that the building was more like the front of a temple than of a palace.[1] All this made Baccio almost ready to go out of his wits; nevertheless, as he knew that he had imitated good examples, and that the work was a meritorious one, he took consolation, and ultimately gave himself peace.[2] It is true that the cornice of the whole palace is too large, as I have said elsewhere;[3] still the building has, upon the whole, been always much commended.
For Lanfredino Lanfredini, Baccio d’Agnolo directed the construction of a palace on the bank of the Arno, between the Bridge of the Trinita and that of the Carraja; and on the Piazza de’ Mozzi he began the house of the Nasi, which looks on the shore of the Arno, but this he did not complete. For Taddeo of the Taddei family he also built a house which was considered a very commodious and beautiful edifice.[4] For Pier Francesco Borgherini he prepared the plans for the dwelling which the latter erected in the Borgo Sant’ Apostolo;[5] and for this he likewise caused beautiful decorations for the doors and very magnificent chimney-pieces to be executed at very great cost: for one apartment in particular he made coffers in walnut wood, adorned with figures of children, carved with the utmost care; it would be impossible, indeed, now to execute a work with so much perfection as Baccio has here exhibited. He gave the design for a villa, which the same Borgherini caused to be erected on the heights of Bellosguardo, a building of great beauty and convenience, but also of immense cost.[6]
Baccio d’Agnolo decorated an ante-room for Giovan-Maria Benintendi, and prepared an ornament by way of frame-work around certain pictures by eminent masters, which was considered an extraordinarily beautiful work.
- ↑ Milizia remarks that the scoffers did not know the reasons of those things they censured, and that Baccio himself was very probably not much better informed on the subject.
- ↑ But he caused the following inscription to be carved in large letters on the cornice of the door, Carpere promptius quam imitari, whereby he repaid the Florentines in their own coin.— Bottari.
- ↑ See the Life of Cronaca, ante, p. 83.
- ↑ This palace is now called the Pecori-Giraldi Palace; it is in the Via Ginori.—Masselli.
- ↑ Now the property of the Posselli family.—Ibid.
- ↑ This villa still exists, and belongs to the Castellani family.
