Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/80

72 master, which presents a portrait taken from nature, of the above-named pope, seated in his pontifical robes: at the foot of the figure is the name of the artist with the date of its completion. This work is placed in a niche prepared with much care, and composed of different kinds of marbles, outside the door of the church of San Lorenzo, which is the cathedral of that city. A large number of medals were produced by this master, some of which are still to be seen, more particularly that of Pope Paul above-named, with those of the Aretine, Antonio Rosello, and of Batista Platina, both secretaries to that pontiff.

After these things, Vellano having returned to Padua with a very good name, was held in great esteem not only in his native city, but in all Lombardy and the March of Treviso, as well because there had not before been any very excellent artists in those parts, as because he had attained great skill in the founding of metals. At a later period, and when Vellano had already become old, the Signoria of Venice, resolving to erect an equestrian statue of Bartolommeo da Bergamo, adjudged the horse to the Florentine Andrea del Verrocchio, and the figure to Vellano. Andrea, who knew himself to be, as indeed he was, a much better master than Vellano, and had expected that the whole work would be confided to himself, fell into a violent fit of rage when he heard of this arrangement, and having first broken and destroyed the model, which he had already finished, he departed to Florence. But after a time, being invited to return by the Signoria, who accorded to him the entire work, he went back to complete it. This gave Vellano so much displeasure, that without uttering a word, or showing his