but hastened instantly to Rome, where he first repaired to Madonna Lucrezia Salviati de’ Medici, the sister of Pope Leo, whom he made potent efforts to convince that none could do greater honour to the remains of those illustrious Pontiffs than would be rendered by his own ability, declaring at the same time that the sculptor Alfonso was destitute of powers in drawing, had no practice, and possessed no judgment in the qualities of marbles; he added moreover, that Lombardi would never be capable of conducting so important an undertaking to conclusion without the aid of others. Many other engines were also put in motion, and by various methods and proceedings Bandinelli found means to change the purpose of those nobles, who finally gave it in charge to Cardinal Salviati to make an agreement with the artist for the work.
The Emperor Charles Y. had arrived in Naples about this time, and Filippo Strozzi, with Anton Francesco degli Albezzi, and many other exiles, were contriving, with Cardinal Salviati, to find some means for proceeding to set the Emperor against the Duke Alessandro, and to this end they were with the Cardinal at all hours. Now it chanced that Baccio was likewise constantly in attendance about the halls and chambers of the Cardinal’s abode, waiting all day in the expectation of concluding his contract for the sepulchral monuments; and these Signori, finding Baccio morning and evening in the Cardinal’s palace, began to suspect that he was there to watch their movements, of which he might then give intelligence to Duke Alessandro; some of the younger among them therefore determined to follow him secretly some evening and rid themselves of his presence.
But Fortune came to his aid at the critical moment, and caused that the other two Cardinals should undertake with Messer Baldassare da Pescia to conclude the agreement with Baccio.[1] They knew that he was but slightly acquainted with architecture, and had therefore commanded Antonio da Sangallo to prepare a design, which he did to their satisfaction, when it was further ordered that all the stone-cutters’ work to be executed in marble, should be accomplished by the sculptor Lorenzetto, but that Baccio should undertake
- ↑ Gaye, Carteggio inedito d’ Artisti, informs us, from a letter written by Baldassare da Pescia to Cosimo I., that Bandinelli received a sum of 1800 crowns for this work, which he never completed.
