man. Valerio, now twenty-six years old, has been in Rome where he restored certain antiquities in marble for the Cardinal of Ferrara; to these Statues, which are in the garden of that Prelate at Montecavallo,[1] Valerio has added, in some cases arms, in others legs; to one a foot, to another some other part wanting thereto; and he has done the same for many others which the Duke has placed in the Palace of the Pitti, as the ornaments of a large hall which is therein. His Excellency has also caused Valerio to execute the Statue of the Dwarf Morgante, in marble; this figure, entirely nude, is so accurately true to the life that there has perhaps never before been a monster {sic) so well portrayed, so carefully executed, and so faithfully rendered as is this Morgante. The same artist has been commissioned to execute, in like manner, the Statue of Piero, called II Barbino, also a dwarf, and great favourite of our Duke, for his learning, ingenuity, and pleasing dispositions. At a word, the performances hitherto accomplished by this Valerio have caused him to be considered worthy of the commission for a Statue destined to adorn the tomb of him who is the chief master of all these Academicians and artists of ability.[2]
With respect to the Florentine sculptor, Francesco Moschino, having spoken of him to some extent in other places,[3] it shall suffice to say here that he also is an Academician; and that, under the protection of the Duke, he is constantly working at the Cathedral of Pisa. At the marriage of the Prince he prepared the decorations for the principal Gfate of the Ducal palace, and acquitted himself to admiration.
Of Domenico Poggini, in like manner, having before mentioned him[4] as a good sculptor and able man, who has produced numerous medals of great beauty, with other works in marble and castings in metal, I will say no more of him here than that he is justly enumerated among our Academicians; that he acquitted himself well in certain statues among the preparations for the marriage of the Prince; and that he has lately executed a Medal of Duke Cosimo, admirably
