Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/32

24 artists in design and many other persons. His remains were deposited in the church of San Pietro, by command of the superintendents of that fabric, being placed in a sepulchre near the chapel of Pope Sixtus, which is in that church, and here he wTas honoured with the following inscription: ''Antonio Sancti Galli Florentino urbe munienda ac Publ. operibus, precipueq. D. Petri Templo ornan. architectorum facile principi, dum Velini Lacus emissionem parat, Paolo Pont. Max. auctore, interamne intempestive extincto, Isabella Deta uxor Maestiss posuit'', ''Calend. Octobris''. And of a truth, Antonio, having been a most excellent architect, has no less merited to be extolled and renowned, as his works fully demonstrate, than any other master in the same art, whether ancient or modern. Antonio left two sons, Orazio and Giulio, the mother of whom, Isabella, or Lisabetta Deti, was a woman of singular beauty; the relation of his marriage with her is inserted in the first edition of our author, but is omitted in the second. After speaking of Antonio’s return from Parma to Florence, Vasari proceeds to say: “And so, as it chanced that he looked about him in the streets as one does after a long absence on returning to the native place, he espied a young girl of most beautiful aspect, with whom for her beauty and her grace he forthwith fell in love; when conferring with his kindred respecting a marriage with this girl, they discouraged that purpose greatly, but in despite of all, and much to the discontent of his brother, he persisted in his intention, and fulfilled his wishes. Antonio had always shown himself harsh and obstinate towards his parents, nay, the life of his father was shortened visibly by the grief he felt at being abandoned by his son. This woman, whom Antonio thus married against all counsel, soon proved herself exceedingly proud and haughty; she lived rather in the manner of a most splendid lady than of an architect’s wife, running into such disorders and making such outlay, that her husband’s gains, large as they were, proved as nothing to the pomps and vanities of this woman. She drove her mother-in-law from the house, and caused her to die in misery; never could she look with a peaceful eye at any one of Antonio's relations, she thought of nothing but exalting her own kindred, but as for his relations, they might get them beneath the earth. Yet, not for all this did Battista, who was singularly endowed by nature and richly adorned with goodness, refrain from honouring and serving his brother; but all in vain, for he never received any token of affection from Antonio, either during the life or at the death of the latter.” The widow of Antonio soon married again, seeing that in the year 1548 we find mention of her as the wife of the Florentine, Giovanni Romei of Castiglion, when she was involved in much trouble on account of her first husband's affairs.