Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/206

198 ciously arranged in very fair order within that space, he perforated the whole of the pavement, filling the apertures with other tubes of extreme minuteness, in such sort that by turning a key, all who approached to examine the fountain could be suddenly involved in a shower and well drenched; nor could those who were thus treated escape either quickly or readily, because entirely around that fountain and the pavement wherein are the concealed tubes, Tribolo had constructed a seat in grey stone, supported by feet in the form of lions’ claws, mingled with marine monsters of various forms in mezzo-rilievo, and this barred escape. The arrangement of all this was no easy matter, seeing that the place was on the declivity of the hill, and it was necessary to obtain a level for the construction of these works, as well as for the seats.

Tribolo next began the fountain of the labyrinth, and the lower part of this he formed of marine monsters in marble, twined together in full relief, and wholly detached from the base, the tails of these animals are intervolved after such sort, that nothing better in that manner could well be effected. Having completed this part he then formed the vase, for which he availed himself of a piece of marble which had been long before brought to Castello from the Villa dell’ Antella, together with a large table, also of marble, purchased by Messer Ottaviano de’ Medici from Giuliano Salviati. The possession of these resources caused Tribolo to prepare the tazza for this fountain, earlier perhaps than he might otherwise have done, for the decoration of the same he designed a dance of children which he arranged around the mouth of the tazza, and close to the edge or lip thereof; the little boys composing this dance hold festoons of marine plants, which are detached from the marble with the most admirable art: the pedestal also, which Tribolo erected within the tazza, is adorned with figures of children and masks throwing water, which are all of extraordinary beauty and excellence. On this pedestal it was the intention of Tribolo to place a bronze statue, three braccia and a half high, representing Florence, and signifying that from the mounts Asinaio and Falterona come the waters of the Arno and the Mugnone to Florence, and for this figure the master had prepared a most exquisite model exhibiting the figure in the act