Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/254

246 pieces, and giving an elevation by its thickness of two-thirds of a braccio; these being carefully secured and fastened at both ends, formed a projection of two braccia on each side of the wall, and were furnished with clamps, in such a manner that an arch half a braccio thick, and constructed of double bricks, could be raised upon them, being supported, moreover, by the principal walls. These beams were then dove-tailed together, and so firmly united by strong clamps and bands of iron, that they were no longer two, but one. But to the end that these beams should not have to bear more than the wall supporting the arch, while the arch itself should support all the rest, the master furthermore attached two strong iron bars to the arch, and these being firmly bolted into the lower part of the beams, upheld, and do uphold them in such sort, that even though they did not suffice of themselves, yet the arch (by means of the two strong bands surrounding the beams, one on one side of the marble door and the other on the other) would be capable of upholding a much greater weight than that of the wall built upon it, which is of bricks, and half a braccio in thickness: he nevertheless caused the bricks of which the wall was constructed to be moulded in such a manner as to give increased breadth to the lower part of the wall, and thus impart greater stability to the whole. By these means, and thanks to the judicious management of Benedetto, the Hall of the Dugento retained all its extent, and above that hall, in the same space, by means of the partition wall, the hall called that of the Oriuolo was constructed, with the chamber of audience wherein the triumph of Camillo, by the hand of Salviati, is depicted. The ornamental work of the ceiling was executed in rich carving by Marco del Tasso, with the assistance of his brothers Domenico and Giuliano who likewise decorated the ceiling of the hall of the Oriuolo, and that of the audience chamber. The marble door between these rooms had been made double: of the outer door and its decora-