DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32874#0471
CH. xiv] LIFE OF BENVENUTO CELLINI 391
spoke iH of every one. These words of mine were re-
peated to the Duke, and for this reason the Duchess
wanted me to entrust the matter to her. AH this is the
pure truth: it is sufficient to say that I did my best to
leave myself to the Duchess* judgement, in order that
I might shortly be paid, and I should have had that
reward besides.
The Duke let me know through Misser Lelio Torello/
auditor, that he wanted me to make certain histories his
on bas-reliefs of bronze around the Choir of Maria
del Fiore; and since the said Choir had been under-
taken by Bandinello I did not want to embellish his
trashy work with (the results of) my labour; but for all
that the said Choir was not after his design, for he did
not understand anything in the world about architecture:
the design was made by Giuliano di Baccio d'Agniolo
the joiner, who spoilt the Cupola.^ It is sufficient that
^ Lelio Torelli of Fano was summoned by Duke Alessandro
upon the Florentine TfzzgVzx; and Duke Cosimo in 1539 appointed
him his principal Auditor, and in 1546 his First Secretary. He pub-
lished many works on Law; amongst others a new edition of the
Hutzzz^cA collated after an early Pisan MS.: a work which entailed
ten years' labour, and which did not appear until 1353. He also
composed poetry both in Italian and Latin. In 1571 he was ap-
pointed Senator by the Grand-duke Francesco I, and died in 1576
at the age of eighty-seven. (<y. VARCHi, gaf. rzY., Book XV;
MANNI, SAz^Avzy^zvzzT'zzzz, p. 104, and A. M. SALVINI, Ahjz*z (bzz-
Hrr<2<3h7zzz'% Firenze, Tartini, 1717 (TbTvJ/z). CEL-
LINI also in a ShzzTZ,?/ (r/i Trzz^/z, <?<%. C. MlLANESI rz'A (Hy^777fzhf),
p. 359) confirms the good opinion in which he was held by his
contemporaries.
^ It was Baccio d'Agnolo himself, and not his son Giuliano who
designed the still unfinished gallery around the Cupola of Santa
Maria del Fiore. That Cellini's judgement was not unreasonable
may be gathered from the opinion of Michelangelo himself as
spoke iH of every one. These words of mine were re-
peated to the Duke, and for this reason the Duchess
wanted me to entrust the matter to her. AH this is the
pure truth: it is sufficient to say that I did my best to
leave myself to the Duchess* judgement, in order that
I might shortly be paid, and I should have had that
reward besides.
The Duke let me know through Misser Lelio Torello/
auditor, that he wanted me to make certain histories his
on bas-reliefs of bronze around the Choir of Maria
del Fiore; and since the said Choir had been under-
taken by Bandinello I did not want to embellish his
trashy work with (the results of) my labour; but for all
that the said Choir was not after his design, for he did
not understand anything in the world about architecture:
the design was made by Giuliano di Baccio d'Agniolo
the joiner, who spoilt the Cupola.^ It is sufficient that
^ Lelio Torelli of Fano was summoned by Duke Alessandro
upon the Florentine TfzzgVzx; and Duke Cosimo in 1539 appointed
him his principal Auditor, and in 1546 his First Secretary. He pub-
lished many works on Law; amongst others a new edition of the
Hutzzz^cA collated after an early Pisan MS.: a work which entailed
ten years' labour, and which did not appear until 1353. He also
composed poetry both in Italian and Latin. In 1571 he was ap-
pointed Senator by the Grand-duke Francesco I, and died in 1576
at the age of eighty-seven. (<y. VARCHi, gaf. rzY., Book XV;
MANNI, SAz^Avzy^zvzzT'zzzz, p. 104, and A. M. SALVINI, Ahjz*z (bzz-
Hrr<2<3h7zzz'% Firenze, Tartini, 1717 (TbTvJ/z). CEL-
LINI also in a ShzzTZ,?/ (r/i Trzz^/z, <?<%. C. MlLANESI rz'A (Hy^777fzhf),
p. 359) confirms the good opinion in which he was held by his
contemporaries.
^ It was Baccio d'Agnolo himself, and not his son Giuliano who
designed the still unfinished gallery around the Cupola of Santa
Maria del Fiore. That Cellini's judgement was not unreasonable
may be gathered from the opinion of Michelangelo himself as