opposite to the church of that oratory; it is in marble, of the antique order called Corinthian, and differs entirely from the Gothic manner. This tabernacle was intended for the reception of two statues, but these Donato would not complete, because he could not come to an agreement with the syndics in respect to the price. They were consequently executed in bronze, after his death, by Andrea del Verrochio, as will be related hereafter. In that façade of Santa Maria del Fiore, which faces the Campanile, Donato executed four figures, each five braccia high,[1] two of which are portraits from the life, one of Francesco Soderini when a youth, the other of Giovanni di Barduccio Cherichini, now called the Zuccone.[2] The latter is considered the most extraordinary and most beautiful work ever produced by Donatello, who, when he intended to affirm a thing in a manner that should preclude all doubt, would say, “By the faith that I place in my Zuccone.” And while he was working on this statue he would frequently exclaim, while looking at it, “Speak then! why wilt thou not speak?” Over the door of the Campanile, on the side facing the Canonicate, is the figure of Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac, by this master, with another prophet. These figures were formerly placed between two other statues. For the Signoria of Florence, Donatello cast, in bronze, a statue of Judith cutting off the head of Holofernes.[3] This
- ↑ Three only of these figures are by Donatello, and these bear his name, which is engraved on the plinth: their height is three braccia and a half. They are, the San Giovanni; the David, called Lo Zuccone; and the Prophet Jeremiah, or Solomon. The fourth is the work of a certain Giovanni Rosso, and bears his name. Baldinucci had long since named this master as the author of one of these statues, but which of them he had produced was not known until the year 1831, when the scaffolding erected for the repair of the building, presented an opportunity for ascertaining the fact.
- ↑ So called because entirely bald. Cicognara, who has engraved it, considers that what Vasari has said of the San Marco, would be more properly applied to this statue.
- ↑ Until the year 1495, this statue adorned the house of Piero de’ Medici; who was then exiled, and the Judith was transferred to the Ringhiera of the Palazzo de’ Signori, being placed where the David of Michael Angelo now stands, as appears from old pictures representing the death of Savonarola. It is adorned with the significant inscription which follows, and which may still be seen there:—Exemplum Sal Pub. Civtes posuere, m.cccc.xcv. In 1504 it was finally placed where it now is, and where, according to Vasari, it first stood.— Masselli.
