short time to adorn that temple most richly; thus adding infinite grandeur and magnificence to the building, and by consequence to the whole city, of which Santa Maria del Fiore was the principal church: the Duke also, as he furthermore urged, would leave a perpetual and most honourable memorial of himself in such a fabric. Nor did Baccio fail to remark in addition to all this, that his Excellency would thus afford to himself (Bandinelli,) an occasion for the execution of many beautiful and excellent works, giving him thereby the opportunity of labouring in such sort as to prove his abilities, by which means he might acquire name and fame to after ages; a thing which ought to be dear and interesting to his Excellency, seeing that Baccio was his servant and brought up under the house of Medici.
By these discourses and the exhibition of the various designs which he had prepared, Baccio moved the Duke to his wishes, and induced him to give orders that he should make a model for the said choir, his Excellency consenting that such fabric should be constructed. Departing from the Duke therefore, Baccio repaired at once to his architect, Giuliano di Baccio d’ Agnolo, and having conferred with him, they went to the place together, and after examining every part of the edifice carefully, they determined that the form of Filippo’s model should not be departed from, but closely followed at all points; merely adding certain decorations of columns and ressaults, and enriching the whole as much as they could consistently with the maintenance of the original figure and first design.
But it is not by the extent of the additions, nor by the number of the ornaments, that a building is most effectively enriched and embellished; it is by the excellence of these things, even though they be few, provided only that all are arranged in their proper places, and set together with due proportion, and in just measure.
Such as these it is that please and are admired; for having first been executed with the best care and judgment of the artist, they then receive such commendation as they merit from all others.[1] But this Giuliano and Baccio do not appear to have considered or
- ↑ “An admirable remark,” observes one of the compatriots of our author, “and well worthy of the excellent architect which the works of cur Vasari have amply proved him to have been.”
