Page:The painters of Florence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century (1915).djvu/224

188 and had completed his magnificent tomb of Sixtus IV. in the previous year, he remained in the service of the reigning Pope, and was joined by his brother Piero, who also settled in Rome for the rest of his life. Lorenzo de' Medici was dead, and the troubled state of Florence offered artists few inducements to return. On the 4th of November 1496, Antonio made a will, leaving 5000 gold ducats to each of his daughters. Marietta and Maddalena, and a piece of land near Florence to his brother Piero, who was at that time very ill and not likely to live. Piero must have died soon afterwards, for we find that his natural daughter, Lisa, received a dowry of 150 lire from her uncle on her marriage in the following year; and when Antonio himself died, on the 4th of February 1498, he was buried, by his express desire, in the same grave as his brother, in the church of S. Pietro in Vincula.

A week later the Signory of Florence, hearing that the Cardinal of Benevenuto and Monsignore Ascanio Sforza, owed the dead master certain sums for works which he had executed, sent orders to Domenico Bonsi, envoy of the Republic in Rome, desiring him to use all his influence "on behalf of Mona Lucrezia, widow of this most celebrated sculptor, since he was one of our citizens, and a man unique in his art, and therefore deserves that we should help his heirs for his sake, and as those who hold such excellence in the highest honour."