Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/428

416 double columns, rising on a great basement on every side, with large niches between them, wherein were figures of the Apostles in full relief. Above these were stories in mezzorilievo, having the appearance of bronze, the subjects taken from the Old Testament; some of them may still be seen in the house of the Lanfredini on the Lung’Arno. Over all were projecting architraves, friezes, and cornices, with varied and beautiful frontons. In the angles of the arches, and beneath them, in the thickness of the same, were beautiful stories painted in chiaro-scuro by Andrea del Sarto, and the whole work was such that when Pope Leo saw it, he declared it to be a pity that the front of the church, as erected by the German Arnolfo, had not been of similar character.

On the same occasion, Sansovino made a Horse, formed of clay and shearings of wool, which was erected on a pedestal of masonry; the animal was rearing, and beneath him lay a figure of nine braccia; this work also pleased the Pope greatly by its powder and boldness, wherefore Sansovino was taken by Jacopo Salviati to kiss the feet of His Holiness, who received him very kindly. The Pontiff then returning to Florence after his conference with King Francis I. at Bologna, Sansovino received orders to construct a Triumphal Arch at the gate of San Gallo; and, not degenerating from his former seif, he completed it as he had done the others, enriched with statues and pictures finely executed, that is to say, and beautiful to a marvel.

His Holiness having afterwards resolved that the fa9ade of San Lorenzo should be constructed in marble, Sansovino, while Raffaello and Michelagnolo were expected from Rome, prepared a design for the same by order of the Pope, who, being pleased therewith, caused Baccio d’Agnolo to make from it a model in wood, which was most beautiful; Buonarroto had meanwhile prepared another, and was commanded to repair with Sansovino to Pietrasanta, where the two artists found marble in plenty; but the difficulties of transport caused the loss of so much time that when they returned to Florence, the Pope had gone back to Rome. They both followed him, however, with their models, each for himself; but when Jacopo arrived, Michelagnolo was already showing his model to the Pope at the Torre Borgia; and whereas the former had expected to receive the commission for a part of the statues, at least under Buonarroto, who had given him