Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/253

Rh THE SCULPTORS ALFONSO LOMBARDI OF FERRARA, MICHELAGNOLO OF SIENA, AND GIROLAMO SANTA CROCE OF NAPLES; AND DOSSO AND BATTISTA, PAINTERS OF FERRARA.

Alfonso of Ferrara, working in his earliest youth in stucco and wax, was accustomed to make vast numbers of portraits from the life in small medallions for different noblemen and gentlemen of his native city, and some of these works, which are still to be seen in wax and white stucco, give proof of the intelligence and judgment possessed by their author; such, for example, are the busts of Prince Doria, of the Duke Alfonso of Ferrara, of Pope Clement VII., the Emperor Charles V., Cardinal Ippolito de’ Medici, Bembo, Ariosto, and other personages of similar distinction.

This artist being in Bologna at the time of the coronation of Charles V., was employed to prepare the decorations which were placed before the entrance of San Petronio, and was held in so much consideration from his having been the first to introduce the good method of executing such portraits from the life in medals as I have mentioned above, that there was no personage of distinction in the imperial court from whom he did not receive some commission, to his great profit as well as honour. But not content with the glory and advantage which accrued to him from his works in terra-cotta, in wax, and in stucco, Alfonso set himself to labour in marble, and made such remarkable progress in certain affairs of no great importance which were confided to his care, that he received a commission for the erection of the tomb of Ramazzotto, in San Michele-in-Bosco, immedi-