commenced by Pope Leo, bad been subsequently neglected, because the death of Andrea Contucci of Monte Sansovino had caused an interruption of the works; Clement now therefore, gave orders to Antonio da Sangallo, who had the charge of conducting the fabric, that he should invite Tribolo to Loretto, and should set him to finish the figures and historical representations left incomplete by Maestro Andrea.
Being thereupon summoned by Sangallo at the command of the Pontiff, Tribolo repaired with all his family to Loretto, to which place had also proceeded Simone, called II Mosca,[1] an admirable carver of marbles, with Raffaello da Montelupo,[2] Prancesco da Sangallo the younger,[3] Girolamo Perrarese the sculptor, a disciple of Maestro Andrea,[4] Simone Cioli, Banieri da Pietra Santa, and Francesco del Tadda,[5] to the end that by all these artists the work might at length be brought to conclusion.
In the distribution of the labours, a rilievo, in which Maestro Andrea had commenced the Marriage of Our Lady, was confided to Tribolo, as an undertaking of more importance than any other then remaining to be completed. Here Tribolo made an addition to the original thought, and took it into his head to exhibit among the numerous figures who stand around observing the espousals of the Virgin, an unsuccessful suitor full of rage, and angrily breaking to pieces the rod or staff which has failed to flourish into a Lily. His attempt was entirely successful, seeing that the man himself could not possibly display the displeasure which he felt at not having the good fortune to be the successful suitor, more clearly than is done by the marble figure here executed by Tribolo.
When this work, as well as those of all the other artists, was finished, Tribolo prepared models in wax for the
- ↑ Whose life follows.
- ↑ See his life, with that of Baccio his brother, vol. iii. p. 136, et seq.
- ↑ Mentioned at more length in a subsequent page.
- ↑ Of this master Vasari makes further mention in the life of Girolamo da Carpi, which follows.
- ↑ Francesco Ferrucci of Fiesole. This artist, remark the annotators of the Passigli Edition, is not to be confounded with one of the same name and family, who was the first, according to the “Introduction,” among the moderns, by whom statues were sculptured in porphyry.
