Pontiff to the presence of His Holiness, who was at the Palace of the Sixteen. He was accompanied by a Bishop, sent by Cardinal Soderini, who was himself too ill to fulfil that office. Having reached the presence, Michelagnolo knelt down before His Holiness, who looked askance at him with an angry countenance, and said, “Instead of coming to us, it appears that thou hast been waiting till we should come to thee,” in allusion to the fact that Bologna is nearer to Plorence than is Rome. But with a clear voice and hands courteously extended, Michelagnolo excused himself, having first entreated pardon, admitting that he had acted in anger, but adding that he could not endure to be thus ordered away; if he had been in error. His Holiness would doubtless be pleased to forgive him.
Now the Bishop who had presented Michelagnolo, thinking to aid his excuses, ventured to remark that such men as he were always ignorant, knowing and being worth nothing whatever, once out of their vocation; but this threw the Pope into such a rage that he fell upon the Bishop with a stick which he had in his hand, exclaiming, “’Tis thou that art the ignoramus, with the impertinencies thou art pouring forth, and which are such as we should ourselves not think of uttering; he then caused the Bishop to be driven out by the usher in waiting, with blows of his fist.*[1] This offender having departed, the Pope, his rage thus cooled upon the prelate, bestowed his benediction on Michelagnolo, who was detained in Bologna by numerous gifts and promises. His Holiness ultimately giving him the commission for a Statue in bronze, being a Portrait of that Pontiff himself five braccia high. In this work, our artist displayed high powers of art, the attitude is majestic and graceful, the draperies are rich and magnificent, while the countenance exhibits animation, force, resolution, and an imposing dignity.
This Statue was placed in a niche over the Gate of San Petronio, and it is said that while Michelagnolo was engaged therewith, he received a visit from the distinguished gold-
- ↑ The accomplished churchman above-cited expresses a doubt, as well he may, respecting this story of sticks and fistycutfs, seeing that the luckless gentleman thus gratified was nothing less than a bishop. He prefers, therefore, the version of Condivi, who makes the Pope salute the Bishop as an “ignorant” namely, and bids him, “Get out of my sight and be hanged to thee.”
