DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.71557#0120
100 LIFE OF MICHAEL ANGELO.
great Brunelleschi applied the principles of classical
architecture to the construction of sacred edifices.
The library of San Lorenzo, attached, like the
sacristy, to the church of that name, was built
at the expense of Clement VII., in order to re-
ceive the invaluable manuscripts, about 9,000 in
number, originally collected with princely muni-
ficence by the old Cosmo, and added to, in the
same spirit, by Lorenzo the Magnificent. This
collection, so honourable to the Medici, as restorers
and protectors of learning, was dispersed, as has
been mentioned, on the fall of the family from
power, in the year 1494, but had been in a great
degree recovered by Leo X., and was now restored
to Florence by Clement VII. At the death of this
pontiff the edifice remained unfinished, but was
finally completed, about the year 1560, by Cosmo I.,
professedly according to the design of Buonarroti,
under the superintendence of Vasari. When the
work was thus resumed, the original design for
the vestibule and the flight of steps which forms
the approach to the library could not be found,
and Vasari took much pains to procure from Mi-
chael Angelo the needful particulars; but, at the
age of 85, his recollection of it failed him, and Va-
sari was left to his own resources. The result was
a signal failure; for no one can suppose that the
present confused arrangement of the staircase and
its accompaniments is to be regarded as the ori-
ginal design.
great Brunelleschi applied the principles of classical
architecture to the construction of sacred edifices.
The library of San Lorenzo, attached, like the
sacristy, to the church of that name, was built
at the expense of Clement VII., in order to re-
ceive the invaluable manuscripts, about 9,000 in
number, originally collected with princely muni-
ficence by the old Cosmo, and added to, in the
same spirit, by Lorenzo the Magnificent. This
collection, so honourable to the Medici, as restorers
and protectors of learning, was dispersed, as has
been mentioned, on the fall of the family from
power, in the year 1494, but had been in a great
degree recovered by Leo X., and was now restored
to Florence by Clement VII. At the death of this
pontiff the edifice remained unfinished, but was
finally completed, about the year 1560, by Cosmo I.,
professedly according to the design of Buonarroti,
under the superintendence of Vasari. When the
work was thus resumed, the original design for
the vestibule and the flight of steps which forms
the approach to the library could not be found,
and Vasari took much pains to procure from Mi-
chael Angelo the needful particulars; but, at the
age of 85, his recollection of it failed him, and Va-
sari was left to his own resources. The result was
a signal failure; for no one can suppose that the
present confused arrangement of the staircase and
its accompaniments is to be regarded as the ori-
ginal design.