Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/471

Rh which is situate at a short distance from the gates of Florence: this edifice stands near the church, and though small is beautifully adorned and well situated, being on a slight elevation and commanding the whole city of Florence with the plain around it. At Colie, moreover, which is the native place of the above-named Campana, a very commodious and handsome residence was erected after the designs of the same Giuliano, who, soon after he had completed it commenced a Palace al Tedesco for Messer Ugolino Grivoni, Signor of Altopascio; this was a most magnificent structure.

For Ser Giovanni Conti, one of the secretaries of the above-mentioned Signor Duke Cosimo, he restored a house in Florence, adorning the same with many useful additions, and beautiful ornaments. It is true indeed, that in constructing the two windows which look on the street with their carved gratings, Giuliano departed somewhat from his usual manner, and overloaded them to such a degree with ressaults, corbels, and decorative divisions or interruptions of every kind, that they are rather in the German or Gothic style than after the true and good antique or the approved modern manner. Works in architecture should without doubt be massive, grand, severe, and simple, beautified by the grace of their design, but guarded as respects the composition, which must be varied as the occasion demands, so that the harmony of the arrangements shall not be disturbed by too many nor impoverished by too few decorations, regard being always had to the general effect.

Baccio Bandinelli had returned in the meanwhile to Florence from Borne, where he had been finishing the tombs of Popes Leo and Clement, and he persuaded the Duke Cosimo, who was then but a youth, to have one end of the great hall in the ducal palace reconstructed entirely of columns and niches, with a range of marble statues and with windows formed of marble and macigno stone to look on the Piazza. To this proposal the Duke gave his consent, and the work being resolved on, Bandinelli commenced the preparation of the design, but finding, as we have said in the life of Cronaca, that the said hall was out of square, and having never given any attention to architecture, nay, rather esteeming that art of little value, and being in the practice of deriding those who exercised the same, Bandinelli, I say,