Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Nanni d’Antonio di Banco
NANNI D’ANTONIO DI BANCO, SCULPTOR, OF FLORENCE.
[born 13..—died 1321?]
Nanni d’Antonio di Banco was a man who inherited a competent patrimony, and was by no means of inferior condition; yet, delighting in sculpture, he not only thought no shame of acquiring and exercising that art, but even considered himself to gain no small increase of honour thereby; and made such progress in his vocation that his name will never be forgotten, but celebrated all the more, in proportion as it shall be known that he devoted himself to this noble art, not from necessity, but from a true love to the calling. Nanni was a disciple of Donato,[1] but I have placed him before that master, because he died many years previous to the period of Donato’s death. He was a man of a somewhat dull and sluggish nature, but modest withal, mild of disposition, and gentle of manner. The marble statue of St. Philip, which stands on the outside of the oratory of Or San Michele, is a work of this sculptor’s, and was first offered, by the guild of shoemakers, to Donato. But, as the men of the said guild could not agree with Donato, in regard to the price, they gave the work, in a kind of despite against Donato, to Nanni, who promised to demand no other remuneration than that which they themselves might be pleased to accord. But the matter went differently: for, when the statue was completed, and fixed in its place, Nanni demanded a much higher price than the guild had refused to Donato. Hereupon the dispute was referred by both sides to the latter, the syndics of the guild being fully persuaded, that, from sheer envy, Donato would estimate the work of Nanni at a much lower price than he had demanded for his own. But they had reckoned without their host; Donato adjudging to Nanni considerably more for his statue than he had required for it himself. The syndics would by no means abide by this decision, and assailed Donato with loud outcries, demanding to know wherefore he, who had offered to execute the work for a smaller sum, should estimate it so highly when performed by the hand of another, as to compel them to pay even more than was asked for it, “although thou knowest well, as we do also”, they continued, “that the work would have been much better, had it been done by thyself.” Donato replied, laughing, “this good man is not equal to me in our art, and it must have cost him much heavier labour to complete this work than I should have had to bestow on it; wherefore, if you are just men, as you appear to me, and desire to satisfy him for his pains, you are bound to pay him for the time he has expended.” The decision of Donato was finally suffered to prevail, both parties having promised to abide by it.
This statue has, upon the whole, a good attitude—the head is animated and graceful, the vestments are not stiff or hard, and are not badly arranged about the figure. In a niche beneath the St. Philip are four Saints, also in marble, and which were executed by Nanni for the guild of smiths, carpenters, and masons: these figures are in full relief, and it is said that when all were finished and detached from each other, the niche being likewise prepared, the sculptor found that with all his efforts he could get only three of his saints within it, he having made some of them in attitudes displaying the arms outstretched. Dismayed and despairing, Nanni betook himself to Donato, entreating him to give advice and aid by which this oversight and misfortune might in some manner be repaired. “If thou”, said Donato, smiling, “wilt give a supper to me and all my lads, I’ll answer for it that the saints shall all be got into the niche for thee, without further ado.” This Nanni promised very gladly, and Donato sent him away to Prato, to take certain measurements and transact other matters that should occupy him for a few days. When Nanni had departed, Donato set to work with all his disciples and workmen: some of the statues he cut off at the shoulder, others at the arm, and arranged them in such a manner, that standing thus together, each made place for his neighbour, one having his hand brought forward and laid on the shoulder of another. All being then firmly fixed in such attitudes as were suggested by the taste of Donato, his judicious care was found to have united them in a manner by which the error of Nanni was entirely concealed, insomuch that when the niche was completed, the group presented the most obvious expression of concord and brotherhood; nor could any one not acquainted with the circumstance perceive any evidence of the mistake. When Nanni found, on his return, that Donato had corrected all and so effectually remedied the blunder he had committed, he gave him hearty thanks, and right willingly bestowed the promised supper on him and his men. Under the feet of these four saints, and among the decorations of the tabernacle, is a representation in marble and mezzo-rilievo, also by Nanni, of a sculptor working with great animation at the statue of a child; and another master building a wall, with two assistants. All these little figures are full of life, and earnestly engaged in their different occupations.
Another work by the same artist is in the façade of Santa Maria del Fiore, and on the left as you enter the church by the central door. This is the figure of an evangelist, and is a very good statue in the manner of that time.[2]
We find it further asserted that the San Lo, constructed for the Guild of Farriers, and near the oratory of Or San Michele, above-named, is also a work of Nanni; as, likewise we are told, is the marble tabernacle, in the basement of which is a representation of St. Lo, the farrier, who is shoeing a furious horse. All this is so well done, that the master obtained much reputation from it, and he would doubtless have both merited and acquired still higher credit, had he not died early, as was the case.[3] Be this as it may, the few works he did produce obtained him the name of a good sculptor, and as he was a citizen of Florence, he was also entrusted with many public offices in his native city: in these, as in all other matters, Nanni comported himself after the manner of a just and prudent man, and was therefore much beloved. He died of pleurisy in 1430, and in the forty-seventh year of his age.[4]
- ↑ Rumohr is of opinion that Nanni acquired his art, not from Donato, but from his own father Antonio di Banco, who was one of the masters of the works in the Florentine Duomo,in the year 1406. Rumohr grounds his opinion on the fact, that Nanni’s works shew no trace of Donato’s manner. See ltal. Forsch. vol. ii, p. 240.
- ↑ This is one of the four Evangelists—grand seated figures, which are placed in the four chapels beside the choir of the Florentine Cathedral. —Ed. Flor. 1846 -9.
- ↑ Vasari appears to doubt whether Santo Lo (Sant’ Alo, patron saint of the farriers and goldsmiths) be a work of Nanni’s; and his doubts receive confirmation from the circumstance that this work is much more elegant than those known to be by Nanni usually are, as well as by the fact that Baldinucci found no mention of this performance in a manuscript of the Strozzi collection, wherein the works of Nanni are enumerated.—Ibid.
- ↑ In the first edition, is added, “And was honourably entombed in
the church of Santa Croce”, with the following epitaph:—
“Sculptor eram excellens Claris natalibus ortus
Me prohibit de me dicere plura pudor.”