquities, in a house and garden in the Via San Gallo opposite to Sant’ Agata, wherein he dwelt: it is now in the possession of Messer Giovanni Ricasoli, bishop of Pistoja, by whom, as well as by all intelligent artists, this work is held in great estimation for its beauty and variety, and the rather, as no capital resembling this has ever been found among the antiquities which at different times have been discovered, even to the present day. But this Cloister of Cestello remained incomplete, the monks of the monastery not having at that time the means for meeting so great an expense.

The credit of Giuliano with Lorenzo de’ Medici had meanwhile much increased, the latter, proposing to erect an edifice at Poggio-a -Cajano, a place between Florence and Pistoja, had caused several models of what he desired to be made by Francione and other masters; he now commissioned Giuliano also to prepare one. This he did accordingly, making his model so entirely unlike those of all others and so completely to Lorenzo’s wish,^[5] that the latter began to have it instantly put in execution, as the best of all that had been presented to him; and the favour of Giuliano so greatly increased with him in consequence, that he ever afterwards paid him a yearly stipend.

The architect subsequently desiring to construct the ceiling of the great hall of that palace in the manner which we call coved, Lorenzo was not to be persuaded that it was possible to do this, the extent of the space considered; whereupon Giuliano, who was at that time building a house of his own in Florence, constructed the ceiling of his hall as he desired to have that in the palace, when the illustrious Lorenzo, being thus convinced, immediately caused the hall of the Poggio to be vaulted in like manner, a work which was completed very successfully.

The reputation of Giuliano constantly increased, and at the entreaty of the Duke of Calabria, Lorenzo gave him a commission to prepare the model for a palace, which was to be erected in Naples;^[6] he spent a long time over this work, and was still occupied with it when the Castellan of Ostia, then Bishop of Rovere, and afterwards Pope Julius II., desiring to set the fortress of that place in order, and having heard the fame of Giuliano, sent to Florence inviting him to repair to Ostia. There the Castellan detained him two years, making him a very ample provision, and causing him to do everything which his art could accomplish for the improvement of the place. But to the end that the model which he was preparing for the Duke of Calabria might not be neglected, but might be finished within reasonable time, Giuliano confided it to his brother Antonio, with directions for completing it; which Antonio accordingly did with great care, he being no less competent in the art than Giuliano himself. When this was done, Lorenzo the elder advised our architect to be the bearer of his own work to Naples, in order that he might point out the peculiarities of the construction, and the difficulties which had been overcome. Giuliano repaired to Naples accordingly, and having presented his model, was received very honourably, the courtly manner in which the magnificent Lorenzo had sent him, exciting much admiration, as did also the masterly construction of the model, which gave such entire satisfaction that the work was instantly commenced in the vicinity of the Gastello Nuovo.

After Giuliano had remained for some time in Naples he requested permission from the Duke to return to Florence, when the king of Naples sent him a present consisting of horses, vestments, and a silver goblet, containing some hundreds of ducats; these last Giuliano would not accept, declaring that he served a master who had no need of gold nor silver, but that if the king desired to confer on him any gift or token of approbation, in sign of his having been in that city, he might bestow on him some of the antiquities in his possession, at his own choice. This the king most liberally granted, for the love he bore to the magnificent Lorenzo, and because of the admiration which that monarch felt for the talents of Giuliano himself: the gifts thus conferred being a head of the Emperor Adrian, now placed above the door of the garden belonging to the Medici palace, a nude female figure of colossal size, and a Sleeping Cupid in marble, executed in full relief. These Giuliano despatched to the magnificent Lorenzo, who received them with great delight, and could never sufficiently eulogize the liberal proceeding of the generous artist, who had refused gold and silver for the sake of art, which very few would have done. The Cupid is now in the guardaroha of the Duke Cosimo.

Having then returned to Florence, Giuliano was most graciously received by the illustrious Lorenzo, who had at that time a new work in contemplation He had determined namely to erect a convent capable of accommodating one hundred monks, at some little distance from the gate of San Gallo, in compliance with the wishes of a learned monk called Fra Mariano da Ghinazzano, who belonged to the Order of the Eremites of Sant’ Agostino. For this work Lorenzo had caused models to be constructed by many architects, but finally commanded that one prepared by Giuliano should be put in execution. From this work Lorenzo took occasion to name our artist Giuliano da San Gallo; wherefore the master, who gradually heard hirnsell called by every one da San Gallo, said one day jestingly to the magnificent Lorenzo, “By this your new way of calling me da San Gallo, you are making me lose the name of mine ancient house, so that instead of going forward, as I thought to do by the antiquity of my race, I am going backwards.” To which Lorenzo replied, that he would rather see him become the founder of a new house by the force of his talents than remain a dependant on any other; which reply caused Giuliano to content himself with the change.^[7]

The buildings of San Gallo proceeded meanwhile, together with those of the other fabrics, placed in course of construction by Lorenzo; but neither the convent nor the other works were completed, the death of the illustrious Lorenzo causing them to remain unfinished. Even the portion of San Gallo that was erected did not remain long in existence, seeing that at the siege of Florence in 1530, the whole edifice was totally destroyed, together with the suburb in which it stood. The piazza of the latter was entirely surrounded by very beautiful buildings, whereas there is now not a vestige of house, church, or convent to be seen.

The death of the king of Naples took place about this time, when Giuliano Gondi, a very rich Florentine merchant, returned to his native city, and then commissioned Giuliano da San Gallo, with whom he had become well acquainted during the sojourn of the latter at Naples, to build a palace in the Tuscan manner for his residence. The position of this building was to be opposite to San Francesco, above the place where the Lions stand; it would have formed the angle of the piazza, having one of its fronts towards the Mercatanzia, but the death of Giuliano Gondi put a stop to the work. For this palaee, Giuliano da San Gallo executed a mantel-piece among other things, so richly decorated with rich carvings, so finely varied in its different parts, and altogether so beautiful, that nothing equal to it, more especially as regarded the number of figures, had ever before been seen.^[8] The same architect built a palace for a Venetian, at a short distance from the Pinti Gate at Camerata, wdth numerous houses for private citizens, of which I need not make further mention.

Lorenzo the Magnificent, desiring to provide for the public utility and adornment of the state, as well as thereby to add another monument to the many wherewith he had already acquired so much renown, determined to undertake the fortification of the Poggio Imperiale, above Poggibonsi, on the road leading towards Rome. There he desired to found a city, but would not proceed without the advice and direction of Giuliano^ wherefore, the commencement of that most renowned fabric was made by that master, and after his designs were constructed that well-arranged series of fortifications and those beautiful edifices which we now see there.

These works so greatly inereased the fame of the architect, that the Duke of Milan applied to Lorenzo, requesting him to send that master to the above-named city, where he desired to have the model of a palace prepared by him. Giuliano was despatched thither by Lorenzo accordingly, and was no less honoured by the Duke in Milan than he had been in Naples by the King. When the model was completed, the master presented it, on the part of the magnificent Lo3‘enzo, to the Duke, who was filled with astonishment and admiration as he beheld the fine arrangement and commodious distribution of the different parts, and the rich decorations everywhere applied with the utnaost propriety and judgment, each ornament beautiful in itself, and all appropriate to the jDlace which they adorned The requisites for building were therefore immediately assembled, and they began at once to put the work in execution.

Leonardo da Vinci was in Milan at the same time with Giuliano, and was also in the service of the Duke; there was then a question of the bronze Horse, to which we have more than once alluded, and Leonardo, frequently speaking of his intention in regard to it with Giuliano da San Gallo, received many valuable counsels from him on that subject. The model for the last-mentioned work was destroyed on the arrival of the French, and the horse was therefore not finished, neither could the palace designed by Giuliano be completed.

Having returned to Florence, Giuliano found that his brother Antonio, who had assisted him in the preparation of his models, had himself become a most excellent master; there was indeed no artist of his time who executed carved work more perfectly than he did, large crucifixes in wood more especially. Of this we have a proof in that which is over the High Altar of the Nunziata in Florence,^[9] as well as in one belonging to the monks of San Gallo at San Jacopo-tra-Fossi,^[10] and in another which the Brotherhood of the Barefooted Friars have in their possession, all considered to be truly excellent works.^[11] But on his return, Giuliano persuaded his brother to abandon that occupation, prevailing on him to devote his attention to architecture in company with himself, he having many labours in hand, for the public use as well as for private individuals. But it happened in this case, as it so frequently has done in others, that Fortune, the adversary of talent, deprived the artists of that period of their best hope and support by the death of Lorenzo de’ Medici, which was a grievous loss, not to his native city only, but to all Italy^[12]

Giuliano, overwhelmed, as was every other man of genius by this event, remained for a long time inconsolable. In deep grief he retired to Prato, which is near Florence, and where he occupied himself with the construction of a church to the Madonna delle Carceri,^[13] all buildings in Florence, whether public or private, being for the nioment at a stand. In Prato, therefore, Giuliano remained three years, enduring his grief and cares as he best might. At the qnd of that time the church of the Madonna at Loretto requiring to be roofed, and the Cupola, which Giuliano da Maiano had commenced but had not completed, having to be vaulted, the wardens, who had charge of the work, became apprehensive lest the piers should be found incapable of supporting the weight of the vast erection to be reared on them. They consequently wrote to Giuliano to the effect that, if he were disposed to undertake that work, he might come and examine the state of things; the architect proceeded to Loretto accordingly, when, competent and bold as he was, he declared that the Cupola might be raised without difficulty, expressing his confidence in his own power to effect the task, and proving the truth of his assertions by so many good reasons, that the work was at once confided to his care. Having received this commission, Giuliano hastened the completion of the church at Prato, and, taking with him the masterbuilders and stone-cutters who had laboured under his orders at that place, he departed to Loretto.

The fabric Giuliano was now to erect demanding the utmost precaution, to secure it the requisite firmness and . durability, as well as beauty of form, the architect sent to Rome for puzzolana; all the lime used for the building was then tempered therewith, and for every stone laid therein the mortar was thus prepared; at the end of three years the edifice was given up to the wardens completed and freed from all encumbrance.

Giuliano then repaired to Rome, where he received a commission from Pope Alexander VI. to restore the roof of Santa Maria Maggiore, which was in a state of ruin; he also constructed the ceiling in wood-work, still to be seen in that church.^[14] While thus employed for the court, the Bishop of Rovere,^[15] who was then Cardinal of San Pietro in Vincoli, and who had been the friend of Giuliano from the time when he was Castellan of Ostia, confided to him the preparation of a model for the Palace of San Pietro in Vincoli, aforesaid;^[16] and no long time after, desiring to erect a palace in his native city of Savona also, he determined to have that likewise constructed according to the designs and under the direction of Giuliano. But this was not easy of arrangement, seeing that the roof of Santa Maria Maggiore was not yet finished, and Pope Alexander would not suffer the architect to leave Rome. Finally, however, Giuliano caused the works of Santa Maria to be continued by his brother Antonio, by whom they were completed; and the latter, possessing a lively and versatile genius, being thus brought into connexion with the court, afterwards entered the service of Pope Alexander: he was indeed ultimately regarded with very great favour by that pontiff, and received proof of this when his Holiness determined on restoring the tomb of Adrian (now called the Castello Sant’ Angelo), and erecting defences around it, after the manner of a fortress, Antonio being appointed superintendent of the works. Under his direction, therefore, the large towers of the lower end, with the ditches and other fortifications, such as we now see them, were constructed; this work obtained Antonio great credit with the Pope, as well as with the Duke Valentino his son,^[17] and caused him to receive a commission for constructing the fortress, erected as we now see it, at Civita Castellana, and which he also built. While that Pontiff lived, in short, Antonio was continuallj employed in building and other labours for his service, and was no less richly rewarded by Pope Alexander than highly esteemed.

The palace at Savona had meanwhile been carried forward by Giuliano, and was proceeding very successfully, when the Cardinal, for some of his purposes, returned to Rome; he left numerous workmen at Savona with orders to complete the work after the designs of Giuliano, but the architect himself, Cardinal San Pietro took with him to Rome. Very willingly did Giuliano undertake that journey, desiring much to see his brother Antonio, and the works he was executing. Here then he remained several months, but the Cardinal fell into disgrace with the Pope at that time, and left Rome to avoid being imprisoned, when Giuliano also departed in his company.

Thus returned to Savona, they greatly increased the number of master-masons and artificers of all kinds employed about the building, but the menaces of his Holiness against the Cardinal becoming more and more violent, no long time elapsed before the latter saw himself compelled to take refuge in Avignon. Having arrived there, he sent the model of a palace, which Giuliano had prepared for himself, as a present to the King of France; this work was one of extraordinary beauty, the edifice being most richly adorned, and of such extent, that it was capable of accommodating, not the king only, but his whole court. The French monarch was at Lyons v/hen Giuliano presented his model, which was most graciously accepted by his majesty, and pleased him so much that he rewarded the architect very largely, and gave him infinite commendation. He also caused many thanks to be returned to the Cardinal, who was at Avignon. There the latter received intelligence to the effect that his palace at Savona was approaching its completion; whereupon he resolved that Giuliano should once more examine the whole edifice: he repaired to Savona accordingly, and, after having remained there some short time, beheld his work brought to completion.^[18]

Giuliano was then seized with a wish to return to Florence, which he had not seen for a long time; he set out on his way therefore, taking with him the master-builders who had been working under his directions at Savona. Now, the King of France had at that time restored the freedom of its government to the City of Pisa, and the war between the Florentines and the Pisans was still raging; but Giuliano desired to pass across the territory of Pisa, wherefore he caused a safe conduct to be prepared for him at Lucca, having no small suspicion of the Pisan soldiers. Notwithstanding that precaution, however, as they were passing near Altopascio, the whole company were made prisoners by the Pisans, who cared nothing at all for their safe conduct, or any other causes of exemption that could be alleged. For six months, therefore, was Giuliano compelled to remain in Pisa, his ransom being set at three hundred ducats; nor was he permitted to return to Florence until that sum was paid.

, Antonio, who was then in Rome, having heard of these things, and feeling anxious to see his brother and his native city once again, obtained permission of the Pope to leave Rome; in his way he designed the fortress of Montefiascone^[19] for the Duke Valentino, and in the year 1503, he at length returned to Florence, where the brothers were re-united, to the great joy of their friends as well as of themselves.

At this time occurred the death of Pope Alexander VI. and the accession of Pius III., but the latter lived only a short time, and the cardinal of San Pietro in Vincoli was then elected to the pontifical throne, taking the name of Julius 11. This event caused the utmost gladness to Giuliano, he having been so long in his service, and he resolved on proceeding to Rome, there to kiss the feet of his Holiness. Having arrived there accordingly, he was received very gladly, and with many kind words by the Pope, who immediately appointed him superintendent of the first buildings undertaken by that Pontiff before the arrival of Bramante.

Antonio meanwhile remained in Florence, where Pier Sodarini was at that time Gonfaloniere, and, Giuliano being absent, the construction of the buildings at Poggio Imperiale was continued, under his directions; all the Pisan prisoners being sent to labour there, to the end that the fabric might be thus the more rapidly brought to completion. The old fortress in the city of Arezzo had at this time been destroyed; wherefore Antonio prepared the model for the new one, with the consent of Giuliano, who came on account of business connected with that matter from Rome, but very soon returned thither. This work of the fortress of Arezzo caused Antonio to be chosen architect to the commune of Florence, by which he was appointed superintendent over all the fortifications of the state.

On the return of Giuliano to Rome, the question as to whether the sepulchral monument of Pope Julius should be constructed by the divine Michael Angelo Buonarroti, was in debate; when Giuliano encouraged the pontiff to that undertaking: he even declared that for such a purpose it would be proper to erect a chapel specifically appropriated to the exclusive reception thereof, and not place the tomb in the old church of San Pietro, wherein there was indeed no longer space for it; whereas the chapel which he recommended would render the work perfect. Numerous artists having then made designs, the question became a subject of so much consideration, that by little and little they arrived at the determination not to construct a chapel only, but to commence the vast fabric of the new San Pietro.

At that time, the architect Bramante of Castel Durante arrived in Rome, after having been for some time in Lombardy, when this master had so many proposals to make, and exhibited such extraordinary resources, some of his plans being indeed altogether out of the usual practice, that having won over Baldassare Peruzzi and Rafifaello da Urbino^[20] to his opinions, he changed the whole character of the work. Much time was then consumed in discussion, but the effect of Bramante’s proceedings and the force of his representations, ultimately caused the building to be committed to his care, he having shown a more profound judgment, superior intelligence, and richer powers of invention than any of the other masters.

This decision caused the utmost displeasure to Giuliano, and the rather as he considered himself to he ill-treated by the Pope, whom he had served so faithfully when Julius was in a less exalted position: he had besides received a promise from the Pontiff to the effect that the fabric should be entrusted to himself. He consequently requested his dismissal. Nor did the fact that he was appointed the associate of Bramante, for other works, then to be executed in Rome, avail to change his purpose: he departed accordingly, after having received many gifts from the Pope, and once more returned to Florence.^[21]

His arrival in his native city was exceedingly welcome to Piero Soderini, who instantly availed himself of his services. Nor had six months elapsed from his leaving Rome before he received a letter from Messer Bartolommeo della Rovere, nephew of the Pope, and a gossip of his own, who wrote, in the name of his Holiness, urging him, with many assurances of future advantage, to return to the papal court. But it was not possible to move Giuliano, either by the conditions offered or promises made, because he considered himself to have received an affront from the Pontiff: a letter was then despatched to Piero Soderini, exhorting him to use every method in his power, and by all means, to send Giuliano to Rome. His Holiness desired to complete the fortification of the great round tower which had been commenced by Nicholas V. as well as those of the Borgo and the Belvedere, with many other works, for all which he required the services of the Florentine architect. Giuliano suffered himself therefore to be at length persuaded by Soderini, and again proceeded to Rome, where he was received by Pope Julius with exceeding cordiality and many gifts.

Now it was about this time that the Bentivogli were driven out of Bologna, and the Pontiff thereupon repaired to that city. JVVhile there, he resolved, by the advice of Giuliano, who had accompanied him thither, to have a statue erected (representing the Pope himself), and which should be executed in bronze, by Michelagnolo Buonarroti; this was accordingly done, as will be related in the life of Michelagnolo. In like manner Giuliano accompanied the Pope to Mirandola and when that place was taken he returned with Julius to Rome, after having endured much anxiety and many cares.^[22]

The raging desire to drive the French, out of Italy, not having yet got out of the head of Pope Julius, he made various attempts to wrest the government of Florence from the hands of Piero Soderini, seeing that the Gonfaloniere was no small impediment to his accomplishing what he had in his mind. By these projects the Pontiff was much diverted from his architectural undertakings. He was indeed almost entirely absorbed in his warlike affairs, and Giuliano, seeing, as he did, that no building received any attention, the church of San Pietro excepted, and even that obtained but very little; seeing all this, I say, Giuliano became weary, and determined on requesting his dismissal. But the Pope replied in great anger: “Do you think that there is no other Giuliano da San Gallo in the world besides yourself?” Whereunto Giuliano made answer to the effect that, for truth and faithful service never would he find another equal to himself, whereas it would be easy for him to find princes who would maintain their promises with more fidelity than the Pope had shown towards him. Julius would nevertheless not give him leave to go, but said that he would talk to him about it at some other time.

Bramante meanwhile having brought Paffaello da Urbino to Rome,^[23] set him to work on the paintings of the pontifical apartments, whereupon Giuliano, perceiving that those pictures gave the Pope much pleasure, and that he desired to have the ceiling of the chapel, built by his uncle Sixtus, also decorated with paintings, then spoke to his Holiness of Michelagnolo, reminding him that the latter had already executed the statue of bronze in Bologna, ^wherewith the Pontiff had been very much pleased. Michelagnolo was therefore summoned to Pome, and having arrived in that city, the ceiling of the chapel was confided to him accordingly.

Some short time after these things, Giuliano again requested permission to depart, and his Holiness, seeing that he was resolved on doing so, salFered him to return to Florence amicably, and retaining all his favour: after having conferred his benediction, Julius finally presented him with a purse of scarlet satin containing five hundred ducats, telling him that he might return home to take repose, but that he would always remain his friend. Having then kissed the sacred foot, Giuliano departed to Florence, where he arrived exactly at the time when Pisa was surrounded and besieged by the Florentine army. He had no soonei entered the city therefore, than he was despatched by Piero Soderini—after the due ceremonies of reception—to the camp; where the commissaries found themselves unable to devise any efiectual method for preventing the Pisans from supplying their beleaguered city with provisions, by means of the Arno. Giuliano, after due examination, declared that when the season should be more favourable, a bridge of boats must be constructed, he then returned to Florence. But when the spring was come, he took with him Antonio his brother, and again repaired to Pisa, where they made a bridge of boats, which was a work of much ingenuity; for besides that this fabric could be removed at pleasure, the power of rising or sinking, within fixed limits, which it derived from its form, secured the structure to a certain extent, against injury from floods, while it nevertheless remained perfectly firm, being well chained and fastened together through all its parts. The impediment to supplies by means of the river, so much desired by the commissaries, was also effectually presented by this bridge, the city being thereby cut off from all aid by sea and up the Arno; insomuch that the Pisans, having no longer any help in their distress, were compelled to make conditions with the*-Florentines and surrendered accordingly.

Nor did any long time elapse before Giuliano was again despatched to Pisa by the same Piero Soderini, together with an almost innumerable company of builders, when they constructed, with extraordinary celerity, the fortress which is at the gate of San Marco, with that gate itself, which was erected in the Doric order. While Giuliano was busied with this undertaking, which occupied him until the year 1512, Antonio travelled throughout the whole state, inspecting all the fortresses and public buildings of the Florentine territories, and putting all into good and serviceable order.

By the favour and assistance of Pope Julius, the House of Medici was subsequently reinstated in the government of Florence, from which that family had been expelled on the incursion made into Italy by Charles YIII., king of France. Piero Soderini was then compelled to abandon the palace, but the Medici did not fail to acknowledge the services which Giuliano and Antonio had rendered in earlier times to their illustrious house, and when, on the death of Pope Julius, Giovanni, cardinal de’ Medici, ascended the papal throne, Giuliano was induced once again to visit Rome.

No long time after the arrival of the latter in that city, the architect Bramante died, when the Pope resolved to entrust the building of San Pietro to Giuliano >;^[24] but worn by his many labours, oppressed by the weight of years, and suffering cruel torments from internal disease, the Florentine architect declined that charge, which was then made over to the most graceful Raffaello da Urbino,^[25] and Giuliano returned by permission of his Holiness, to Florence.^[26] Two years later Giuliano da San Gallo, grievously oppressed by the force of his malady, also died at the age of seventy-four, and in the year 1517, leaving his name to the world, his body to the earth, and his soul to God, who gave it.

The departure of Giuliano, left his brother Antonio, who loved him tenderly, in the deepest grief, as it also did a son named Francesco; the latter already engaged in the study of sculpture, although he was then very young. This Francesco has carefully preserved all the remains of art bequeathed to him by his forerunners, and holds them in the utmost veneration. Many works in sculpture and architecture have been executed by him in Florence and other places; among them is the Madonna now in the church of Orsanmichele. The Virgin has the Divine Child on her arm, which is resting in the lap of Sant’ Anna; all the figures are in full relief, and the group, which is formed from one piece of marble, is considered a fine work.^[27] The sepulchral monument which Pope Clement caused to be constructed at Monte Cassino, to the memory of Piero de Medici,^[28] is also by this sculptor, as are other works, of which I do not make further mention, because Francesco is still living.^[29]

After the death of Giuliano, his brother Antonio, who was not willing to remain wholly inactive, executed two large Crucifixes in wood, one of which was sent to Spain, and the other, by command of the vice-chancellor. Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici, was taken by Domenico Buoninsegni into France. At a later period the building of the fortress of Leghorn^[30] having been determined on, Antonio was sent to that city by the Cardinal de’ Medici,^[31] with a commission to prepare designs for the structure, which the latter effected accordingly; but the work was not executed to the extent proposed by Antonio, nor was it constructed entirely after the designs he had prepared.

Many miracles having been performed by an image of Our Lady in possession of the inhabitants of Montepulciano, these last resolved to erect a church to her honour at very great cost, Antonio was consequently instructed to prepare the model, and became the superintendent of the building; lie therefore repaired to Montepulciano twice in the year, for the purpose of inspecting the progress of that fabric, which we now see completed to the utmost perfection. It is indeed a most beautiful and richly varied composition, and is executed by the genius of Antonio with infinite grace; the whole edifice is constructed of a stone which resembles that called travertine in the whiteish tint of its colour: it is situated at a short distance beyond the gate of San Biagio, on the right hand, nearly midway up the hill.^[32] About the same time this architect commenced a palace in the fortress of Monte Sansovino^[33] for Antonio di Monte, Cardinal of Santa Praxida; he also constructed another for the same prelate, in Montepulciano, a work designed and completed with admirable grace.^[34]

In Florence Antonio erected a range of houses for the Servite monks, on the Piazza of their monastery; the style of the building resembling that of the Loggia degl’ Innocenti. In Arezzo he prepared models for the aisles of the church of Our Lady of Tears; but this was a very ill-conducted work, because entirely destitute of harmony with the earlier portions of the edifice, and the arches of the upper part are not placed in due relation to the centre. Antonio likewise made a model for the church of the Madonna in Cortona; but I do not believe that this has ever been put into execution.^[35] During the siege of Florence, this master was employed on the bastions and fortifications within the city, when his nephew Francesco was appointed to act as his assistant.

The Giant of the Piazza,^[36] which had been executed by the hand of Michelagnolo, during the life-time of Giuliano, the brother of Antonio, being fixed in its place, the rulers resolved that the other,^[37] made by Baccio Bandinelli, should be also erected on the Piazza. The care of conducting it thither in safety was trusted to Antonio, and he, in taking Baccio d’Agnolo to assist him, by the use of very powerful machinery, elfected the removal of the statue without injury, placing it safely on the pedestal which had been prepared to receive it.

When Antonio had become old, he took pleasure in no other occupation than that of agriculture, which he understood perfectly well. Finally, being rendered by the weight of his years unable to support any longer the cares of this world, he resigned his soul to God in the year 1534, and was laid to his repose, together with his brother Giuliano, in the burial place of the Giamberti family, which is in the church of Santa Maria Novella.

The admirable works of these two brothers will supply to the world sufficient proof of the fine genius wherewith they were endowed, while their blameless life and honourable conduct in every action caused them to be held in esteem by the whole city, and by all who knew them. Giuliano and Antonio bequeathed to architecture the inheritance of better methods in the Tuscan manner of building, with more beautiful forms than had previously been in use; they added finer proportion, and more exact measurement to the Doric order than had ever before, according to the opinion and rule of Vitruvius, been attained.

In their houses in Florence, these masters had collected a large number of beautiful antiquities in marble—treasures, which contributed, and still contribute, to adorn their native city, while they also do honour to the artists themselves, and redound to the glory of art. Giuliano brought from Rome the method of constructing vaulted ceilings, in materials which permit the carvings and other decorations to be executed in one piece:^[38] of this we have an example in an apartment of his own house, and at Poggio-a -Cajano,. the ceiling of the Great Hall, still to be seen there, is constructed after this manner. Large is the debt of gratitude due to these artists, by whose labours the Florentine state has been fortified, while the city itself has received great increase of beauty from their endeavours. By the works of these brothers, performed in so many parts of Italy, the Florentine name has moreover received a great accession of honour, to the lasting glory of the Tuscan genius, which, to their revered memory, hath dedicated the following verses:—

“Cedite Romani structores, cedite Graii
Artis, Vitruvi, tu quoque cede parens,
Etruscos celebrare viros testudinis arcus,
Urna, tholus, statuae, templa, domusque petunt.”

1. In the fiscal documents of the period, cited by Gaye, Carteggio inedito d’Artisti, &c., these masters call their father Francesco di Bartolo.
2. In the year 1498 they both still described themselves, in the returns made of their property for fiscal purposes, as legnaiuoli (joiners). — Gaye, ut supra.
3. Muratori, on the contrary, declares that “Castellana surrendered to the Duke of Calabria by capitulation.” —See Annali d’Italia, 1478.
4. This is the cloister before the church of Santa Maddalena de’ Pjizzi, which is that formerly called the Cestello; it remains as here described, and the Ionic capitals still unaltered.—Masselli.
5. See D'Agincourt, plate lxxii., part 1.
6. Among the admirable drawings of Giuliano da San Gallo, now in the Barberini Library, is the ground-plan of a palace, bearing the date 1488, which was sent by Lorenzo the Magnificent to Ferdinand 1.— See Gaye, ut supra.
7. In the Carteggio inedito of Gaye, so frequently cited, there is a letter, written in the year 1490, from Lorenzo the Magnificent, to Alfonzo Duke of Calabria, wherein he expresses his regret that he cannot send him some able architect from Florence to replace Giuliano da Maiano, who had that year died at Naples, seeing that he was himself in want of able architects for the works he was executing in Florence, and had written on that account to Mantua, to Luca Fancelli. Lorenzo appears to have intentionally avoided all mention of Giuliano da San Gallo, being unwilling to deprive himself of that master’s services.
8. Still in the Gondi Palace, on the Piazza di San Firenze: an outline engraving of this admired work will be found in Cicognara, Storia della Scultura Moderna, vol. ii. pl. xv.
9. Now in a tabernacle near the chapel of the Virgin, in the church of the Nunziata, as we liave already observed in the life of Michelozzo. See vol. i.— Ed. Flor. 1832 —8.
10. Still in the church of San Jacopo, and held in great veneration. — Ibid,
11. The Brotherhood was suppressed in 1785, and the Crucifix has disappeared. — Ibid.
12. The death of Lorenzo the Magnificent took place at his villa of Careggi, on the 8th May, 1492.
13. The Madonna delle Carceri (Our Lady of the Prisons) is one of the most remarkable edifices of Prato, not for its extent, but for the beauty of its architecture. —Masselli
14. It has been said that the gold with which this ceiling is decorated was the first ever brought from America. —Masselli.
15. Afterwards Pope Julius II.
16. This is the palace which stands near the church on the northern side. It is declared by Milizia to be altogether without merit of any kind.
17. Caesar Borgia, Duke of Valentinois.
18. The palace built by Giuliano at Savona, was afterwards converted into a Convent for the Nuns of Santa Clara.—Milizia.
19. This fortress, with the exception of some few portions of the walls, is now (1759) entirely demolished. —Bottari.
20. Bottari seeks to prove from this passage that RafFael was in Rome, before Bramante had ever visited that city, but the authorities consider him to have failed, and it is certain that Vasari does more than once himself aihrm the direct contrary.
21. The poor Giuliano was certainly to he pitied,” remarks Piacenza, in his additions to lialdinucci, “we are nevertheless not to censure the prudent decision of the Pope, who did well to choose the best architect he could tind for so important an undertaking.”
22. Giuliano being, as our readers will remember, a military and civil engineer as well as architect.
23. See note, p. 500.
24. Platner and Bunsen, Beschreibung der Stadt Rom., affirm Giuliano to have been appointed architect of St. Peter’s before the death of Bramante, but that event must have taken place very shortly after. —See Fea, Notizie intorno a Raffaello Sanzio, who also considers Giuliano to have received the appointment during the life of Bramante.
25. Associated with the architect, Fra Giocondo, who continued in office from February, 1514, to March, 1518. Raphael received his appointment in April, 1514, and in August of the same year, after having presented his model, he appears to have been appointed first architect, and so placed over his associate in the work.— See the Notizie and Beschreibung as cited above.
26. According to the documents extracted by Fea from the books of the works at St. Peter’s, Giuliano retained his appointment about a year and a half, to the 1st July, 1515, namely.
27. Still in the church of Or-San-Michele.— Ed. Flor. 1832 -8.
28. Piero de’ Medici, son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, drowned in the river Garigliano, as mentioned in the life of Torrigiano.— Ibid.
29. “Among the best works of Francesco,” remarks an Italian writer, “is accounted the beautiful tomb of Angelo Marzi-Medici, Bishop of Assisi, erected in the Basilica of the Santissima Annunziata in Florence. This monument stands near one of the piers supporting the great arch of the Tribune.”
30. The fortress of Perugia is also affirmed to have been erected after the design of Antonio. —Roman Edition, 1759.
31. The same Cardinal Giulio that is to say, afterwards Pope Clement VII
32. he beautiful church of San Biagio at Montepulciano, is a Greek cross with a cupola and two campanili, or bell-towers, one of which remains unfinished. On the piazza of the little town there is another work by Antonio the Canonicate namely, with a double Loggia.
33. The palace of the Cardinal of Santa Praxida (Cardinal del IMonte, afterwards Pope Julius III.), is now used for the transaction of business connected with the Law Courts. The elegant Loggia, standing opposite to this building, is also a work of Antonio.
34. That opposite to the cathedral.
35. It was certainly not put in execution, since this church, called the ^‘Madonna del Calcinajo” was constructed after the design of Francesco di Georgio. —For the life of this architect, see ante, p. 122, et seq.
36. The colossal statue of David namely.
37. The group of Hercules and Cacus.
38. An invention of Bramante, as we learn from his life.—See ante, p. 439.