the Cuculia. The rapidity with which he had completed these works was nevertheless taken into the account, and Giovann’ Agnolo obtained much credit for his labours from artists, as well as from the people generally.
Giovann’ Agnolo afterwards returned to finish his work at Arezzo, and having there heard that Girolamo Genga[1] was about to execute a monument in marble at Urbino, the Frate went to seek him; but no conclusion having been arrived at, h^ turned his face towards Rome, where however he did not long delay, but went on to Naples, with the hope of being commissioned to construct the sepulchral monument of Jacopo Sannazzaro, a Neapolitan gentleman, and poet of truly singular merit and admirable qualities. Now Sannazzaro had built a magnificent and very commodious habitation, at a place which enjoys a most beautiful, nay rather, an exquisite view on the Margoglino[2] that is to say, which is situate at the end of the Chiaja, in the city of Naples, and directly faces the shore; this dwelling, which had the form proper to a monastery,[3] with a very beautiful little church,[4] was enjoyed by Sannazzaro during his life;[5] his death he bequeathed it to the Servite Monks, commanding the Signor Cesario Mormerio, and the Conte di Lif,[6] executors of his will, to construct his sepulchral monument in the church wTich had been erected by himself as we have said, and desiring that therein, wRere the above named fathers were always to officiate, his own remains should be deposited.
The question of making this tomb being then discussed,
- ↑ Whose Life will be found in vol. iv. of the present work, o. 398
- ↑ Now called the Mergellina.
- ↑ The Palace was built by Frederick of Arragon, and that prince, on his accession to the throne, presented it to Sannazzaro, who had been his secretary.
- ↑ The Church was dedicated to Santa Maria del Parto, by Sannazzaro himself, who, as our readers will remember, was the author of the Latin poem, De Partu Virginis. At a later period it was taken from the Servite Monks, and given to a secular body.
- ↑ This is not strictly correct, the palace having been razed to the ground by Philibert de Chalons, Prince of Orange, in the struggle between the Imperialists, commanded by himself, and the French, led by Marshal Lautrec. Sannazzaro did indeed erect the building “in the form of a monastery,” on the ruins of the palace, and he also did ultimately dispose of the same, as Vasari proceeds to relate.
- ↑ The Count D’Aliffe that is to say. —Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
