Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/342

330 vexation.* He then procured for Tiberio the commission to finish, under his direction, a Chapel which the Cardinal of Santa Fiore had commenced in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore; but this also remained unfinished at the death of the Cardinal, ^^of Michelagnolo, and of Tiberio himself; the early demise of the latter being an event much to be regretted.

Michelagnolo had been seventeen years in the Fabric of San Pietro, and the Commissioners had more than once attempted to remove him, but not succeeding, they laboured continually to throw obstacles in his way, hoping to weary his patience, seeing that he was now old, and could endure but little. At this time it chanced that Cesare da Castel Durante, overseer of the works, died; when Michelagnolo, to the end that the building should not suffer, and until he could find a successor after his own heart, sent Luigi Gaeta thither in his place, a very young man certainly, but not without experience. Some of the Commissioners had, however, been frequently trying to bring Nanni di Baccio Bigio into that undertaking, he having urged them much to do so, and promising great things; they now, therefore, thinking of managing everything in their own fashion, sent away Luigi Gaeta, when Michelagnolo, much displeased by this, would no longer go to San Pietro; and they, the Commissioners, then began to give out that a substitute must be provided, he being able to do no more, and having himself declared, as they said, that he would no longer trouble himself with that work. These things coming to Michelagnolo’s ears, he sent Daniello Ricciarelli of Yolterra, to the Bishop Ferratino, one of the Commissioners, who had told Cardinal Carpi that Michelagnolo had assured a servant of his that he would have no more to do with the building. Daniello now informed the Bishop that it was not Michelagnolo’s wish to give it up: but Ferratino replied that he was sorry the master had not made his purpose known, adding nevertheless that a substitute was needful, and that he would have gladly accepted Daniello himself, a reply with which Michelagnolo appeared to be satisfied. The bishop then