there was scarcely anything done to the church of San Pietro to the progress of which he might at least have proved himself friendly, since he displayed so much enmity for all worldly things.[1]
At this time therefore, Antonio found leisure to give his attention to works of no great importance, and under that Pontiff he restored the side-aisles of the church of San Jacopo degli Spagnuoli, furnishing the principal front with handsome windows. He also constructed the tabernacle for the image of the bridge which is in Travertine, and, though small, is a very graceful work; it was afterwards adorned by Perino del Yaga, with a beautiful painting in fresco. The unfortunate arts were already beginning to suffer great wrong from Adrian’s modes of thinking, when Heaven, taking pity upon them, decreed that by the death of one man thousands should receive new life; wherefore the command went forth which removed Pope Adrian from this life, and made him give place to one who could more worthily fill the station which he had held, and who would handle the affairs of this world in a different spirit. Such was Pope Clement VII. his successor, full of generous sentiments, pursuing the traces of Leo, and the other forerunners of his illustrious house; and, remembering that in his cardinalate he had already called man)/- fine memorials of himself into existence, he considered that during his papacy it behoved him to surpass all who had preceded him, in the erection, restoration, and adornment of buildings.
The election of this pontiff was thus as the restoration to life of many a timid and dejected spirit, many were the artists consoled and reassured by that event; and to those who had sunk into despair, the accession of Clement imparted new courage and unhoped-for life; yea, these spirits, thus resuscitated, then produced those noble and beautiful works, which we now behold with so much admiration. Antonio was among the first of those who were called into action by the new pontiff, and, receiving a commission from his Holiness for the restoration of the court before the loggie of Raphael,
- ↑ Vasari, as an artist, censures Pope Adrian for his neglect of the fine arts; hut the churchman Bottari has most justly eulogized his holy life, and the efforts made by this excellent Pontiff in the service of religion and morals. See also Ranke, History of the Popes, vol. i.
