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IN the days when art was flourishing at Florence, under the favour
of the magnificent Lorenzode' Medici, there was in the city a
goldsmithnamed Michael Angelo di Viviano da Gaiuole,who worked
excellently with his chisel, and wasskilled in niello work, and
had great knowledgeof jewels, so that his shop was considered
thefirst in Florence. He was also very familiarwith the sons of
Lorenzo, and when the Medici fled from Florence in the year 1494,
they left with him much plate and treasure, which he kept secretly
and restored faithfully when they returned. To him was born a
son whom he namned Bartolommeo, but who was always called, after
the manner of Florence, Baccio. And as in those times no one was
thought to be a good goldsmith who was not a good draughtsman
and could not work well in relief, he put him with other boys
to learn drawing. While Baccio was still a child he was, one day
in the shop of Girolamo del Bada, on the Piazza of S. Pulinari,
and there had been a heavy fall of snow, which had been piled
up in heaps. Girolamo, turning to Baccio, said to him in jest,
"Baccio, if that snow were marble we might carve out of it
a great giant like Marforio Iying down." "So we might,"
said Baccio; "let us treat it as if it were marble."
So putting on his cloak he set to work, and helped by some other
boys, he made a rough model of a Marforio eight braccia long,
lying down, which astonished every one, not so much at the work
itself, as at the spirit with which so small a boy set himself
to so great a work.
His father, seeing his inclination, put him under the care of
Rustici, the best sculptor of the city, with whom Lionardo da
Vinci had constant intercourse. He saw Baccio's drawings and was
pleased with them, and praising to him Donatello's works, bade
him do something in marble.
It was at this time that the cartoon of Michael Angelo in the
Council Hall was uncovered, and all the artists ran to copy it,
and Baccio among others. He went more frequently than any one,
having counterfeited the key of the chamber In the year 1512,
Piero Soderini was deposed and the house of Medici reinstated.
In the tumult, therefore, Baccio, being by himself, secretly cut
the cartoon into several pieces.
Some said he did it that he might have a piece of the cartoon
always near him, and others that he wanted to prevent other youths
from making use of it; others again say that he did it out of
affection for Lionardo da Vinci, or from the hatred he bore to
Michael Angelo. The loss anyhow to the city was no small one,
and Baccio's fault very great.
aving obtained the reputation of being a good draughtsman, he
desired to learn how to paint in colours, being firmly of opinion
that he should not only equal Buonarroti but surpass him greatly;
however, he wished to pretend that he had found out how to manage
the colours by himself and had not been taught by others. He went
therefore to his friend Andrea del Sarto, and asked him to paint
his portrait in oils, thinking he should get two things by this
scheme; first, he should see how the colours were mixed, and then
the picture would be his and he could use it as a model. But Andrea
perceived what Baccio was about, and was angry at his artfulness,
although he would have been ready to show him all he wanted if
he had asked him as a friend. However, he did not pretend to have
found him out, but instead of mixing his colours as he usually
did, he put them all on to his palette at once, and mixed them
together with his brush, taking a little now of one and now of
another with great rapidity, so that Baccio, being obliged to
sit still if he wanted to be painted, could not discover what
he wished to know. Nevertheless Baccio did not give up his desire,
but obtained assistance from the painter Il Rosso, whom he told
more openly what he wanted. He also gave himself to the study
of anatomy, persevering in it for many months and years. And certainly
the man had a desire to do good work and gain honour by it, which
is greatly to be praised. He spared no fatigue and wasted no time,
but was always intent on his work.
When Leo X passed through Florence and the city was decorated
in his honour, a colossal statue was entrusted to Baccio. It was
a Hercules, and from Baccio's talk it was expected to surpass
Buonarroti's David; but as his deeds did not correspond with his
words, nor the work to his boasts, Baccio lost greatly in the
esteem of artists and of all the city. Pope Leo then sent him
to help Andrea Contucci in some works that he was employed upon
at Loreto. And when he came there he was received gladly by Andrea,
and welcomed because of his fame and because the Pope had recommended
him. A piece of marble being assigned him, he set to work, but
being a person who could not endure rivalry, and seldom praised
other people's work, he began to find fault with Andrea's work
to the other sculptors, saying it was wanting in drawing, and
he said the same of the others, so that in a little while he had
aroused a great deal of illwill. Then what he had said coming
to Andrea's ears, he, like a wise man, began to reprove him gently,
saying that sculpture was to be done with the hands and not with
the tongue, and that he ought to speak of him with more respect.
But Baccio replied to him with such insulting language that Andrea
could bear it no longer, and attacked him as if he were going
to murder him, but some people coming in hindered him. So Baccio
was forced to depart from Loreto and come to Rome.
Now about that time two ambassadors arrived from King Francis,
and they went to see the Belvedere statues, and expressed much
admiration for the Laocoon. The Cardinals de' Medici and Bibbiena,
who were with them, asked if the king would value such a thing,
but they replied it would be too great a gift. Then the cardinal
answered that either this statue, or one so Iike it that the difference
could not be found out, should be sent to his Majesty. And he
resolved to have a copy made of it, and remembering Baccio, he
sent for him and asked if he had courage to try to make a Laocoon
equal to the original. Baccio replied that not only would he make
one equal to it, but he would surpass it.
So the cardinal resolved it sh~uld be done, and while he was waiting
for the marble Baccio made a model in wax, and a cartoon in black
and white of the same size as the statue. Then the marble arrived,
and Baccio, having made a screen in the Belvedere, set to work..
But before it was very far advanced the Pope died, and Adrian
VI being made pope in his room, Baccio returned with the cardinal
to Florence. But when Adrian was dead, and Clement VII became
pope, he returned to Rome and to his Laocoon, which he completed
in two years with greater excellence than he had ever shown in
his work. He also restored the right arm of the ancient statue
which had been broken off and was never found. The work appeared
so good to his Holiness that he changed his mind and determined
to send some other ancient statues to the king, and to send this
to Florence, where it was placed in the palace of the Medici.
Now in the time of Leo X, while the marble for the S. Lorenzo
of Florence was being hewn in Carrara, another piece had been
cut nine and a half braccia high and five broad. Michael Angelo
had designed to carve from this Hercules killing Cacus, to be
placed by the side of his colossal David, and had made many drawings
for it; but the death of Leo had stopped everything. When Clement
was made pope, however, he desired that Michael Angelo should
resume his work on the tombs of the Medici heroes in S. Lorenzo,
and it was necessary to get more marble. The works were under
the care of Domenico Boninsegni. He tried secretly to persuade
Michael Angelo to join him in defrauding the Pope, but Michael
Angelo refusing, Domenico took such a hatred to him that he did
everything he could to annoy him, but covertly. He persuaded the
Pope to give the marble for the colossal sta~ue to Baccio, who
at that time had nothing to do, saying that his Holiness would
be better served by stirring up two such great men to emulation.
His counsel pleased the Pope, and he followed it. Baccio was granted
the marble, and made a wax model of the Hercules. He was sent
to Carrara to see the marble, and orders were given that it should
be brought by water to Signa on the river Arno. But when it arrived
there, the river being low between Signa and Florence, they determined
to .take it by land, and while being disembarked it fell
into the water, and through its great weight sank so deep in the
mud that they could not get it out. However the Pope commanded
that the marble was to be recovered by some means or other, and
at Piero Rosselli's suggestion they turned the river out of its
course, and by means of cranes and levers brought it to land.
The accident tempted many to write Tuscan and Latin verses satirising
Baccio, who was much hated. One of them re]ated how the marble,
knowing the genius of Buonarroti, and fearing to be disfigured
by Baccio's hands, had flung itself into the river in despair
at such a fate. While the marble was being brought to land, Baccio
measuring it found that he could not cut out of it the statue
he had modelled. Going therefore to Rome he showed the Pope that
he must give up his first model and make another. Having planned
many, he at last made one that pleased the Pope, and returning
to Florence, he found that the marble had been brought thither,
and began therefore to work upon it. But in the year 1527 the
Medici left Florence after the sack of Rome, and Baccio, not feeling
himself secure in consequence of a private quarrel with a neighbour
who was of the popular faction, went away to Lucca. The popular
party thus ruling Florence, entrusted Michael Angelo with the
fortifications of the city, and showed him the ma~ble upon which
Baccio had begun to work. proposing, if it were not too much spoilt,
that he should take it and make two figures after his own manner.
Michael Angelo considering it, determined to give up the Hercules
and make instead Samson with two Philistines, having killed one
of them, and being about to slay the other with the jawbone of
the ass. But the war being directed against the city of Florence,
Michael Angelo had other things to think about than polishing
marble, and was obliged to leave the city.
When the war was over Pope Clement made Michael Angelo return
to the sacristy of S. Lorenzo, and sent Baccio back to his giant.
He, to show himself affectionately attached to his Holiness, wrote
to him every week, not only about things of art, but entering
into particulars about the citizens and those who administered
the government. This behaviour brought down upon him more hatred
than ever, and the citizens hindered his work as much as ever
they could. But when Pope Clement and the emperor met at Bologna,
Baccio went to kiss the Pope's feet, and told him of the hindrances
and annoyances to which he was subjected, and being terrible with
his tongue, he persuaded the Pope to charge Duke Alessandro to
take care that the work was brought to a conclusion. So he returned
to Florence, and working at it continually, at last finished it.
Duke Alessandro, in consequence of the illfeeling of the citizens,
did not care to have it set up, but the Pope interceding, it was
with great labour brought to the piazza and set in its place.
It would not be easy to describe the multitude that filled the
piazza for two days, coming to see the giant directly he was uncovered;
and many different opinions were given, but all finding fault
with the work and the sculptor. Tuscan and Latin verses were affixed
to the pedestal, but some of them going beyond any reasonable
limit, Duke Alessandro, considering that the statue was a public
monument, was forced to throw some of the writers into prison,
which stopped people's mouths. Baccio, considering his work, thought
that in the open air the muscles seemed too weakly marked, so
he set up a new scaffold and deepened the markings. But by those
who are capable of judging, it has been always held to be well
studied, and the figure of Cacus specially well managed. In truth
Michael Angelo's David, standing near it, and being the most beautiful
colossal statue that ever was made, deprives it of much of the
praise it deserves; but if one considers Baccio's Hercules by
itself, it cannot but receive great commendation.
Baccio, desiring to hear what people said of it, sent an old pedagogue
whom he kept in the house into the piazza, bidding him report
to him what he heard. He returned in quite a melancholy state
to the house, having heard nothing but evil, and when Baccio questioned
him, replied that all with one voice found fault with it, and
that it did not please them. "And you, what do you say of
it?" said Baccio. "I speak well of it, and it pleases
me." "I do not want it to please you," said Baccio;
"speak evil of it too, for, as you may remember, I never
speak well of anybody, so we are quits." Thus he dissembled
his vexation and, according to his custom, pretended not to care
that people found fault with his works. Nevertheless his disappointment
was really great, for when men labour hard for honour and only
earn blame, although the blame may be unjust, the heart is secretly
distressed and tormented by it. He was consoled by the gift of
an estate from Pope Clement, which was doubly dear to him because
it was close by his villa of Pinzerimonte and had belonged to
Rignadori the rebel, his mortal enemy.
After the death of Pope Clement he heard that the Cardinal Ippolito
de' Medici, with three other of the cardinals and Baldassare Turini,
were appointed executors in his will, and that they were to name
the sculptors who were to make the statues of Leo and Clement.
The work had been promised to Alfonso Lombardi by Cardinal de'
Medici, but as he was going to meet Charles V. he died of poison.
As soon as Baccio heard this he set off for Rome, and went to
Madonna Lucrezia Salviata de' Medici, Pope Leo's sister, and sought
to show her that no one could do greater honour to the
memory of these pontiffs than himself, and that Alfonso could
not without the aid of others accomplish such an undertaking.
He worked also by other means and in other ways, and succeeded
in making them change their minds and entrust the statues and
reliefs to him. He made therefore two models, in which he showed
either too little religion or too much adulation, or perhaps both,
and when they were finished he took them to the garden of Cardinal
Ridolfi, where the other cardinals and Baldassare were assembled.
While they were at dinner Il Solosmeo a sculptor arrived, a bold,
witty man, who was fond of saying hard things of every one, and
who was no friend of Baccio's. A message came in that Il Solosmeo
was asking leave to enter. Ridolfi bade them open to him, and
then turning to Baccio said, "I should like to know what
Il Solosmeo says about the monuments; lift the tapestry and go
behind it." Baccio obeyed, and when Il Solosmeo had come
in and they had given him something to drink, they began upon
the monuments that had been given to Baccio to make. Il Solosmeo
reproached the cardinals with the bad choice they had made, and
began saying all kinds of evil of Baccio, accusing him of ignorance
in art and arrogance and avarice. Baccio, hidden behind the tapestry,
could not wait till Il Solosmeo had done, but issuing forth in
a rage cried out, "What have I done to you that you speak
of me with so little respect?" At the sight of Baccio Il
Solosmeo became mute; then turning to Ridolfi he said, "What
deceivers these lords are ! I will have no more to do with priests;"
and he went away. But the cardinals laughed heartily at both of
them, and Salviati turning to Baccio said, "You hear what
is the judgment of men of art; see to it that by your work you
give them the lie."
Nevertheless Baccio took little pains with the work, and left
it half finished; and having received all the money, left Rome
and went to Florence to serve Duke Cosimo. And by little and little
he grew into such familiar favour with the duke that every one
feared him. He persuaded the duke to ask Michael Angelo for some
marbles that he had in Florence, among which were some statues
begun and one more advanced, and when the duke had obtained them
and given them to Baccio, he cut them to pieces and ground them
to powder, thinking thus to revenge himself and spite Michael
Angelo. Baccio made for the duke the ornaments of his audience
chamber, and many things for S. Maria del Fiore.
In those days came Benvenuto Cellini from France, who had served
the King Francis as a goldsmith, and he made for the duke a statue
of Perseus and other things. But as the potter always envies the
potter, so the sculptor does the sculptor, and Baccio could not
endure the favours that were shown to Benvenuto. He thought it
was a strange thing that a goldsmith should suddenly become a
sculptor, and one who was used to medals and little figures should
undertake colossal statues. Nor could Baccio conceal his opinion,
but betrayed it to every one, and he now found one ready to answer
him; for saying evil things of Benvenuto in the presence of the
duke, Benvenuto, who was no less proud, gave him back what he
received. The duke took pleasure in hearing them, for there was
wit and acuteness in their satire, and he gave them free leave
to say what they liked before him, but not abroad. However, one
day Benvenuto, after many bitter things had been said, came up
threatening and menacing Baccio, saying, "Prepare yourself
for another world, for I will send you out of this;" to which
Baccio replied, "Let me know the day before, that I may confess
and make my will, and not die like the beast you are." Upon
this the duke imposed silence upon them, fearing some ill end
to the matter.
After that came Giorgio Vasari to do some work for his Excellency,
and Baccio thought the duke had no more use for him because he
employed others; and in his grief and displeasure he became so
strange and full of humours tha~ no one could hold any converse
with him; even his son Clemente suffered many things from him,
and went to Rome to escape from him, where the same year he d~ed,
a great loss to his father and to art, as Baccio found out when
he was dead. He had left behind him a halffinished sculpture of
the dead Christ supported by Nicodemus, and when Baccio heard
that Michael Angelo was working upon the same subject in Rome,
intending to put it over his tomb in S. Maria Maggiore, he began
to work upon his son's, and with the aid of others finished it.
Then he went through all the principal churches in Florence seeking
for a place in which to make his own tomb. And having by the intercession
of the duchess, who was ever his friend, obtained a place in the
church of the Servites, he removed thither the bones of his father.
But whether it were from disturbance of mind, or from fatigue
in moving the marble, he went to his house ill, and growing every
day worse, died at the age of seventytwo, having been until
then so robust that he had never known sickness.
