Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/568

 532 Readings in European History Vasari's char- acterization of Cellini. 226. Cellini and the art- loving pope Clement VII. (Condensed.) Serious interest in even small works of art. the patronage of Francis I. He came of a good Floren- tine family, and exhibits in a marked degree most of the characteristic virtues and vices of the age. There is, indeed, hardly a phase of the many-sided life of the Renaissance period which is not illustrated in his auto- biography. Vasari closes his Life of Cellini as follows : "Though I might here enlarge on the productions of Benvenuto, who has always showed himself a man of great spirit and vivacity, bold, active, enterprising, and formidable to his enemies, a man, in short, who knew as well how to speak to princes as to exert himself in his art, I shall add nothing further, since he has written an account of his life and works, and a treatise on goldsmiths' work, as well as on casting statues and many other sub- jects, with more art and eloquence than it is possible for me to imitate." [Cellini had been engaged to reset some jewels for Pope Clement VII.] Since that was not, however, a work in which I could gain great reputation, the pope was resolved, he said, to employ me in an undertaking of the last importance, in which I should have opportunity of displaying my abilities. "The work I have in mind," he .added, "is the button for the pontifical cope, which is made round and in the form of a trencher and as big as a small trencher ; in this I would have God the Father represented in half relievo, and in the midst of it I would have the edge of the large diamond set, with many other jewels of the greatest value. Go then and draw a fine design of it." Thereupon he caused all his jewels to be shown me, and I left him, highly pleased with my success. [Several of Cellini's rivals, hearing of this undertaking, had a number of other designs made, which were submitted to the pope at the same time as his.] It so fell out that all those who had drawn those designs had laid the fine large