ceeding 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.[1]
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
- ↑ 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.
