But in the Giant it is more wonderful than ever, because,
besides not adding any pieces, he amended the faults of the roughing out,
an impossible or, at least, a most difficult thing to do (as Michael
Angelo himself has said). He received four hundred ducats for this work,
and finished it in eighteen months.
XXII. In order that no copy of the Giant should exist which was not his
own handiwork, he had it cast in bronze, of the size of the original, for
his good friend Pier Soderini, who sent it to France; and similarly he
cast a David with Goliath under him. The one to be seen in the middle of
the court-yard of the Palazzo de'Signori is by Donatello, a man excellent
in his art, and much praised by Michael Angelo, except for one thing--he
had not the patience to properly polish his works; so that in the distance
they look admirable, but close to they lose their quality. Michael Angelo
also cast a bronze group of the Madonna with her Son in her lap, which was
sent into Flanders(31) by certain Flemish merchants, the Moscheroni, great
people at home; they paid him one hundred ducats for it. And, in order not
altogether to give up painting, he executed a round panel of Our Lady(32)
for Messer Agnolo Doni, a Florentine citizen, for which he received
seventy ducats.
XXIII. It was some time since he had worked at that art, having given
himself up to the study of poets and authors in the vulgar tongue and
writing sonnets for his own pleasure. After the death of Pope Alexander
VI.
Pages:
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39