Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/263

Rh with a medal whereon was the portrait of his Holiness, which Bandinelli had caused Francesco dal Prato, who was his very intimate friend, to prepare for him, the reverse of the medal exhibiting the Flagellation of Christ. The gift was accepted by the Pontiff, to whom Baccio described the impediments and vexations which he had suffered in the execution of his Hercules, entreating Pope Clement to prevail on the Duke to afford him opportunity for the completion of the work, and adding that he was hated and envied in the city of Florence. Wherefore being ready of wit, and potent in tongue, Baccio finally induced the Pope to take measures for persuading Duke Alessandro to accept the charge of seeing that the work of Baccio should be finished and fixed in its place on the piazza.

The goldsmith, Michelagnolo, father of Baccio Bandinelli, was now dead, but before the termination of his life, he had undertaken, by command of Pope Clement, to make a large silver cross, with numerous representations of events from the passion of Christ in basso-rilievo, for the superintendents of works to Santa Maria del Fiore; and for this cross Baccio had modelled the figures and stories in wax, to be afterwards executed in silver. When Michelagnolo died this work remained unfinished, and Baccio, who had all the stories, both those finished and those merely sketched, in his hands, together with many pounds of silver, made interest to obtain the Pope’s consent to his transference of that undertaking to Francesco dal Prato, who had accompanied him to Bologna; but his Holiness, perceiving that Baccio was not only desirous of withdrawing himself from the engagements of his father, but also designed to gain something by the labours of Francesco, commanded him to give up the silver and the stories, those finished as well as those only commenced, to the superintendents of works, whom he ordered to close the accounts connected with the same, and bade them melt all the silver of that cross, which they were then to apply to the wants of the church, the latter having been despoiled