Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/80

66 willing to abandon his labours in Tuscany, he sent thither his disciple, Maglione, in his stead. Maglione was a sculptor as well as architect ; he built the of Naples, in the time of Conradin,—finished a part of the Episcopal Palace,— and erected several sepulchral monuments,—works, in all of which he closely imitated the manner of his master Niccola.

Niccola was meanwhile invited by the people of Volterra, in the year 1254, when that city was subjugated by the Florentines, to enlarge their cathedral, which was very small ; the form of this building was extremely irregular, but Niccola rectified that fault, and greatly increased the magnificence of the cathedral. He then returned to Pisa, and constructed the, to which he gave the utmost diligence and attention, desiring to leave to his country a memorial of himself in this work, on which, among other subjects he represented the Universal Judgment, composed of numerous figures, which, if not perfectly well designed, are at least executed with infinite care and patience, as may still be seen. Then, as Niccola thought, with justice, that he had completed a meritorious work, he inscribed beneath it the following verses :— “ Anno milleno bis centum bisque triceno Hoc opus insigne sculpsit Nicola Pisanus.” [Laudetur digne tam bene docta manus.] The people of Siena, moved by the fame of this work, which was greatly admired, not by the Pisans only, but by all who beheld it, offered Niccola the construction of from which the holy Gospel is wont to be sung. On this, Niccola represented various passages from the life of Christ, redounding greatly to his honour, especially the figures, which, with great difficulty, he has well-nigh detached from the marble. This was executed while Guglielmo Mariscotti was Praetor. The designs for the, in Arezzo, were also made by Niccola for the Signori of Pietramala, by whom