Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/506

494 Sarcophagus above it, whereon there is a figure of Our Lady, three braccia and a half high; the Infant Christ, entirely nude, is near her, and two children are added, these last holding between them the head, in basso-rilievo, of Messer Carlo de’ Medici, natural son of Cosimo the Elder and formerly Dean of Prato, whose remains, after having long remained in a tomb of bricks, have been placed in the abovementioned sarcophagus or sepulchre, with which they have been honoured by Duke Cosimo. It is, however, true that the work, which is a singularly beautiful one, is in a very bad light, and does therefore not anpear to be what it really is.

Vincenzio then decorated the building used by the superintendents of the Mint; executing the arms of the Duke, supported by two nude figures larger than life, in the Loggia which looks on the Arno; one of these supporters represents Equity, the other Severity, or Firmness: our artist is now also in daily expectation of the marble for a statue larger than life to represent the Signor Duke, and of which he has already made the model: this is to be placed in a seated position over the Arms above-mentioned, as the completion of that work, which is very soon to be effected, with the whole façade, all designed by Vasari, who is the architect of that fabric. Danti has besides now in hand a Madonna, somewhat larger than life; she is standing upright, and holds the Infant Christ, a child of about three months old, in her arms; when it is completed this group will be a very beautiful thing. These works, with many others, Vincenzio is bringing to completion at the Monastery of the Angeli in Florence, where he lives quietly in the society of the monks, who are very much his friends, occupying the rooms formerly inhabited by Messer Benedetto Varchi, of whom he is now executing a Portrait in basso-rilievo, which will be exceedingly beautiful.

Vincenzio has a brother in the Order of Friars Preachers, he is called Fra Ignazio Danti, is very learned in Cosmography, and a man of distinguished ability in letters, insomuch that the Duke Cosimo has committed to his care a