Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/136

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At the time when Andrea was labouring at Loretto, he had four months in every year allowed him for his repose, which period he spent at Monte Sansovino, his native place, occupying himself with agriculture, and enjoying meanwhile the society of his kinsfolk and friends in a most tranquil retirement. Being thus at the Monte during the summer, he there built a very commodious house for his own use, and bought several pieces of land. He likewise caused a cloister to be erected for the Augustinian Monks of that place; and this, although small, is extremely well planned; but it could not be made exactly square, because the monks desired to have it built on the old walls. It is true, that for the interior Andrea did contrive to secure the form of the square, and this he accomplished by increasing the thickness of the piers supporting the angles, by which means he brought what had previously been imperfectly proportioned to a just and correct measurement. For a Company which belongs to that Convent, and which is called the Brotherhood of Sant’ Antonio, Andrea likewise prepared the design for a most beautiful door, with decorations of the Doric order, as he also did those for the middle aisle and pulpit of the Church of Sant’ Agostino. Before the door which leads to the old deanery also, and midway down the declivity by which the monks descend to. go to the fountain, he built a small chapel for their use, although they did not desire that it should be done.

In the city of Arezzo this master prepared a design for the house of Messer Pietro, a most learned and skilful astrologer. At Montepulciano, also, he formed a large figure in clay, representing the King Porsenna, and this was a very remarkable w^ork, but I have never seen it since the first time that it was shown to me, whence I have some fear that it may have been destroyed. For a German priest, who was his friend, Andrea Sansovino executed a figure of San Rocco in terra-cotta, the size was that of life, and the production was an exceedingly beautiful one: the priest above-mentioned caused it to be placed in the Church of Battifolle, a village in the neighbourhood of Arezzo, and this was the last work in sculpture ever executed by Andrea.

The design for the steps by which the ascent to the Cathedral of Arezzo is effected, was also given by this master, and for the Church of the Madonna delle Lagrime,