Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/338

324 ing in his native city, and now in the parts adjacent, and living quietly, and at his ease, in his home, until war, that most dangerous enemy of the arts, compelled him to depart from it. For after the sons of Piero Saccone had been driven from Pietramala, and when the castle had been destroyed even to its foundations, the whole city of Arezzo, with the neighbouring territories, was thrown into confusion: our artist consequently departed from his country and repaired to Florence, where he had already laboured at different times. Here he was appointed, by the wardens of Santa Maria del Fiore, to execute a marble statue four braccia high, which was afterwards placed at the principal door of that cathedral, on the north side. In this figure, which represents one of the Evangelists seated, Niccolo proved himself to be a truly excellent sculptor, and greatly increased his reputation: the work was highly commended, because at that time better figures had not been seen in full relief, as they afterwards were. Niccolo was, meanwhile, invited to Rome by command of Pope Boniface IX, as the most distinguished architect of his time, for the purpose of strengthening the, and giving it a better form. On returning to Florence, he executed two small figures in marble for the Masters of the Mint; they stand at that side of Or San Michele which looks towards the guild of the wool-workers, and occupy the pilaster above the niche wherein we now see the statue of St. Matthew, which was finished at a later period. These figures were so admirably finished, and so well adapted to the summit of the oratory for which they were destined, that they were highly commended at the time, and have always been much renowned even to these days. In this work Niccolo would seem to have surpassed himself, since he never produced anything better; and they are, in fact, of such a character, that they may safely invite comparison with any similar work known. This production gained so much credit for the artist, that he was considered worthy to be of the number of those sculptors