CHAPTER XI

APPENDIX FIRST DIALOGUE SECOND DIALOGUE THIRD DIALOGUE THE WORKS OF MICHAEL ANGELO A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL BOOKS CONSULTED BY THE AUTHOR ERRATUM INDEX

PREFACE

Of all the many lives of Michael Angelo that have been written, that by his friend and pupil, Ascanio Condivi, is the most valuable. For not only is it a contemporary record, like the lives inserted by Giorgio Vasari in the two editions of his famous book, "The Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects," published in Florence in 1550 and 1568; but Condivi's work has almost the authority of an autobiography, many phrases are in the same words, as certain letters in the hand of Michael Angelo still in existence, especially those relating to the early life and the ancestry of the master, to his favourite nephew Lionardo, and concerning the whole story of the Tragedy of the Tomb to Francesco Fattucci and others.

Condivi's description of his master's personal appearance is so detailed that we can see him with his sculptor's callipers measuring the head of his dear master, and gazing earnestly into his eyes, recording the colours of their scintillations, with the patience of a painter.

Vasari's account has been translated more than once, but Condivi's never, at least never completely. Extracts have been given, and it has been the main resource of every writer on the master; but the faithful and reverent character of the whole work can only be given in a complete translation, its transparent honesty, and its loving devotion. Even had the subject of this naif and unscholarly narrative been an ordinary man in an ordinary period, it would have been worth translating for its truth to life and human nature, much more, therefore, when it is about the greatest craftsman of the Cinque Cento.

Condivi published his "Vita di Michael Angelo Buonarroti" on July 16, 1553; probably incited thereto by the master himself, who desired to correct certain misstatements of his excellent friend, Giorgio Vasari, without hurting that worthy's feelings. Nevertheless, we gather from what Vasari says in his second edition that he somewhat resented the appearance of this new biographer. Perhaps this coloured his unflattering account of Condivi as an artist, when describing Michael Angelo's scholars: "Ascanio della Ripa took great pains, but no results have been seen, whether in designs or finished works. He spent several years over a picture for which Michael Angelo had given him the cartoon, and, at a word, the hopes conceived of him have vanished in smoke." What a good thing it would have been for Vasari's reputation if his art work had vanished in smoke, too, and only his biographies remained. Condivi lives, as he said he wished to live, in the dedication of his work to Pope Julius III., with the name of being a faithful servant and disciple of Michael Angelo.

A second edition of the "Vita di Michael Angelo," by Ascanio Condivi, was published at Florence in 1746. The introduction informs us that Condivi was born at Ripa Transona, and that he outlived his master ten years, dying on February 17, 1563 (1564), aged nearly eighty-nine years.

The second part of this book may be regarded as an appendix(1) to Condivi. It is a supplementary account of the existing works of the master, and details of their fashioning that may help us to realise the mystery of their production, from contemporary documents: letters, contracts, and the life by Vasari, with some few explanations that will not interest the learned, but may help young students of the works of the great master. Londoners have peculiar facilities for this study. The bas-relief in the Diploma Gallery of the Royal Academy, the drawings in the British Museum, and the unfinished and altered picture at the National Gallery, are an excellent foundation from which to study the casts at Kensington and in the Crystal Palace (the latter are unique in this country, but, alas! in a poor state now). Students of to-day have one immense advantage over those of former times in the magnificent series of photographs that have been issued, especially those of the vault of the Sistine Chapel, which may almost be said never to have been so well seen before.

Since this book went to press, the author has seen an antique intaglio, No. 210 in the Estense Collection at Modena, which he is informed came from Ferrara in 1598, representing a Leda. This confirms the view expressed in the note on page 61, as to the genesis of the Leda by Michael Angelo, for it is exactly similar in composition.

The author desires to express his gratitude to many friends for valuable advice and assistance, especially to his wife for help in the translations, and to Mr. S. Arthur Strong for kindly looking over the proofs, and other aid; to the Earl of Leicester, of Holkham, for permission to photograph and reproduce the Cartoon at Holkham Hall; to the trustees of the British Museum and Mr. Sidney Colvin for facilities to reproduce two engravings in the Print Room; to the Signori Fratelli Alinari, Signor Anderson, Mm. Braun et Cie., and Signor Brogi, for kindly allowing their photographs to be used in making the illustrations.

ILLUSTRATIONS

MICHAEL ANGELO THE RAPE OF DEIANEIRA AND THE BATTLE OF THE CENTAURS THE ANGEL AT THE SHRINE OF SAINT DOMINIC THE MADONNA BELLA PIETA DAVID DAVID SAINT MATTHEW THE MADONNA AND CHILD, WITH THE CHILD SAINT JOHN THE HOLY FAMILY THE CARTOON OF PISA MOSES TWO OF THE UNFINISHED MARBLE STATUES IN THE GROTTO OF THE BOBOLI GARDENS, FLORENCE THE CREATION OF THE SUN AND MOON, AND OF THE TREES AND HERBS CREATION OF MAN CREATION OF MAN THE CREATION OF EVE THE EXPULSION THE DELUGE ATHLETE ATHLETE ATHLETE ATHLETE THE DELPHIC SIBYL THE PROPHET JOEL THE PROPHET EZEKIEL THE PROPHET DANIEL THE LIBYAN SIBYL THE PROPHET JEREMIAH THE FLOOD THE BRAZEN SERPENT JUDITH WITH THE HEAD OF HOLOFERNES ONE OF THE ANCESTORS OF CHRIST, OVER THE WINDOW INSCRIBED "JESSE" ONE OF THE ANCESTORS OF CHRIST, OVER THE WINDOW INSCRIBED "IORAM" ONE OF THE ANCESTORS OF CHRIST, OVER THE WINDOW INSCRIBED "ASA" THE PROPHET JONAH THE TOMB OF LORENZO DE' MEDICI, DUKE OF URBINO THE TOMB OF GIULIANO DE' MEDICI, DUKE OF NEMOURS LORENZO DE MEDICI, DUKE OF URBINO THE HEAD OF THE DAWN APOLLO THE HEAD OF THE NIGHT NIGHT THE MADONNA AND CHILD THE DAY OF JUDGMENT THE JUDGE. FROM "THE DAY OF JUDGMENT" SPIRITS OF THE BLESSED, PART OF "THE DAY OF JUDGMENT" THE CRUCIFIXION OF SAINT PETER THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL THE PIETA OF SANTA MARIA DEL FIORE BRUTUS