DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61542#0231
1435-1488] WORKS IN BRONZE 191
a few months afterwards, but acquitted of inten-
tional homicide. After serving his apprenticeship in
Verrocchio’s shop, Andrea became an assistant of
Donatello, whom he helped in his works in S. Lorenzo,
and whom he succeeded in the favour of the Medici.
Besides the bronze tombs of Cosimo, and of his
sons Giovanni and Piero, in S. Lorenzo, he executed
a variety of other works for Lorenzo, including the
statuettes of the youthful David in the Bargello, and
the wonderful Putto with the dolphin, which origin-
ally adorned the fountain of Villa Careggi. Andrea
also restored antique statues for the Medici palace,
designed the helmets worn by Lorenzo and Giuliano
at their Tournaments, and planned many of the
decorations and pageants which delighted the eyes
of Florence on festive occasions. In 1477, he executed
one of the silver reliefs for the Baptistery dossal, on
which Antonio Pollauiolo was employed, and, soon
after 1480, was summoned to Rome by Pope Sixtus
IV., to execute silver statuettes of the Apostles, for
his new chapel in the Vatican; while in 1483, he
finished the noble group of the Incredulity of St.
Thomas for Or’ San Michele, a work which a con-
temporary, Landucci, describes in his diary as the
finest ornament of that church, and the most beauti-
ful head of Christ that has ever been made.
But Andrea was too versatile a genius to confine
himself to any one form of art, and after acquiring
great renown as a sculptor he turned his attention to
painting. “He was never idle,” says Vasari, “but
always worked at either sculpture or painting, and
often passed from one thing to another, in order not
to get tired by working too long at the same subject
a few months afterwards, but acquitted of inten-
tional homicide. After serving his apprenticeship in
Verrocchio’s shop, Andrea became an assistant of
Donatello, whom he helped in his works in S. Lorenzo,
and whom he succeeded in the favour of the Medici.
Besides the bronze tombs of Cosimo, and of his
sons Giovanni and Piero, in S. Lorenzo, he executed
a variety of other works for Lorenzo, including the
statuettes of the youthful David in the Bargello, and
the wonderful Putto with the dolphin, which origin-
ally adorned the fountain of Villa Careggi. Andrea
also restored antique statues for the Medici palace,
designed the helmets worn by Lorenzo and Giuliano
at their Tournaments, and planned many of the
decorations and pageants which delighted the eyes
of Florence on festive occasions. In 1477, he executed
one of the silver reliefs for the Baptistery dossal, on
which Antonio Pollauiolo was employed, and, soon
after 1480, was summoned to Rome by Pope Sixtus
IV., to execute silver statuettes of the Apostles, for
his new chapel in the Vatican; while in 1483, he
finished the noble group of the Incredulity of St.
Thomas for Or’ San Michele, a work which a con-
temporary, Landucci, describes in his diary as the
finest ornament of that church, and the most beauti-
ful head of Christ that has ever been made.
But Andrea was too versatile a genius to confine
himself to any one form of art, and after acquiring
great renown as a sculptor he turned his attention to
painting. “He was never idle,” says Vasari, “but
always worked at either sculpture or painting, and
often passed from one thing to another, in order not
to get tired by working too long at the same subject