Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/522

508 entirely of marble, desired to have the opinion of Michelozzo, who was now become old, respecting the matter, not only because he highly estimated the skill of that master, but also because he knew how faithful a friend and servant the latter had been to Cosimo his father. Michelozzo having accordingly said what he thought of the design, the charge of executing it was entrusted to, a sculptor of Fiesole, who displayed much ability and foresight in the progress of the work, having many things to provide for in a very small space. This chapel is supported by four marble columns, about nine braccia high, with double flutings after the Corinthian manner; the bases and capitals are variously carved, and are duplicate in all their parts. Over the columns are the architrave, frieze, and cornice, all with the parts in like manner doubled and sculptured in various fancies, but more particularly with the arms of the Medici, and with foliage. Between these and other cornices constructed for another range of windows, is a long inscription, beautifully cut in marble; while between the four columns, and forming the ceiling of the chapel, is a canopy of marble, richly carved and decorated with enamels, prepared by the action of fire, and with mosaics of various fancies in gold, and precious stones. The pavement is formed of porphyry, serpentine, vari-coloured and other marbles, and stones of price, distributed and arranged in very beautiful order: the chapel is enclosed within a railing of bronze, above which are chandeliers, fastened into an ornamental frame-work of marble, which makes a most admirable finish to the bronze railing and the chandeliers: the door which closes the chapel is also of bronze, and is very well executed. Piero left commands to the effect that the chapel should be surrounded by lights, arranged in thirty lamps of silver, and this was done; but as these lamps were broken up during the siege, our lord the Puke gave orders many years since that they should be replaced, and the greater part of them are already made, the work being still in progress; but in the meantime there has never ceased to be the same number of lights kindled, thirty namely, as -was commanded by Piero, although the lamps have