Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/15

Rh and for Sigismondo Malatesti, lie constructed the chapel of San Sigismondo in the church of San Francesco at Rimini. In this work are numerous elephants cut in marble, that animal being the device of Malatesti. To Messer Bartolommeo Scarnisci, Canon of the chapter of Arezzo, Simone sent the half-length figure of the Virgin in terra-cotta, with the child in her arms, and with angels in mezzo-rilievo, extremely well executed. This work may still be seen in the above-named chapter-house, and is placed against one of the columns. For the baptismal font of the cathedral of Arezzo, this master executed certain stories in basso-rilievo, representing the Saviour baptized by St. John; and in Florence, he constructed the marble monument of Messer Orlando de’ Medici, in the church of the Nunziata. Finally, having attained the age of fifty-five, Simone rendered up his spirit to God who gave it; and no long time after, Filarete, having returned to Rome, died there in his sixty-ninth year, and was buried in the church of the Minerva, where he had caused Giovanni Foccora, a painter in very good repute, to depict the likeness of Pope Eugenius, when he was residing at Rome, in the service of that pontiff. The portrait of Antonio himself may be seen at the commencement of his book, in the part where he treats of the different modes of building, and is by his own hand. The Florentines, Yarrone and Niccolo, were disciples of this master; and the marble statue, erected near the Ponte Molle for Pope Pius II., when he brought the head of Sant’ Andrea to Rome, was by these artists. They also restored Tigoli, almost from the foundations, at the command of the same pontiff, and in San Pietro they executed the marble ornament which is above the columns of the chapel wherein the before-mentioned head of Sant’ Andrea is preserved, and near to which is the burial place of Pope Pius II., himself. This tomb is by Pasquino