Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/153

Rh bequests to the Hospital of the Innoeenti, and is now in the possession of the Very Reverend Don Vineenzo Borghini, Prior of that house, who esteems it among the most precious specimens of those arts; wherein he takes more pleasure than I could sufficiently express.

In the Capitular church of Prato, Mino constructed a pulpit entirely of marble; the ornaments are stories from the life of the Virgin, the whole admirably well done, and the joinings are effected with so much care, that the work appears to be entirely of one piece. Over the pulpit, at one side of the choir, and almost in the centre of the church, are certain ornaments, also executed under the care of the same master. He likewise took the portrait of Piero di Lorenzo de’ Medici, with that of his wife, both from nature, and presenting an exact resemblance to the originals. These two busts stood for many years over two doors in the chamber of Piero, in the Medici palace, within lunettes; they were however afterwards placed, with the likenesses of many other illustrious persons of that house, in the guardaroba of the Lord Duke Cosimo.

The figure of Our Lady in marble, now in the audiencechamber of the Guild of Manufacturers, is also by the hand of Mino, who likewise sent a work in marble to Perugia for Messer Baglione Bibi. This was placed in the chapel of the Sacrament, in the church of San Piero, and presents a Tabernacle, with figures of San Giovanni on one side, and San Girolamo (St. Jerome) on the other; both very well executed in mezzo-rilievo. The Tabernacle of the Sacrament in the cathedral of Volterra, is also by this master; and two Angels standing one on each side of it, are so well and carefully done, that this work has been deservedly