Citation link:
https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/vasari1851bd4/0299
BACCIO BANDINELLI.
291
Nor would the Perugian sculptor, Vincenzio Danti, remain
idle in this competition of masters; younger than any one of
the others, he did not concur with them in the hope of obtain-
ing the marble, but merely with the intention of making
known his determination and the amount of his ability; he
therefore set himself to prepare his model, which he made in
the house of Messer Ottaviano de’ Medici, and wherein there
were many parts of great merit; the size of this work■ was
equal to that of those exhibited by the other artists.
The models being completed, his Excellency the Duke then
went to see those of Ammannato and Benvenuto; and pre-
ferring the work of the former to that of the latter,* he
resolved that Ammannato should have the marble and
execute the statue, partly because he was younger than
Benvenuto, and had besides more experience in marble-work
than had the goldsmith Cellini. The purpose of the Duke
was strengthened by Giorgio Vasari, who performed many
good offices with his Excellency for Ammannato, because he
perceived that the latter, to say nothing of his knowledge,
was prompt and patient of labour, for which reason Giorgio
hoped that from his hands a good work would be seen to pro-
ceed without any long delay. +
The Duke would not at that time examine the model of
Maestro Giovan Bologna, for not having yet seen any work
in marble from his hand, he did not feel disposed to confide so
great an undertaking to one who was to make it his first per-
formance, although he was assured by many artists and others
conversant with the subject, that the model of Giovan Bologna
was in many respects superior to any of the others. Had
Baccio been alive, there would indeed not have been all these
contentions among the artists, since it would undoubtedly
have appertained to him to have prepared the model of
clay, and executed the statue in marble.
* It is to be supposed that Benvenuto Cellini must have acquitted him-
self unusually ill on this occasion, or that the judgment of the Duke must
have been already warped to some extent in favour of Ammannato, since
the statue of the latter is of so little merit as to render it highly improbable
that the work of Benvenuto could have failed to be a better one.
-f- In this expectation Vasari was manifestly disappointed, the statue by
Ammannato, commonly called the Biancone, being far from a work of
excellence.—Ed. Flor., 1838.
TJ 2
291
Nor would the Perugian sculptor, Vincenzio Danti, remain
idle in this competition of masters; younger than any one of
the others, he did not concur with them in the hope of obtain-
ing the marble, but merely with the intention of making
known his determination and the amount of his ability; he
therefore set himself to prepare his model, which he made in
the house of Messer Ottaviano de’ Medici, and wherein there
were many parts of great merit; the size of this work■ was
equal to that of those exhibited by the other artists.
The models being completed, his Excellency the Duke then
went to see those of Ammannato and Benvenuto; and pre-
ferring the work of the former to that of the latter,* he
resolved that Ammannato should have the marble and
execute the statue, partly because he was younger than
Benvenuto, and had besides more experience in marble-work
than had the goldsmith Cellini. The purpose of the Duke
was strengthened by Giorgio Vasari, who performed many
good offices with his Excellency for Ammannato, because he
perceived that the latter, to say nothing of his knowledge,
was prompt and patient of labour, for which reason Giorgio
hoped that from his hands a good work would be seen to pro-
ceed without any long delay. +
The Duke would not at that time examine the model of
Maestro Giovan Bologna, for not having yet seen any work
in marble from his hand, he did not feel disposed to confide so
great an undertaking to one who was to make it his first per-
formance, although he was assured by many artists and others
conversant with the subject, that the model of Giovan Bologna
was in many respects superior to any of the others. Had
Baccio been alive, there would indeed not have been all these
contentions among the artists, since it would undoubtedly
have appertained to him to have prepared the model of
clay, and executed the statue in marble.
* It is to be supposed that Benvenuto Cellini must have acquitted him-
self unusually ill on this occasion, or that the judgment of the Duke must
have been already warped to some extent in favour of Ammannato, since
the statue of the latter is of so little merit as to render it highly improbable
that the work of Benvenuto could have failed to be a better one.
-f- In this expectation Vasari was manifestly disappointed, the statue by
Ammannato, commonly called the Biancone, being far from a work of
excellence.—Ed. Flor., 1838.
TJ 2