Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/378

366 should by no means be either envied or hated; the second statue, representing Aglaia,,one of the Graces, and the wife of Vulcan. She was placed there to signify Proportion, and had a Lily in her hand, partly because flowers are dedicated to the Graces, and also because Lilies are considered to be not inappropriately used in funeral ceremonies. The figure beneath this statue represented Disproportion (or Deformity), her symbol was an Ape, and over her was the following verse:— Vivus et extinctusy docuit sic sternere turpe.

Beneath the River-gods were the two verses following: — Venimus Arne, tua confixa ex vulnere maesta Flumina, ut ereptum mundo ploremus honorem.

This picture also was considered very fine for its invention, for the composition of the story, the beauty of the figures and that of the verses, as also because the painter had not executed the work by commission as the others had done, but had spontaneously, and with the help of certain among the obliging and respectable friends which his abilities had gained him, thus done honour to the master by these his labours. For this cause, therefore, Bernardo both deserved and obtained the greater commendation.

In another picture, six braccia long and four high, which was near the side-door opening on the street, Tommaso da San Friano, a young painter of much ability, had depicted Michelagnolo when despatched by his country as Ambassador to Pope Julius II., as we have said that he was sent, and for what causes, by Soderini. Not far distant from this picture, a little lower down than the side door that is to say, was one of similar size by Stefano Pieri, a disciple of Bronzino, and a very studious careful youth. He had paid several visits to Rome no long time previously, and now painted Michelagnolo as seated in an apartment in conversation with Duke Cosimo, which he frequently did at that period, as we have sufficiently related in other places.

Above the black cloth with which, as we have said, the Church was hung all round, in all the spaces where there were no pictures or stories, were placed images of death, escutcheons, devices, and other objects of like sort, all differing from those usually seen, and exhibiting much ingenuity. Some of the figures of death, as if lamenting that they had Tobbed the world of such a man, held a tablet with these