Be sure that it
may be seen to be from your hand, so that poltroons and babblers may
burst." This was written whilst the work was still at Florence. On
September 6, 1531, after it had arrived at Rome, Sebastiano says of
Pietro: "Firstly, you sent him to Rome with the statue, to finish and
erect it. What he did and did not do you know; but I must let you
understand that wherever he has worked he has maimed it. Chiefly, he has
shortened the right foot, and it is plainly seen that he has cut off the
toes. He has shortened the fingers of the hands, too, more especially
those of the one which holds the cross, the right; Frizzi says, it seems
to have been worked by a cake-maker, not carved in marble. It looks as if
it had been made by one who worked in dough, it is so stunted. I do not
understand these things, not knowing the manner of working in marble; but
I can very well tell you that those fingers look to me very stumpy. I can
tell you, too, that it is easy to see he has been working on the beard. I
believe a baby would have had more discretion; it looks as though he had
done the hair with a knife without a point; but this can easily be
remedied. He has also cut one of the nostrils, so that with a little more
the whole nose would have been spoiled, so that no one but God could have
mended it, and I believe God inspired you to write your last letter to
Master Zovane da Reggio, my comrade, for if the figure had remained in the
hands of Pietro he would undoubtedly have ruined it.
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