Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/388

374 dici, a large cornelian, on which the flaying of Marsyas by Apollo was represented in intaglio, which cornelian, as it was said, had once served the emperor Nero for a seal, and this being esteemed a rare thing, as well for the size of the stone, which was large, as for the marvellous beauty of the intaglio, Giovanni gave it to Lorenzo, to the end that he should make a gold ornament, also intaglio, to enclose and surround it; at this work the master laboured several months, but when it was completed, the intaglio that he had executed around it was found to be no less beautiful and meritorious than was the admirably perfect engraving of the stone itself. The success of this work caused Lorenzo to receive commissions for many others in gold and silver, but which are not now to be found. Among other ornaments he made a clasp or fastening of gold for pope Martin, which that pontiff wore in his cope: this was adorned with figures in full relief, and among them were placed jewels of very great price—a truly excellent work. He also made a wonderfully rich mitre, formed of foliage in gold, the leaves being wholly detached from the surface and of very beautiful effect: among them were also many small figures in full relief, which were considered marvellously fine. From this work the master not only acquired increase of fame, but also large rewards from the liberality of Pope Martin.

In the year 1439 pope Eugenius arrived in Florence to unite the Greek and Roman churches, when the Florentine council was held. The pope having seen the works of Lorenzo Ghiberti, and being no less pleased with them than with the artist himself, who was very acceptable to that pontiff, his holiness commanded him to make a mitre of gold, weighing fifteen pounds, with pearls, the weight of which was five pounds and a half, the whole being estimated—with the jewels also set in the mitre—at 30,000 ducats of gold. It is said that among these pearls were six of the size of filberts, and no imagination could conceive any thing more beautiful (according to what was afterwards seen in a design of the