To me it will suffice if it be something worthy.
"I do not reply to all you say, for lo Spina comes shortly to
Rome, and will answer your letter by word of mouth, and more in
detail than I can with the pen.
"Your MICHAEL ANGELO, Sculptor, in Florence."
This letter had its desired effect, nothing more was heard of the
colossus.
The Sack of Rome in 1527 by the rabble of Germany and Spain, called the
Imperial army, naturally stopped all artistic work, for war is the worst
enemy of art. Clement was besieged in the Castle Saint Angelo for nine
months, and the Medici lost their power in Florence. The Cardinal of
Cortona, with the young princes Ippolito and Alessandro de' Medici, fled,
and Niccolo Capponi was elected President of the Popular Government.
Michael Angelo was in Florence all this time. A Ricordo given in Lettere,
p. 598, says: "I record how, some days ago, Piero di Filippo Gondi asked
to enter the new sacristy at San Lorenzo to hide there certain goods of
his because of the peril in which we now find ourselves. This evening of
the 29th of April, 1527, he has begun to bring in certain bundles. He says
they are linen of his sisters, and I, not to witness what he does, or
where he hides the stuff, have given him the key of the said sacristy this
said evening."
Upon July 2, 1528, Michael Angelo's favourite brother, Buonarroto, died of
the plague. Gotti tells how Michael Angelo held his brother in his
arms(139) while he was dying, notwithstanding the great risk to his own
life, and took care of his family after his death.
Pages:
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211