Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/499

and confessors, and above these figures are two shallow niches, in one of which are San Lorenzo and San Stefano, in the other San Cosimo and San Damiano.^[1] In the transept of the church also, Donatello executed four figures of saints in stucco,^[2] each five braccia high, which are very well finished. The bronze pulpits were likewise constructed under his direction; and the passion of Christ^[3] represented thereon, is a work in which drawing, force, and invention, are alike remarkable, with a rich variety in the figures and building. This work Donato was prevented by age from completing himself, and it was finished by his disciple Bertoldo^[4]§ who brought it to the utmost perfection. In Santa Maria del Fiore are two colossal figures of brick and stucco, by Donatello, they stand without the church, and serve as ornaments to the angles of the chapels.^[5] Over the door of Santa Croce is still to be seen a statue of San Lodovico, in bronze, five braccia high, from the hand of Donatello, who being reproached for having made the figure stupid and clumsy,—(it is perhaps the worst, or in any case the least meritorious of his works)—replied, that he had done so of set purpose, since the saint certainly must have been a stupid fellow to leave his sovereignty and make himself a monk.^[6] For Cosimo de’ Medici, the same master executed the bust of his wife^[7] in bronze, and this is still preserved in the treasury of our lord the Duke Cosimo, ^[8] where are many other works in bronze and marble from the hand of Donato; among others a Virgin in marble, with the Child in her arms, in very low relief, than which it is not possible to see anything more beautiful, and

1. All these works still exist.— Masselli.
2. hey were destroyed by exposure to the weather, and were replaced by others. —Ibid.
3. Cicognara gives an engraving of this work, to which he accords due praise. See vol. ii, pi. 7. Richa also gives a plate of these bassirilievi.
4. “Who certainly,” remarks Cicognara, “has not laid hands on the work of his master without extreme discretion and much careful thought.”
5. These figures have been destroyed by exposure to the weather.— Masselli.
6. The figure of St. Louis is still in its place. Bottari thinks it needful to observe that Donato must have been jesting.
7. This lady was born Countess Bardi di Vernio. —Schorn.
8. This work has disappeared, as has also the bust of the duchess. — Masselli.