playing the most singular attitudes; some were standing, others kneeling or stooping forward, or half-suspended between all these positions; some were falling down, others springing high in the air and exhibiting the most difficult foreshortenings. There were innumerable groups besides, all sketched in different manners, some of the figures being merely outlined in charcoal, others shaded off, some with the features clearly defined, and lights thrown in, Michelagnolo desiring to show the extent of his knowledge in that vocation; and of a truth the artists were struck with amazement, perceiving, as they did, that the master had in that Cartoon laid open to them the very highest resources of art: nay, there are some who still declare that they have never seen anything equal to that work, either from his own hand or that of any other, and they do not believe that the genius of any other man will ever more attain to such perfection. Nor does this appear to be exaggerated, since all who have designed from and copied that Cartoon (as it was the habit for both natives and strangers to do), have finally become excellent in Art.
As proof of this, may be cited Aristotele da Sangallo, the friend of Michelagnolo, Ridolfo Ghirlandajo; Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino; Francesco GranUccio; Baccio Bandinelli; and the Spaniard, Alonzo Berughetta.[1] These were followed by Andrea del Sarto; Franciabigio; Jacopo Sansovino; 11 Rosso; Maturino; Lorenzetto; and Tribolo, who was at that time but a child; with Jacopo da Pontormo, and Perino del Vaga, all of whom were excellent masters.
The Cartoon having thus become a study for artists, was removed to the great Hall of the Medici Palace, but this caused it to be left with too little caution in the hands of the artists; insomuch that, at the time of Giuliano’s sickness, and when no one was thinking of such things, it was torn to pieces, as we have before related,[2] and scattered over different places, among others in Mantua, where certain fragments are still to be seen in the house of M. Uberto Strozzi, a Mantuan gentleman, by whom they are preserved with
