Vasari, Giorgio; Foster, Jonathan [Übers.]: Lives of the most eminent painters, sculptors, and architects (Band 1): Lives of the most eminent painters, sculptors, and architects (London: Henry G. Bohn, 1850)

FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI.

413

“ D’ Annibal Caro
Pinsi et la mia pittura al ver fu pari;
L’atteggiai, 1’avvivai, le diedi il moto
Le diedi affetto. Insegui il Bonarroto
A tutti gli altri e da me solo impari.”*
“ Di Fabio Segni
Invida cur, Lachesis, primo sub flore juventse
Pollice discindis stamina funereo ?
Hoc uno occiso, innumeros occidis Apelles:
Picturse omnis obit, hoc obeunte lepos.
Hoc sole extincto, extinguntur sydera cuncta.
Heu' decus omne perit, hoc pereunte simul.”

THE FLORENTINE SCULPTOR AND ARCHITECT FILIPPO
BRUNELLESCHI.
[born 1377f—died 1446.]
There are many men who, though formed by nature with
small persons and insignificant features, are yet endowed with
so much greatness of soul and force of character, that unless
they can occupy themselves with difficult—nay, almost im-
possible undertakings, and carry these enterprises to per-
fection to the admiration of others, they are incapable of
finding peace for their lives. And, however mean or un-

Masaccii Florentini ossa
Toto hoc teguntur templo
Quern Natura fortassis invidia mota
Ne quandoque superaretur ab Arte
Anno setatis sues xxvi.
Proh dolor! iniquissime rapuit
Quod inopia factum forte fuit
Id honori sibi vertit virtus.”
“ I painted, and my picture was as life ;
Spirit and movement to my forms I gave-
I gave them soul and being. He who taught
All others—Michael Angelo—I taught:
He deigned to learn of me
f That this is the true date of Brunelleschi’s birth, appears from a
document cited by Gaye, vol. i, 113, 115 ; as also from an anonymous
biographer, contemporary with this master, and whose life of him was
published by Moreni in 1812.