Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/19

Rh Over these chambers, moreover, Antonio raised others, which were exceedingly commodious, although the construction thereof was a very difficult undertaking by reason of the new foundations required for the same. On this point Antonio was of a truth very skilful, his buildings never show a crack, nor has there ever been one among the architects of modern times who has proved himself to be more cautious, or who has displayed greater prudence in the execution of masonry.

In the time of Pope Paul II. the church of the Madonna of Loretto, was very small, and had its roof erected immediately over the columns, which were constructed of brick in a very rude manner; but during the pontificate of that Pope, this church was partially rebuilt and enlarged to the extent we now see, by favour of the genius and skill of Giuliano da Majano. Under Sixtus IY. and others it was continued to a certain height, as we have before said; but in the year 1526, and in the time of Pope Clement YII., although there had before never been the slightest intimation of decay perceived, the edifice began to crack in such a manner, that not only were the arches of the Tribune in danger of falling, but the whole church also was in many places threatened with ruin, the cause being that the foundations were not sufficiently strong, nor of adequate depth. Antonio was therefore sent to Loretto by the Pontiff, to the end that he might repair so grievous a disorder; and having arrived there, he gave the requisite supports to the arches, and providing for every demand, like the bold and judicious architect that he was, he restored the whole fabric, strengthening the piers and walls both within and without, giving the building a beautiful form in the whole; and carefully regulating the proportions of each separate part; he thus finally rendered the wmlls strong enough to bear any weight that might require to be laid on them, however massive.

Antonio continued the transept and aisles of the church in one and the same order, adorning the architraves over the arches with superb mouldings; the frescoes and cornices also being equally beautiful: he likewise imparted the utmost richness to the basement of the four great piers, which, passing around the eight sides of the tribune, support the four arches, three of which are in the transepts namely, where the