But this purpose was not carried out, for, although Giuliano went for some time to the grammar-school, his thoughts were never there, and the consequence was that he made no progress whatever; on the contrary, he ran away several times, and showed that his whole heart was given to sculpture; yet he commenced life by working as a joiner, but acquired practice in drawing at the same time. It is said that Giuliano took part in the works of the sacristy of the Kunziata, where, in company with Giusto and Minore, two masters of Tarsia,[1] he executed the seats of the sacristy, as also those of the choir beside the chapel[2] with many things in the Abbey of Fiesole and in San Marco, Having acquired a name by these works, it is further said that he was summoned to Pisa, Avhere he executed in the cathedral the seat which stands beside the high altar, whereon the priest, the deacon, and the sub-deacon are seated while the mass is sung. The back of this seat he decorated in tarsia-work, executing figures of the three prophets which are still to be seen there,[3] in tinted and shadowed woods; and while employed on this undertaking, he availed himself of the assistance of Guido del Servellino and Maestro Domenico di Mariotto, joiners of Pisa, whom he so effectually instructed in the art that they afterwards finished the greater part of the choir, executing the carving as well as the Tarsia; but the works of this choir have been completed in our own times, after a much better manner, by the Pisan, Battista del Cervelliera, a truly inventive and ingenious man. But to return to Giuliano, it was by him that the presses of the sacristy of San Marco were made, and these presses were at that time considered most admirable, for the Tarsia and inlaid-work by which they are enriched.
While Giuliano was thus devoting his attention to the labours of Tarsia, Sculpture, and Architecture, the death of Filippo di Ser Brunellesco took place, when the wardens of the works appointed Giuliano to succeed him.[4] He there-
- ↑ Wood in various colours inlaid was called Tarsia, or Intarsia.
- ↑ These Intarsiatura were removed when the choir and chapel were adorned with works in Pietra dura, as has been related in the life of Michelozzi. — See vol. i
- ↑ This seat still remains.
- ↑ Here Vasari appears to be in error. Filippo dying in 1446 could scarcely have been succeeded by Giuliano, who was then but a youth.
