that he might himself come to an evil end, together with the City, resolved to depart with Antonio Franzese, of Castel Durante, whom Urbino had left him at his death to serve him. He fled secretly from Rome accordingly, retiring into the mountains of Spoleto, where he visited several abodes of the Hermits. At that time Vasari wrote to him, sending him a little work which the Florentine citizen. Carlo Lenzoni, had left at his death to Messer Cosimo Bartoli, who was to have it printed, and dedicated to Michelagnolo.[1] It was just then finished, and Vasari, who despatched it to Michelagnolo, received the following in reply:—
“Messer Giorgio, my dear Friend,—I have received Messer Cosimo’s little book, and in this shall be an acknowledgment, which I beg you to present to him with my service.
“I have in these last days undertaken a visit in the Mountains of Spoleto, to the Hermits abiding there, at great cost of labour and money, but also to my great pleasure, insomuch that I have returned to Rome with but half my heart, for of a truth one finds no peace or quiet like that of those woods. More I have not to tell you. I rejoice that you are well and happy, and recommend myself to your friendly remembrance. This 18th day of Sept., 1556.”
Michelagnolo worked for his amusement almost every day at the group of four figures, of which we have before made mention; but he broke up the block at last, either because it was found to have numerous veins, was excessively hard, and often caused the chisel to strike fire, or because the judgment of this artist was so severe, that he could never content himself with anything that he did, a truth of which there is proof in the fact that few of his works, undertaken ill manhood, were ever completed; those entirely finished having been the productions of his youth. Such for example were the Bacchus, the Pietà of the Madonna della Febbre, the Colossal Statue at Florence, and the Christ of the Minerva, which are finished to such perfection, that a single
- ↑ This work, the title of which is Difesa della Lingua Toscana e di Dante, was most appropriately dedicated to Michael Angelo (but by Giambullari rather than Lenzoni, who did not complete the work), that master’s profound study of, and affectionate veneration for the great poet being well known.
