Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/272

264 that we have made for these monuments, wherefore do you, Baccio, lift up yon curtain and stand behind it.

Baccio instantly obeyed and Solosmeo entered, when, being presented with wine, and beginning to drink, the conversation was immediately turned on the monuments, and on the fact that the execution thereof had been confided to Bandinelli; Solosmeo instantly reproached the Cardinals for the bad choice they had made, following up his remarks with much evil speaking against Baccio whom he accused of ignorance in his art, as well as of arrogance and avarice, entering meanwhile into very minute particulars in support of his assertions. But Baccio, who stood concealed behind the curtain, could not suffer Solosmeo to finish his speech; rushing forth, therefore, much enraged, and with an enflamed countenance, he exclaimed to Solosmeo, “What have I done to you, that you speak of me with so little respect? ” Astounded at the appearance of Baccio, Solosmeo turned to Ridolfi and said, “What kind of tricks are these, my Lords? I will have nothing more to do with priests,” and turning about he went his way. All this made the Cardinals laugh heartily, and they amused themselves at the expense of both artists, but Solosmeo had remarked to Baccio as he departed, “You know now what is the opinion of your confreres in the art, and you have but to let your work be such as shall show them to be in the wrong.”

In due time Bandinelli commenced the monuments, but neither in the statues nor the stories did he acquit himself according to the promises which he had given, nor according to the duty which he owed to those Pontiffs; giving very little care to any part of the work, and leaving the whole incomplete and with numerous defects: because he was more solicitous about receiving the money than about the labours that should have been performed on the marble. It came to pass, therefore, that the cardinals, becoming aware of his mode of proceeding, repented them of what they had done, and since the two principal pieces of marble, those for the seated figures of the Popes namely, still remained untouched, they begged Baccio to do somewhat better in those statues, requesting him