Of the painting of the ancients there is
no memorial, and to whom does he yield in their sculpture (of which,
indeed, much remains)? In the judgment of men learned in the art, to no
one, unless we stoop to the opinion of the vulgar, who admire the antique
for the sole reason that they envy the genius and industry of their own
times. All the same, I have not yet heard any one say the contrary; this
man is so far above envy. Raffael da Urbino, although he desired to
compete with Michael Angelo, was often constrained to say that he thanked
God he was born in his time as he acquired from him a style very different
from that which he learnt from his father, who was a painter, and from his
master Perugino. But what greater and clearer sign can we ever have of the
excellence of this man than the contention of the Princes of the world for
him? From the four Pontiffs, Julius, Leo, Clement, and Paul, to the Grand
Turk, father of him who to-day holds the Empire. As I have said above, the
Sultan sent certain monks of the Order of Saint Francis with letters
begging Michael Angelo to come and stay with him; arranging by letters of
credit for the bank of the Gondi, in Florence, to advance the amount of
money necessary for his journey, and also that from Cossa, near Ragusi, he
should be accompanied to Constantinople most honourably by one of his
grandees. Francesco(54) Valesio, King of France, tried every means to get
him, crediting him with three thousand scudi for his journey whenever he
should go.
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