various kinds on him towards whom she had before been adverse, and that in such sort as to make up in one year for the sufferings of many. An example of what we have here intimated was seen in the case of Lorenzo, the son of Ludovico, a Florentine bell-founder, who distinguished himself greatly in architecture and sculpture, and was so much beloved by Rafiaello da Urbino, that not only did the latter assist and employ him on many occasions, but also gave him the sister of his disciple, Giulio Romano, to wife. Lorenzetto (for so was he always called[1]) completed in his youth the sepulchral monument of Cardinal Forteguerri, which had been commenced by Andrea del Verrocchio, and was erected in the Church of San Jacopo at Pistoja;[2] in this work there is a figure of Charity among other parts, which is by the hand of Lorenzetto himself, and which cannot be considered unworthy of praise. No long time after this period, he likewise executed a statue for Giovanni Bartolini, which the latter required for his garden; having finished this figure, he repaired to Rome, where he executed many things in the first years of his abode there, of which we need make no further mention.
At a later period Lorenzetto received a commission from Agostino Chigi, by the intervention of Rafiaello, for the construction of his tomb in Santa Maria del Popolo, where Agostino had built a chapel. To this work our artist devoted himself, with all the forethought, assiduity, and diligence that he could possibly command, in the hope of acquitting himself with credit, more particularly in the eyes of Raphael, from whom he had reason to hope much assistance and many favours: he expected also to be largely remunerated by Agostino. Nor did these labours fail to secure many of the hoped-for results; assisted by the judgment of Rafiaello, Lorenzetto conducted his work to the utmost perfection: the
- ↑ Little Lorenzo, or Lawrence, that is to say, Lorenzetto being the diminutive of Lorenzo; a remark not uncalled-for perhaps, in explanation of this passage, to the reader who may chance not to be familiar with the colloquialisms of the Italian.
- ↑ This figure is still to be seen at the tomb of the Forteguerri family: Lorenzetto also commenced the statue of the Cardinal, but did not complete' that work, and the figure is still to be seen in its unfinished state, in one of the Halls of the Sapienza.— Tolomei, Guida di Pistoja.
