Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/439

Rh was an exceedingly violent passion, but one that soon passed over, and a few gentle words often sufficed to brings tears into his eyes. His love for his art was immense; nay, that the knowledge of sculpture might be the more widely diffused, Sansovino brought up numerous disciples, establishing what might almost be called a Seminary of that art in Italy.

Among those of his disciples who attained the most distinguished name, were the Florentines Niccolò Tribolo and Solosmeo; Danese Cattaneo of Cattaro, a Tuscan of great repute, not in sculpture only, but in poetry also; Girolamo of Ferrara, the Venetian Jacopo Colonna, Luco Lancia of Naples, Tiziano of Padua, Pietro da Salo, the Florentine Bartolommeo Ammannato, now Sculptor and Protomaster of the Grand Duke of Tuscany; and finally Alessandro Vittoria of Trent, who was admirable for his portraits in marble. These, with the Brescian Jacopo de’ Medici, were all among his disciples; and they, renewing the memory of their master, have executed many honourable works in divers places.

Sansovino was much esteemed by princes, among others by Alessandro de’ Medici, Duke of Florence, who sought his advice when constructing the fortifications of that city. Duke Cosimo also, when Sansovino, in the year 40, paid a visit to his native place for certain affairs of his own—Duke Cosimo, I say, not only requested his opinion in respect to those defences, but also endeavoured to fix the master in his own service, offering him a very large stipend with that view. On his return from Florence, moreover, the Duke Ercole of Ferrara, detained him for some time at his court, and made every effort to keep him at Ferrara; but Sansovino, accustomed to Venice, and finding himself much at his ease in that city, where he had spent the greater part of his life, would listen to none of these proposals, the rather as he greatly loved the Procuratori, and was much honoured by them.

He was in like manner invited to Rome by Pope Paul III., who wished him to undertake the care of San Pietro, in place of Antonio da San Gallo, and Monsignore della Casa, then Legate at Venice, did his best to prevail on our artist to consent, but it was all in vain; he declared that he would not exchange his life in a Republic for that under an absolute Prince. King Philip II. of Spain, also, when on his way