DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32874#0472
392 LIFE OF BENVENUTO CELLINI [BK. 11
there was no talent in it; and for the one reason and
the other I did not want in any way whatsoever to
execute such a work. But I always kept politely tell-
ing the Duke that I would do all that His Most Illustrious
Excellency might command me; so that His Excellency
commissioned the Directors of the (<y^7vzz) ^z
Fzh?^ that they should make an agreement
with me: that His Excellency would merely provide
my allowance of two hundred jzrzzzfz per annum, and that
he desired that the said Directors of the (9^733 should
furnish every other thing from the Fund of the said (9^<%.
So that I appeared before the said Directors, who informed
me of all the orders that they had received from the
Duke: and since it seemed to me that with them I could
more safely explain my arguments, I began by pointing
out to them that so many histories in bronze would be
a very great expense, which was entirely thrown away:
and I gave them all the reasons; by which; they were
fully convinced. The first (reason) was that that arrange-
ment of the Choir was altogether incorrect, and was made
without any judgement, nor could one see in it either art,
or convenience, or grace, or design;^ the other was that
the said histories were to go into too low a position,
that they would come too much below the line of vision,
quoted by VASARI in his Zy yZzzzvzb (Dz^, ^9. MlLANESI cz'z*.,
Vol. V, pp. 349-359)-
i VASARI in the same Zy? y ZMcrzb describes this Choir and
adds " that it was not much praised nor approved as a fine thing
by those who have judgement in such matters ": and in fact in
1841 the arches and other decorations were removed, leaving only
the foundations, ty CAVALLUCCI, & dZz7*M Zz9?v, Firenze,
1887, p. 186. Portions of it may still be seen in the Museum of the
Opera del Duomo.
there was no talent in it; and for the one reason and
the other I did not want in any way whatsoever to
execute such a work. But I always kept politely tell-
ing the Duke that I would do all that His Most Illustrious
Excellency might command me; so that His Excellency
commissioned the Directors of the (<y^7vzz) ^z
Fzh?^ that they should make an agreement
with me: that His Excellency would merely provide
my allowance of two hundred jzrzzzfz per annum, and that
he desired that the said Directors of the (9^733 should
furnish every other thing from the Fund of the said (9^<%.
So that I appeared before the said Directors, who informed
me of all the orders that they had received from the
Duke: and since it seemed to me that with them I could
more safely explain my arguments, I began by pointing
out to them that so many histories in bronze would be
a very great expense, which was entirely thrown away:
and I gave them all the reasons; by which; they were
fully convinced. The first (reason) was that that arrange-
ment of the Choir was altogether incorrect, and was made
without any judgement, nor could one see in it either art,
or convenience, or grace, or design;^ the other was that
the said histories were to go into too low a position,
that they would come too much below the line of vision,
quoted by VASARI in his Zy yZzzzvzb (Dz^, ^9. MlLANESI cz'z*.,
Vol. V, pp. 349-359)-
i VASARI in the same Zy? y ZMcrzb describes this Choir and
adds " that it was not much praised nor approved as a fine thing
by those who have judgement in such matters ": and in fact in
1841 the arches and other decorations were removed, leaving only
the foundations, ty CAVALLUCCI, & dZz7*M Zz9?v, Firenze,
1887, p. 186. Portions of it may still be seen in the Museum of the
Opera del Duomo.