Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/494

482 great care. The same artist has made a splendid library table, by command of Don Francesco, constructing the work of ebony, divided into compartments by columns of eliotrope, oriental jasper, and lapis lazuli, which have bases and capitals of chased silver. The work is furthermore enriched with jewels, beautiful ornaments of silver and exquisite little figures interspersed with miniatures and termini of silver and gold in full relief, united in pairs. There are besides other compartments formed of jaspers, agates, eliotropes, sardonyxes, carnelians, and other precious stones, to describe all which here would make too long a story: let it suffice to say that in this work, which now draws near its completion, Bernardo has given proof of a most admirable genius, and one ready for every purpose.

Don Francesco accordingly avails himself of his services for various labours; in the construction of machines for lifting weights for example, and many other ingenious inventions. Bernardo has also discovered a method by which Rock-crystal may be readily melted and purified; of this substance he has made Vases and Stories of various colours. This artist meddles with every kind of art; and in a short time we shall see such Vases of porcelain as will equal in beauty the most perfect of those executed in the highest antiquity, of which they will have all the qualities. Another excellent master in these works is Griulio da Urbino, who is now in the service of the most illustrious Duke Alfonso 11. of Ferrara; this Giulio makes Vases of amazing beauty from earths of different kinds; and in porcelain he forms them of the most exquisite shapes. From the same clays he likewise makes octagons, circles, and squares for pavements, all of extraordinary hardness, and so neatly arranged in imitation of vari-coloured marbles, that they appear to be made of the stones themselves, rather than of mere imitations formed out of clay. Of all these things our Prince is in possession of the processes and modes of manipulation.

His Excellency has also lately commenced the construction of a small table richly adorned with jewels, and which he proposes to make the companion of one which belongs to his father Duke Cosimo. Not long since, moreover, he completed a small table after the design of Vasari, which is a very splendid production, being wholly formed of oriental alabaster intermingled with great pieces of carnelian, jasper,