Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/225

LEFT ANGELO 175 ANGILBERT ond was intrusted to Michael Angelo. The latter chose as his subject an inci- dent in the war of Pisa, and executed a cartoon which Vasari, with devout ex- aggeration, proclaims to have been of divine rather than of human origin. The fresco was never completed, and on the return of the Medici to Florence the cartoon was removed to the hall of their palace, to which painters v^^ere permitted unrestrained access. The result was that over-zealous admirers of Michael Angelo cut the cartoon to pieces. In 1503 Julius II. succeeded to the pontificate, and summoned Michael An- gelo to Rome. The sculptor could as little brook opposition as the Pope, and their dealings were continually inter- rupted by bitter quarrels and recrimina- tions. The Pope commissioned the sculp- tor to design his tomb. For 40 years Michael Angelo clung to the hope that he would yet complete the great monu- ment in honor of Pope Julius and his own genius. But intrigue and spite were too strong for him. Other demands were continually made upon his energy, and the sublime statue of Moses is the best fragment that is left to us of the tomb of Julius. Various difficulties arose be- tween the Pope and the sculptor. In- stead of being allowed to work on the monument, Michael Angelo was ordered to decorate the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. In 1508 Michael Angelo began this work for which his training had ill adapted him. However, he set himself resolutely to the toil,^ and in four years achieved a masterpiece of decorative design. Michael Angelo, however, had not forgotten the monument of Pope Julius, and no sooner had he finished his work in the Sistine Chapel than he returned with eagerness to the tomb. In 1513 Pope Julius II. died, and, though he had commanded the cardinals, Santi Quattro and Aginense, to see that his monument was completed in accord- ance with his expressed wishes, the car- dinals were thrifty men, and demanded a more modest design. This was fur- nished, but before the work could be undertaken, Pope Leo X. had dispatched Michael Angelo on business of his own to Florence. Leo was of the Medici family, and professed no interest in the tomb of his predecessor; his whole anx- iety was to do honor to his ancestors by the adornment of Florence. He therefore, commissioned Michael Angelo to rebuild the facade of the Church of San Lorenzo and enrich it with sculp- tured figures. For eight years Michael Angelo was forced to devote himself to toil as idle as that of Sisyphus. The sculptor remained in Florence still work- ing on the tomb of Julius and building the Sacristy of San Lorenzo. In 1528 the unsettled state of his native city turned him again from the practice of his art. He devoted himself heart and soul to the science of fortification, and when, in 1529, Florence was besieged, Michael Angelo was foremost in its de- fense. The city was forced to surrender in the following year. He resumed his work upon the tombs of the Medici, and completed the monuments to Giuliano and Lorenzo de Medici, which are among the greatest of his works. In 1537 he began to paint "The Last Judgment" for the Sistine Chapel, which was finished and displayed on Christmas Day, 1541, and was the master's last pictorial achieve- ment. In the following year he was appointed architect of St. Peter's. To this work he devoted his wonderful gen- ius with zeal and loyalty and for al- most all that is best in this remarkable edifice we are indebted to him. While still engaged in this work, he died on Feb. 18, 1564. ANGELUS, in the Roman Catholic Church, a short form of prayer in honor of the incarnation, consisting mainly of versicles and responses, the angelic salutation three times repeated, and a collect, so named from the word with which it commences, Angehis Domini (Angel of the Lord). Hence, also, the bell tolled in the morning, at noon, and in the evening to indicate the time when the angelus is to be recited. ANGERMAN-ELF, the most beautiful river in Sweden, flows S. E. through Westerbotten and West Norrland into the Gulf of Bothnia at Hernosand; navi- gable from Solleftea downward (about 65 miles). ANGERS (an-zha'), a town and river- port of France, capital of the Depart- ment of Maine-et-Loire, and formerly of the province of Anjou, on the banks of the Maine, 150 miles S. W. of Paris. Has an old castle, now used as a prison, a fine cathedral of the 12th and 13th cen- turies, with very fine old painted win- dows; is the seat of a bishop, and has a school of arts and manufactures, the re- mains of a hospital founded by Henry II. of England in 1155, etc.; manufac- tures sail cloth, hosiery, leather, and chemicals, foundries, etc. In the neigh- borhood are immense slate quarries. Pop. about 85,000. ANGILBERT, ST. (ang-el-bar'), the most celebrated poet of his age, secre- tary and friend of Charlemagne, whose daughter. Bertha, he married. In the