Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/497

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, who was a tolerably good architect of the time of Cosimo de’ Medici, by whom he was frequently employed, had two sons, Giuliano and Antonio, both of whom he destined to the art of carving in wood. With this view he placed the elder with the joiner Francione, who was an exceedingly ingenious person, well versed in perspective, and an able wood-carver, with whom Francesco di Paolo was intimately acquainted, they having executed in company many vmrks, both in carving and architecture, for Lorenzo de’ Medici. So rapidly did Giuliano acquire all which his master Francione taught him, that the beautiful carvings and works in perspective which he afterwards executed without assistance, when he had left liis master, in the choir of the cathedral, are held in esteem to the present day, and even when seen with the various works in perspective executed in our own times, are not regarded without admiration. While Giuliano was still occupied with his studies in design, and the blood of youth was still dancing in his veins, the Duke of Calabria, moved by the hatred which he bore to Lorenzo de’ Medici, brought his army to encamp before Castellana, proposing to occupy the territories of the Florentine Signoria, and, if he succeeded in his first enterprise, to attempt something of still greater magnitude. The illustrious Lorenzo thereupon saw himself compelled to despatch an engineer to Castellana for the purpose of constructing bastions and defences of various kinds, and who should also take cfiarge of the artillery, to the management of which few nen were at that time competent. He therefore sent thither Giuliano, whom he Considered to be a man of intelligence, promptitude, and resolution, one, too, who was known to him