Citation link:
https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/vasari1851bd4/0486
478
LIVES OF THE ARTISTS.
first desired, yet he offered no opposition to the opinions
given, only such manifest sophistries and cavils that his evil
intentions became obvious to every one. Wherefore Giorgio,
well knowing the frightful consequences that might result
from Lorenzo’s design, and certain that this was no other than
a plan for the wilful slaughter of some three hundred persons,
declared that he would very certainly describe the method
to the Duke, when his Excellency might send to examine the
matter and provide against the consequences to be expected.
Hearing this, and fearing to be discovered, Lorenzo, after
many words, gave Aristotile permission to follow the plan
proposed by Giorgio, which was accordingly done.
These decorations were the most beautiful, not only of all
that had ever before been prepared by Aristotile, but of all
that had ever been executed by any one up to that time,
since Bastiano there constructed wings or side scenes, with a
magnificent arch of triumph at the extremity of the stage,
which last was painted to represent marble, the whole
adorned with historical delineations and statues, to say
nothing of perspective views representing streets, &c. stretch-
ing far away into the distance, and of many other embellish-
ments, all giving proof of the most incredible care and
forethought.
When the Duke Alessandro was ultimately assassinated
by the above-named Lorenzo, and when the Signor Cosimo,
after being created Duke in the year 1539, was to celebrate
his nuptials with the Signora, Donna Leonora di Toledo, a
truly distinguished lady, and one of such great and incom-
parable excellence that she may be compared without dispute
to all that have been most renowned and extolled in the
ancient histories, nay, perchance, may well be placed before
them ; when this marriage, I say, which was solemnized on
the 27th June, 1539, was to take place, Aristotile constructed
another scenic representation in the great Court of the palace
of the Medici, that namely wherein is the fountain. In this
scene, which presented the city of Pisa, Bastiano surpassed
himself, displaying a richer variety of invention and better
execution than he had ever before done.
It would indeed not be possible to bring together a more
admirably varied arrangement of windows and doors, more
fanciful and remarkable fronts of palaces or streets, and
LIVES OF THE ARTISTS.
first desired, yet he offered no opposition to the opinions
given, only such manifest sophistries and cavils that his evil
intentions became obvious to every one. Wherefore Giorgio,
well knowing the frightful consequences that might result
from Lorenzo’s design, and certain that this was no other than
a plan for the wilful slaughter of some three hundred persons,
declared that he would very certainly describe the method
to the Duke, when his Excellency might send to examine the
matter and provide against the consequences to be expected.
Hearing this, and fearing to be discovered, Lorenzo, after
many words, gave Aristotile permission to follow the plan
proposed by Giorgio, which was accordingly done.
These decorations were the most beautiful, not only of all
that had ever before been prepared by Aristotile, but of all
that had ever been executed by any one up to that time,
since Bastiano there constructed wings or side scenes, with a
magnificent arch of triumph at the extremity of the stage,
which last was painted to represent marble, the whole
adorned with historical delineations and statues, to say
nothing of perspective views representing streets, &c. stretch-
ing far away into the distance, and of many other embellish-
ments, all giving proof of the most incredible care and
forethought.
When the Duke Alessandro was ultimately assassinated
by the above-named Lorenzo, and when the Signor Cosimo,
after being created Duke in the year 1539, was to celebrate
his nuptials with the Signora, Donna Leonora di Toledo, a
truly distinguished lady, and one of such great and incom-
parable excellence that she may be compared without dispute
to all that have been most renowned and extolled in the
ancient histories, nay, perchance, may well be placed before
them ; when this marriage, I say, which was solemnized on
the 27th June, 1539, was to take place, Aristotile constructed
another scenic representation in the great Court of the palace
of the Medici, that namely wherein is the fountain. In this
scene, which presented the city of Pisa, Bastiano surpassed
himself, displaying a richer variety of invention and better
execution than he had ever before done.
It would indeed not be possible to bring together a more
admirably varied arrangement of windows and doors, more
fanciful and remarkable fronts of palaces or streets, and