new patron held his talents may be ascertained by the boast which Piero often made of having in his house two extraordinary persons, Michael Angelo and a Spanish running footman, whom he could not overtake on horseback even when riding full speed.

On the expulsion of the family of Medici, M. Angelo retired to Bologna, and on his return home after the affairs of Florence had been tranquillized he made the famous statue of the sleeping Cupid, of which so many tales have been told. Mr. Duppa has adopted a very general, but a very gratuitous opinion. He asserts that Michael Angelo was persuaded to bury this statue, and pass it as a specimen of an antient artist. The deception succeeded; Cardinal St. Giorgio bought it for three hundred duca's as a first rate work of very remote antiquity, but afterwards suspecting the imposition he sent a confidential person to Florence to ascertain the truth. This person finding Michael Angelo to be the sculptor of the statue persuaded him to go to Rome, where the Cardinal would receive him in his service. According to another tale less general, but not less gratuitous, this statue was presented to the Marchioness of Mantua by the Duke Valentino; and if we remember aright, something more is told by Caylus on the engraving be published, of a wonderful design of Michael Angelo, representing a hand which was in the library Corsini, and which is asserted to have been made in the presence of the person sent by Cardinal St. Giorgio.

Be it as it will, Michael Angelo went to Rome, and though during his stay he received no commission from his patron, yet his abilities were too much valued not to meet with encourage, ment. The Cardinal of Roan, the family of Strozzi, some Flemish merchants, and even some Roman noblemen, all employed his talents, and the works which he made for them, all increased his reputation, and are still regarded as first rate specimens of sculpture. For Giacomo Galli above others, he made a statue of Cupid, and another of a drunken bacchus of the most exquisite workmanship; and as there appears a joining in the hand which holds the cup, many have imagined that the fable of the Cupid buried under ground is to be referred to this latter statue.

On his return to Florence, Michael Angelo was directed to form some figure out of a neglected, and almost spoiled piece of marble, which had been embossed by Simon da Fiesole nearly one hundred years before for a gigantic figure. From this misshapen block he composed a colossal statue of David so very gigantic, that the tallest man can hardly reach to its knees. In this respect he seems to have surpassed even the Grecian sculp

tors

tors, who in their colossal statues do not seem to have met with he same success which they obtained in figures as large as life. Indeed many professional men have not had the least hesitation. to assert, that there is no statue, whether ancient or modern, not even excepting that on Monte Cavallo which can be compared to this David of Michael Angelo. Respecting this statue an anecdote is told of the affected criticism of the Confaloniere Soderini, which must remind the English reader of the story which Pope has recorded of my Lord Halifax when he read him the first book of his Iliad. The Confaloniere who had employed Michael Angelo, admired the statue exceedingly, but pretended to discover that the nose was too large. In vain Michael Angelo explained the appearance by the low situation from which it was seen. This scientific reasoning was not deemed satisfactory, and he had no other alternative left but either to deceive Soderini, or spoil the statue. He chose the first, mounted the scaffold in an instant, taking a chisel in one hand, and a little marble dust in the other; and while he pretended to be reducing the surface of the nose, he let fall a little sand as he appeared to be working. The Confaloniere was flattered by the deference, and immediately exclaimed, "Oh adesso gli avete data la vita."

That he might not entirely neglect the practice of painting, he painted a Holy Family for Angelo Doni, a Florentine gentleman. It is a first rate work, painted a tempera, with colours so bold and so true, that it is still preserved in the gallery of Florence. When he sent it home he accompanied it with a note requesting the payment of seventy ducats. Doni, to whom the charge appeared rather too high, sent him only forty. These Michael Angelo returned, and demanded his picture back or one hundred ducats. Doni wishing to keep the picture agreed to pay the first demand. On this Michael Angelo became indignant, doubled the original sum, and demanded one hundred and forty ducats, which were finally paid by Doni. For the sake of Michael Angelo we should wish that this fact might be a story.

Another production no less celebrated was the painting intended for the Ducal palace. To ornament its hall Soderini wished to employ the greatest talents of his time, and Leonardo da Vinci, and Michael Angelo were chosen to execute two corresponding pictures to occupy the two opposite sides. An event in the war between the Florentines and the Pisans was the subject of Michael Angelo, that of da Vinci was a battle of cavalry. Unfortunately this picture was never begun, and of the cartoon itself perhaps no part remains at this day; but as it was the most extraordinary work which had appeared since the revival of the arts in Italy, our readers will perhaps like to read

the

the account given by Vasari, and very faithfully translatedby Mr. Duppa.

"The Florentine soldiers, bathing in the river Arno in the heat of the weather, were alarmed by an unexpected assault from the enemy. The hurry and confusion in getting out of the water, dressing themselves, and preparing for action, was the point of time chosen, and the principal group in the cartoon was descriptive of that scene. Some of the figures were employed in putting on their armour, buckling on the cuirass, and getting ready with precipita tion to give assistance to their companions: whilst a numerous body of cavalry commenced the action. Among other figures was an old man scated on the ground, whose head was bound with a garland of ivy to shade his brows. In the tumult and confusion which surrounded him, he was represented drawing on a hose with difficulty, from the leg being wet; and with great muscular exertion and expression of countenance he shewed both energy and impatience. The contrast in the actions and attitudes of the figures was such as the circumstances might be supposed to create, and difficult fore-shortenings characterized the deep knowledge of the artist, and his powers of execution. The figures were variously sketched; some in charcoal, others in liures drawn with a pen, and some stumped with black chalk, and the lights heightened with white, exhibiting great diversity of professional skill. Such was the excellence of this work, that some thought it absolute perfection; not to be rivalled, and hopeless to be approached. And certainly credit is due to this opinion, as from the time it was placed in the Papal Hall, to the honour of Michael Angelo and the glory of the art, it was for many years constantly visited by foreigners as well as natives, who, by studying and drawing from it, became eminent masters *?". P. 39.

About this time Julius II. was raised to the Papal chair. This pontiff, who has been so justly condemned for his ambition and his violence, was notwithstanding a great and real protector of learning. He was no sooner seated on the throne than he was surrounded by men of genius, and Michael Angelo was among the first he invited to the Vatican. After his arrival some time elapsed before any subject could be determined upon for the exercise of his abilities. At length the Pope gave him an unlimited commission to make a mausoleum in St. Peter, in which their mutual fame might be combined. In stating this

“The names of those who studied this cartoon, enumerated by Vasari, are Aristotile da Sangallo, Ridolpho Ghirlandaio, Raffaello Sanzio d'Urbino, Francesco Granacci, Baccio Bandinelli, Alonzo Berugetta Spagnuolo, Andrea del Sarto, Francia Bigie, Jacopo Sansovino, il Rosso, Maturino, Lorenzetto, Tribolo when a child, Jacopo da Puntormo, and Pierin del Vaga."

*

circum

circumstance both our author and Vasari furnish us with a proof of that negligence and want of accuracy which we have had already occasion to mention. In fact Vasari pretends that the design which Michael Angelo made of the mausoleum proving to be too magnificent for the old church, inspired the pope with the resolution of building the church itself; and thus he considers our sculptor as the first occasion, and almost the only cause of that prodigious building.

"Nel ritorno di Giuliano in Roma si praticava, se'l divino Michel Angelo Buonarroti dovesse fare la sepoltura di Giulio perchè Giuliano confortò il Papa all' impresa, aggiugnendo, che gli pareva, che per quello edifizio si dovesse fabbricare una cappella a posta; senza porre quella nel vecchio San Pietro, non vi essendo luogo, perciocchè quella cappella renderebbe quell' opera più perfetta. Avendo dunque molti architetti fatti disegni, si venne in tanta considerazione a poco a poco, che in cambio di fare una cappella, si mise mano alla gran fabbrica del nuovo San Pietro.'Vasari, vita di Giuliano da San Gallo, tom. ii. p. 83." P. 46.

So far Vasari; but let us hear an architect who has given the most detailed account of the origin and progress of the new church of St. Peter, together with a most admirable criticism on its faults. Now this architect positively asserts, that there is no truth in the general report that Pope Julius took the resolution of building St. Peter because the monument which he meant to erect to himself was too magnificent for the old church. Here are his words.

"È una tradizione volgare, e destituta d'ogni vero-simiglianza che per collocare degnamente questo suo strepitoso sepolcro Papa Giulio formasse il pensiero della nuova Chiesa di S. Pietro. È vero che souvente le cose più grandi derivano da principi più piccoli. Ma in questo affare la cosa andò altrimenti." Milizia. vita di Michelan. P. 193-6.

Now what says Mr. Duppa to all this? He not only considers Michael Angelo as the first occasion of the church of St. Peter, but even he regards him as the man who laid the first stone of the Reformation.

"Having received the commission, Michael Angelo commenced a design worthy of himself and his patron. The plan was a parallelogram, and the superstructure was to consist of forty statues, many of which were to be colossal, and interspersed with ornamental figures and bronze basso-relievos, besides the necessary architecture with appropriate decorations, to unite the composition into one stupendous whole.

"When this magnificent design was completed, it met with the Pope's entire approbation, and Michael Angelo was desired to go into St. Peter's to see where it could be conveniently placed. At

the

the west end of the church, Nicolas V. half a century before, began to erect a new tribune, but the plan had not been continued by his successors: this situation Michael Angelo thought the most appropriate, and recommended it to the consideration of his Holiness. The Pope inquired what expense would be necessary to complete it; to which Michael Angelo answered, A hundred thousand crowns.' To which he replied, It may be twice that sum' and immediately gave orders to Giuliano da Sangallo to consider of the best means to execute the work.

Sangallo, impressed with the grandeur of Michael Angelo's design, suggested to the Pope that such a monument ought to have a chapel built on purpose for it, to correspond to its importance, and that every part of the composition might be exhibited to the greatest advantage; at the same time he remarked, that St. Peter's was an old church, not at all adapted for so superb a mausoleum, and any alteration would only serve to destroy the character of the building. The Pope listened to these observations, and ordered several architects to make designs, to put him in possession of all that could be done under the existing circumstances; but in considering and reconsidering the subject, he passed from one improvement to another, till at length he determined to rebuild St. Peter's itself; and this is the origin of that edifice which took a hundred and fifty years to complete, and is now the grandest display of architectural splendour that ornaments the Christian world.

"By those who are curious in tracing the remote causes of great events, Michael Angelo, perhaps, may be found, though unexpect. edly, thus to have laid the first stone of the Reformation. His monument demanded a building of corresponding magnificence; to prosecute the undertaking, money was wanted; and indulgencies were sold to supply the deficiency of the treasury: a monk of Saxony opposed the authority of the Church; and it is singular that the means which were employed to raise the most splendid edifice to the Catholic Faith which the world had ever seen, should at the same time have shaken that religion to its foundation." P. 44.

It is a pity that Mr. Duppa is not provided with the Ippocrifo of Ruggiero that carried Astolfo to the moon, as really his imagination perfectly qualifies him for the use of such a conveyance. Indeed upon the same reasoning we might refer to Ptolomeus, or to Artemisia, to any body, as well as to Michael Angelo the origin of the Reformation, for the example they set of building such expensive monuments. By so doing they excited the vanity of Giulio II. and they produced the want of money, the sale of indulgencies, the opposition of a monk of Saxony, and the fall of the Papal authority in England.

We now return to the monument of Julius. Though Michael Angelo, by the order of this pope, went to Carrara te choose the marbles, and actually began to work, yet through

several