Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/429

Rh reason to expect as raucb, he found on arriving in Rome that Michelagnolo was determined to keep all for himself. Nevertheless, and as he did not wish to have his journey for nothing, Sansovino resolved to remain in Rome for the study of architecture as well as sculpture. He then undertook the execution in marble of a Madonna with the Divine Child in her arms, for the Florentine Francesco Martelli; this group, somewhat larger than life and admirably finished, was placed on an Altar within the principal door of the Church of Sant’ Agostino, on the right of the entrance. The plaster model for the work, Sansovino gave to the prior of the Salviati, who placed it in a chapel of his palace, beside the Piazza of San Pietro at the end of the Borgo Nuovo. No long time afterwards he made a Statue of San Jacopo in marble, four braccia high, for the Altar of a Chapel which Cardinal Alborense had built in the Church of the Spaniards in Rome; this also, which is in a very graceful attitude and exhibits infinite judgment, procured the artist a great increase of fame; and while he was yet engaged therewith, he received the commission to prepare plans and models for the Church of San Marcello, which belongs to the Servite Monks: this Church Sansovino afterwards erected, and a very beautiful structure it is.

Continuing to be employed in architecture, Sansovino next built a beautiful Loggia for Messer Marco Cosci; this is in the Flaminian Way, on the road leading from Rome to the Pontemolle. For the “Brotherhood of the Crucified,” which belongs to the Church of San Marcello, he made a Crucifix in wood, to be carried in procession, which is very graceful; and for Antonio Cardinal di Monte he commenced a large building at his Vigna outside Rome, near the Acqua Vergine. It may be also, that a Portrait of the elder Cardinal Monte, which is now over a door in the Palace of Signor Fabiano at Monte Sansovino, is by his hand. He built a commodious house for Messer Luigi Leoni, with a palace in Banchi, which belongs to the Gaddi family; this was afterwards purchased by Filippo Strozzi; it is handsome and richly decorated as well as very commodious. Now in those days the Germans, Spaniards, and French had each built churches for themselves in Rome, wherein they were now performing the offices, when the Florentines,