Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/512

504 These have all been since copied by Tommaso Barlacchi, with those of the tapestries which Raphael prepared for the Concistorio Publico.

Giulio Romano next employed Marcantonio to engrave twenty plates of figures, the character of which was higldy offensive; and what was still worse, Messer Pietro Aretino wrote a most indecent sonnet for each, insomuch that I do not know which was the most revolting, the spectacle presented to the eye by the designs of Giulio, or the affront offered to the ear by the words of the Aretine. This work was highly displeasing to Pope Clement, who censured it severely, and if it had not happened that when it was pub^ lished Giulio had already left Rome for Mantua, he v^ould certainly have been very heavily punished by the Pontiff. Many of these designs were meanwhile discovered in places where they ought least of all to have been expected, and the work was not only prohibited, but Marcantonio, being arrested for his share in the same, was cast into prison, and would have fared very hardly if the Cardinal de’ Medici and Baccio Bandinelli, who was then at Rome and in the service of the Pope, had not interfered to procure his release. And certain it is that the endowments which God has conferred on men of ability ought not to be abused, as they too frequently are, to the offence of the whole world, and to the promotion of ends which are disapproved by all men.

Being released from prison, Marcantonio completed the engraving of a large plate, which he had commenced for Baccio Bandinelli, and wherein there is a large number of nude figures, who are roasting San Lorenzo on a gridiron. This work was considered to be a truly beautiful one, and was indeed engraved with extraordinary care, although Baccio, wrongfully complaining to the Pope at the time when Marcantonio was engaged with it, declared that the latter had committed various faults therein. But Bandinello received exactly what he deserved, as the recompence of his ingratitude and discourtesy; for Marcantonio, being informed of all, and having finished the plate before Baccio was aware of the fact, presented it for inspection to the Pope, who took infinite pleasure in all things appertaining to the art of design, showing him at the same time the original work, as it had been designed by Bandinello. Wherefore,