Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/253

Rh was brought to perfection. The marble having been much injured by Simone, did not entirely suffice to the wishes of Michelagnolo, wdio therefore permitted some of the traces of Simone’s chisel to remain; these may be still perceived, and certainly it was all but a miracle that Michelagnolo performed, when he thus resuscitated one who was dead.

When the Statue was completed, there arose much discussion as to how it should be transported to the Piazza de’ Signori, but Giuliano da Sangallo, and Antonio his brother, made a strong frame-work of wood, and, suspending the figure to this by means of ropes, to the end that it might be easily moved, they thus got it gradually forwards with beams and windlasses, and finally placed it on the site destined to receive the same. The knot of the rope which held the Statue was made in such sort that it ran easily, but became tighter as the weight increased, a beautiful and ingenious arrangement, which I now have in my book of designs: a secure and admirable contrivance it is for suspending great weights.

When the Statue was set up, it chanced that Soderini, whom it greatly pleased, came to look at it while Michelagnolo was retouching it at certain points, and told the artist that he thought the nose too short. Michelagnolo perceived that Soderini was in such a position beneath the figure, that he could not see it conveniently, yet to satisfy him, he mounted the scaffold with his chisel and a little powder gathered from the floor in his hand, when striking lightly with the chisel, but without altering the nose, he suffered a little of the powder to fall, and then said to the Gonfaloniere who stood below, “Look at it now.” I like it better now,” replied Piero; “you have given it life.” Michelagnolo then descended, not without compassion for those who desire to appear good judges of matters whereof they know nothing. The work fully completed, Michelagnolo gave it to view, and truly may we affirm that this Statue surpasses all others whether ancient or modern, Greek or Latin; neither the Marforio at Rome, the Tiber and the h^ile in the Belvedere, nor the Giants of Monte Cavallo, can