Servile Monks, in the Monastery of the Nunziata at Florence. This he did on the 7th day of October, in the year 1530, receiving the name of Giovann’ Agnolo.
In the year 1531, having acquired the requisite knowledge of such ceremonies and offices as are practised there, while he also studied the works of Andrea del Sarto which are in that place, Giovanffi Agnolo made what they call his profession; and the following year, to the entire satisfaction of those fathers, and after having received the full consent of his kindred, he sang his first mass with much pomp and ceremony.
On the expulsion of the Medici, the wax figures of Leo, Clement, and other members of that most noble family which had been placed in the Cloisters of the Servites in pursuance of a vow, had been much injured by some young people, more out of their folly than from the bravery and good motives which they would fain have had attributed to them, when the Monks resolved that those works should be restored; and Gio vann’ Agnolo, with the aid of some others among them, who had given their attention to the making of images, undertook to repair such as were old and injured by time, while he moulded anew the Popes Leo and Clement, whose figures, as he made them, are still to be seen in that place.[1] Shortly afterwards he executed figures of the King of Bossina,[2] and of the old Signor da Piombino; in these works Fra Giovann’ Agnolo gave evidence of having made considerable progress in his art.
In the meanwhile Michelagnolo was in Eome with Pope Clement, by whom he had been summoned, because his Holiness desired that the works of San Lorenzo should be continued; the Pontiff also required Buonarroti to find him a young man who could restore some ancient statues which were in the Belvedere and had been broken; whereupon Michelagnolo, remembering Fra Giovanni, proposed him to the Pope, and his Holiness requested his presence by a brief to the General of his order, who granted it, because he could not do otherwise, but with a very ill will. The young monk
