will be related in the proper place.[1] It appeared to Michelagnolo and to many others also, by whom the model of Antonio Sangallo has been examined, and who have seeri such portions of the work as were executed by him, that he has injured the effect of the whole, and diminished its force, by the many ressaults and divisions which he has adopted, and by members which are too small, as are the columns for example, and those arches above arches and cornices over cornices with which he has loaded his work.
It appeared also that the decoration or garland of columns, small and numerous, with which he had surrounded the two bell-towers of his plan as well as the four small tribunes and the principal Cupola, had failed to give satisfaction, neither did or do please very greatly all those minute pyramids of which he proposed to form the finish, seeing that in all these things the model does rather seem to imitate the Teutonic or Gothic manner than the good and ancient one now usually followed by the best architects All these various parts being completed by Labacco soon after the death of Antonio, it was found that the above-described model of San Pietro, in that which appertains to the wood-work and the carpenters only, had cost a sum of 4184 scudi; but the said Labacco, who had the charge of that work, did certainly acquit himself exceedingly well in the construction of the same, he being intimately acquainted with the details of architecture, as may be clearly perceived by the book which he has published in relation to the buildings of Rome, and which is indeed an extremely beautiful work. With respect to the model here in question, and which may now be seen in the principal chapel of San Pietro,[2] the length thereof is thirty-five palms and the width twenty-six, its height is twenty palms and a half, whence the completed work would have had a length, according to this model, of 1040 palms or 104 canne, and the width would have been 360 palms or sixty-three canne, for,
- ↑ In the Life of Michael Angelo.
- ↑ The useless repetition of columns, pilasters, and decorations of all kinds to be remarked in this model, which is still preserved in the “Ottagono di San Gregorio,” fully justifies the dissatisfaction here intimated by Vasari. We find it related that, to one who was remarking that this model u afforded a fine field,” Michael Angelo replied, interrupting, “Aye, verily, for oxen and homed cattle, wrho understand but little of architecture.”
