Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/219

Rh conjoined with so much care, that it appears to he formed entirely of one piece. Tribolo next received the commands of his Excellency to finish the flight of steps which ascend to the Library of San Lorenzo, those of the vestibule before the door namely, and he set hand to the work accordingly; but when he had erected four of those great steps, he could not find either the designs or the measurements of Michelagnolo, and by the orders of the Duke he repaired to Rome, not only to obtain the opinion of Michelagnolo in relation to those steps, but also in the hope of inducing the latter to return with him to Florence.

But he did not succeed in either of his errands. Michelagnolo would not leave Rome, but excused himself in the most courteous manner; as to the steps, he appeared to remember neither the measurements nor any other matter concerning them. Tribolo therefore, having returned to Florence, and not being able to continue the work of the above-named steps, then set himself to execute the pavement of the Library, which was of white and red bricks, after the manner of certain pavements which he had seen in Rome, with this difference, that Tribolo introduced compartments in red clay among others of white mingled with bole, thereby producing the effect of carvings, and so making a kind of copy of the ceiling, with its decorations, upon the floor; a fancy which was then very much extolled.

For the. highest tower of the defences at the Gate of Faenza, Tribolo commenced an Escutcheon of Arms at the command of Don Giovanni di Luna, who was then Castellan of that fortress: he also began a very large figure of an Eagle with two heads, in full relief; this he modelled in wax, preparatory to its being cast in bronze; but nothing further was done in the matter, and the only part of the Arms completed was the shield.

Now it was the custom at Florence that almost every year, on the Festival of San Giovanni Battista, a Girandola should be constructed, to be exhibited at night on the principal Piazza; this Girandola being a great frame-work,