I BELIEVE have already narrated how Domenico and Giovanpagolo Poggini,
goldsmiths and brothers, were at work in the Duke’s wardrobe upon some
little golden vases, after my design, chased with figures in bas-relief,
and other ornaments of great distinction. I oftentimes kept saying to
his Excellency: “My lord, if you will undertake to pay some workpeople,
I am ready to strike coins for your mint and medals with your portrait.
I am willing to enter into competition with the ancients, and feel able
to surpass them; for since those early days in which I made the medals
of Pope Clement, I have learned so much that I can now produce far
better pieces of the kind. I think I can also outdo the coins I struck
for Duke Alessandro, which are still held in high esteem; in like manner
I could make for you large pieces of gold and silver plate, as I did so
often for that noble monarch, King Francis of France, thanks to the
great conveniences he allowed me, without ever losing time for the
execution of colossal statues or other works of the sculptor’s craft.”
To this suggestion the Duke replied: “Go forward; I will see;” but he
never supplied me with conveniences or aid of any kind.
One day his most illustrious Excellency handed me several pounds weight
of silver, and said: “This is some of the silver from my mines; [1] take
it, and make a fine vase.” Now I did not choose to neglect my Perseus,
and at the same time I wished to serve the Duke, so I entrusted the
metal, together with my designs and models in wax, to a rascal called
Piero di Martino, a goldsmith by trade. He set the work up badly, and
moreover ceased to labour at it, so that I lost more time than if I had
taken it in hand myself. After several months were wasted, and Piero
would neither work nor put men to work upon the piece, I made him give
it back. I moved heaven and earth to get back the body of the vase,
which he had begun badly, as I have already said, together with the
remainder of the silver. The Duke, hearing something of these disputes,
sent for the vase and the models, and never told me why or wherefore.
Suffice it to say, that he placed some of my designs in the hands of
divers persons at Venice and elsewhere, and was very ill served by them.
The Duchess kept urging me to do goldsmith’s work for her. I frequently
replied that everybody, nay, all Italy, knew well I was an excellent
goldsmith; but Italy had not yet seen what I could do in sculpture.
Among artists, certain enraged sculptors laughed at me, and called me
the new sculptor. “Now I hope to show them that I am an old sculptor, if
God shall grant me the boon of finishing my Perseus for that noble
piazza of his most illustrious Excellency.” After this I shut myself up
at home, working day and night, not even showing my face in the palace.
I wished, however, to keep myself in favour with the Duchess; so I got
some little cups made for her in silver, no larger than two penny
milk-pots, chased with exquisite masks in the rarest antique style. When
I took them to her Excellency, she received me most graciously, and
repaid the gold and silver I had spent upon them. Then I made my suit to
her and prayed her tell the Duke that I was getting small assistance for
so great a work; I begged her also to warn him not to lend so ready an
ear to Bandinello’s evil tongue, which hindered me from finishing my
Perseus. In reply to these lamentable complaints the Duchess shrugged
her shoulders and exclaimed: “Of a surety the Duke ought only too well
to know that this Bandinello of his is worth nothing.”
Note 1. Cosimo’s silver mines were at Campiglia and Pietrasantra. He
worked them, however, rather at a loss than profit.