Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/149

Rh five braccia high, and destined for the monument of Pope Julius IL, to be erected in the church of San Pietro in Vinculi, which was then in course of construction by Michelagnolo. But Raffaello becoming very ill while employed with these figures, could not devote himself with his accustomed zeal and diligence to the work, which caused him to suffer in the general esteem; nor did he give Michelagnolo so much satisfaction as he had been wont to do.

When the Emperor Charles V. visited Rome, the Pontiff, Paul III., caused a triumph, worthy of that most powerful sovereign, to be prepared for his reception, and on this occasion Raffaello erected fourteen statues of clay and stucco, on the bridge of Sant’ Angelo; these were so beautiful, that they were adjudged to be the best of all that were made for that festivity, nay, further, these figures were executed with so much rapidity, that the artist found time to repair to Florence also, where preparations for the reception of the same monarch were likewise in progress; and there, within the space of five days and no more, he constructed figures of two River Gods, each nine braccia high; these represented the Rhine as the symbol of Germany, and the Danube as that of Hungary, and were placed on the descent from the Ponte Trinità.

This master was subsequently invited to Orvieto, and there, in a chapel which had been enriched at an earlier period, with numerous decorations by the excellent sculptor, Mosca, Raffaello executed an Adoration of the Magi, in mezzo-rilievo. This work, which is in marble, deserves no little commendation for the great variety of the figures, which the master has executed in a very good mannner.

Having afterwards again repaired to Rome, Raffaello was appointed architect of the Castel Sant’ Angelo, by Tiberio Grispo, who was then Castellan of that great fortress. He there arranged and decorated many apartments, adorning the same with carvings in stone and vari-coloured marbles of different kinds, wherewith he ornamented the mantelpieces, windows, and doors. Our artist likewise executed a statue in marble, five braccia high, that Angel of the Gastello namely, which is on the summit of the large square tower in the centre (whereon the standard is erected), and which represents the Angel who appeared to the Pope (St.