"Among other works," says Vasari, "Donato received an order for a
crucifix in wood, for the church of Santa Croce at Florence, on which he
bestowed extraordinary labor. When the work was completed, believing
himself to have produced an admirable thing, he showed it to Filippo di
Ser Brunellesco, his most intimate friend, desiring to have his opinion
of it. Filippo, who had expected from the words of Donato, to see a much
finer production, smiled somewhat as he regarded it, and Donato seeing
this, entreated him by the friendship existing between them, to say what
he thought of it. Whereupon Filippo, who was exceedingly frank, replied
that Donatello appeared to him to have placed a clown on the cross, and
not a figure resembling that of Jesus Christ, whose person was
delicately beautiful, and in all parts the most perfect form of man that
had ever been born. Donato hearing himself censured where he had
expected praise, and more hurt than he was perhaps willing to admit,
replied, 'If it were as easy to execute a work as to judge it, my figure
would appear to thee to be Christ and not a boor; but take wood, and try
to make one thyself.' Filippo, without saying anything more, returned
home, and set to work on a crucifix, wherein he labored to surpass
Donato, that he might not be condemned by his own judgment; but he
suffered no one to know what he was doing. At the end of some months,
the work was completed to the height of perfection, and this done,
Filippo one morning invited Donato to dine with him, and the latter
accepted the invitation. Thereupon, as they were proceeding together
towards the house of Filippo, they passed by the Mercato Vecchio, where
the latter purchased various articles, and giving them to Donato, said,
'Do thou go forward with these things to the house, and wait for me
there; I'll be after thee in a moment.' Donato, therefore, having
entered the house, had no sooner done so than he saw the crucifix, which
Filippo had placed in a suitable light. Stopping short to examine the
work, he found it so perfectly executed, that feeling himself conquered,
full of astonishment, and, as it were startled out of himself, he
dropped the hands which were holding up his apron, wherein he had placed
the purchases, when the whole fell to the ground, eggs, cheese, and
other things, all broken to pieces and mingled together. But Donato, not
recovering from his astonishment, remained still gazing in amazement and
like one out of his wits when Filippo arrived, and inquired, laughing,
'What hast thou been about, Donato? and what dost thou mean us to have
for dinner, since thou hast overturned everything?' 'I, for my part,'
replied Donato, 'have had my share of dinner for to-day; if thou must
needs have thine, take it. But enough said: to thee it has been given to
represent Christ; to me, boors only.'" This crucifix now adorns the
altar of the chapel of the Gondi.