Vasari's Lives of the Artists

Giotto, Masaccio, Fra Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Titian

Giorgio Vasari, Jonathan Foster, Marilyn Aronberg Lavin

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9780486142005
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Histoire de l'art

An instant success upon its publication in the mid-sixteenth century, Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists remains one of the principal resources for study of the art and artists of the Italian Renaissance. Nothing of the scope and magnitude of this work had ever been conceived; the first complete history of modern art, it is widely regarded as the most influential art history book ever written.
The Lives' colorful and detailed portraits of the most representative figures of Italian painting and sculpture trace the flowering of the Renaissance across three centuries. This single-volume edition of selections from Vasari's immense work features eight of the book's most noteworthy artists: Giotto, Masaccio, Fra Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Titian. It also includes an introduction, notes, and glossary; as well as woodcut portraits of each artist by Vasari himself. Students, teachers, and art enthusiasts will find this convenient edition an indispensable resource.

MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI

The Florentine Painter, Sculptor, and Architect

[1475–1564]

WHILE the best and most industrious artists were laboring, by the light of Giotto and his followers, to give the world examples of such power as the benignity of their stars and the varied character of their fantasies enabled them to command, and while desirous of imitating the perfection of Nature by the excellence of Art, they were struggling to attain that high comprehension which many call intelligence, and were universally toiling, but for the most part in vain, the Ruler of Heaven was pleased to turn the eyes of his clemency towards earth, and perceiving the fruitlessness of so many labors, the ardent studies pursued without any result, and the presumptuous self-sufficiency of men, which is farther from truth than is darkness from light, He resolved, by way of delivering us from such great errors, to send to the world a spirit endowed with universality of power in each art, and in every profession, one capable of showing by himself alone what is the perfection of art in the sketch, the outline, the shadows, or the lights, one who could give relief to Paintings, and with an upright judgment could operate as perfectly in Sculpture; nay, who was so highly accomplished in Architecture, also, that he was able to render our habitations secure and commodious, healthy and cheerful, well proportioned, and enriched with the varied ornaments of art.

The Almighty Creator was also pleased to accompany the above with the comprehension of the true Philosophy and the adornment of graceful Poesy, to the end that the world might select and admire in him an extraordinary example of blamelessness in life and every action, as well as of perfection in all his works: insomuch that he might be considered by us to be of a nature rather divine than human. And as the Supreme Ruler perceived that in the execution of all these sublime arts, Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, the Tuscan genius has ever been raised high above all others, the men of that country displaying more zeal in study, and more constancy in labor, than any other people of Italy, so did he resolve to confer the privilege of his birth on Florence, as worthy above all other cities to be his country, and as justly meriting that the perfections of every art should be exhibited to the world by means of one who should be her citizen.

In the Casentino, therefore, and in the year 1475, a son was born, under a fated and happy star, to the Signor Lodovico di Lionardo Buonarroti Simoni, who, as it is said, was descended from the most noble and most ancient family of the Counts of Canossa, the mother being also a noble as well as excellent lady. Lodovico was that year Podestà, or Mayor of Chiusi-e-Caprese, near the Sasso della Verna, where St. Francis received the Stigmata, and which is in the diocese of Arezzo. The child was born on a Sunday, the 6th of March namely, at eight of the night, and the name he received was Michelangelo, because, without further consideration, and inspired by some influence from above, the father thought he perceived something celestial and divine in him beyond what is usual with mortals, as was indeed afterwards inferred from the constellations of his nativity, Mercury and Venus exhibiting a friendly aspect, and being in the second house of Jupiter, which proved that his works of art, whether as conceived in the spirit or performed by hand, would be admirable and stupendous.

His office, or Podesteria, having come to an end, Lodovico returned to Florence, or rather to the villa of Settignano, about three miles from that city, where he had a farm which he had inherited from his ancestors. The place is rich in stone, more especially in quarries of the macigno,¹ which are constantly worked by stone-cutters and sculptors, for the most part natives of the place, and here Michelangelo was given to the wife of a stone-cutter to be nursed. Wherefore, jesting with Vasari one day, Michelangelo once said, “Giorgio, if I have anything good in me, that comes from my birth in the pure air of your country of Arezzo, and perhaps also from the fact that, with the milk of my nurse, I sucked in the chisels and hammers wherewith I make my figures.”

Lodovico had many children, and, as he possessed but slender revenues, he placed his sons as they grew up with wool and silk weavers. When Michelangelo had attained the proper age, he was sent to the school of learning kept by Messer Francesco of Urbino. But the genius of the boy disposing him to drawing, he employed his leisure secretly in that occupation, although reproached for it, and sometimes beaten by his father and other elders, they, perhaps, not perceiving his ability, and considering the pursuit he had adopted an inferior one and unworthy of their ancient family.

At this time Michelangelo formed a friendship with Francesco Granacci, who, although also but a boy, had placed himself with Domenico Ghirlandaio to learn the art of painting; and being fond of Michelangelo, Granacci supplied him daily with the designs of Ghirlandaio, who was then reputed one of the best masters, not in Florence only but through all Italy. The desire of Michelangelo for art thus increased from day to day, and Lodovico, finding it impossible to divert him from his drawings, determined to try if he could not derive benefit from this inclination, and being advised by certain friends, he decided on placing him with Domenico Ghirlandaio.

Michelangelo was now fourteen years old. His life has been written, since this book of mine was first published, by one who affirms that, for want of sufficient intercourse with him, many things have been related by me which are not true, and others omitted which should have been told, more especially respecting this point of time;² Domenico Ghirlandaio, for example, being accused of base envy by the said writer, and declared to have given Michelangelo no assistance in his studies. But that this is indeed false may be shown by certain entries which Lodovico, the father of Michelangelo, wrote with his own hand in one of Domenico’s books, which book is now in the possession of his heirs.

The words in question are these: “1488, I acknowledge and record, this 1st day of April, that I, Lodovico di Lionardo di Buonarroti have engaged Michelangelo my son to Domenico and David di Tommaso di Currado, for the three years next to come, under the following conditions: That the said Michelangelo shall remain with the above-named during all the said time, to the end that they may teach him to paint and to exercise their vocation, and that the above-named shall have full command over him, paying him in the course of these three years twenty-four florins, as wages, in the first six namely, in the second eight, and in the third ten, being in all ninety-six lire.” Beneath this entry is the following, also written by Lodovico: “The above-named Michelangelo has received two florins in gold this sixteenth day of April. I, his father, Lodovico di Lionardo, having received twelve lire and twelve soldi on his account.”

These entries I have copied from the book itself, to show that what I then wrote, as well as what I now propose to write, is the truth, nor do I know any one that has had more intercourse with Michelangelo than myself, or who has been more truly his friend or a more faithful servant to him than I have been. Neither do I believe that any man can show a greater number of letters by his hand than he has written to me, or any written with more affection. This digression I have made for the sake of truth, and it shall suffice for all the rest of the Life. We will now return to the history.

The ability as well as the person of Michelangelo increased to such an extent, that Domenico was amazed thereat, since it appeared to him that Michelangelo not only surpassed his other disciples, of whom he had a large number, but even equalled himself, who was the master. One day for example, as one of Domenico’s disciples had copied with the pen certain draped female figures by Ghirlandaio, Michelangelo took that sheet, and with a broader pen he passed over one of those women with new lines drawn in the manner which they ought to have been in order to produce a perfect form. A wonderful thing it was then to see the difference of the two, and to observe the ability and judgment of one who, though so young, had yet so much boldness as to correct the work of his master. This sheet I now keep as a relic, having obtained it from Granacci, to put it in my book of designs with other drawings by Michelangelo. And in the year 1550, being in Rome, I showed it to Michelangelo, who knew it at once and was rejoiced to see it again, but remarked, out of his modesty, that he knew more when he was a boy than at that time when he had become old.

Now it chanced that when Domenico was painting the great chapel of Santa Maria Novella, he one day went out, and Michelangelo then set himself to draw the scaffolding, with some trestles, the various utensils of the art, and some of those young men who were then working there. Domenico having returned and seen the drawing of Michelangelo exclaimed, “This boy knows more than I do,” standing in amaze at the originality and novelty of manner which the judgment imparted to him by Heaven had enabled a mere child to exhibit. For the work was, in truth, rather such as might have fully satisfied the artist, had it been performed by the hand of an experienced master. But if it was possible to Michelangelo to effect so much, that happened because all the gifts of nature were in him enhanced, and strengthened by study and exercise, wherefore he daily produced works of increased excellence, as began clearly to be made manifest in the copy which he made of a plate engraved by the German Martino,³ and which procured him a very great name. This engraving was one which had just then been brought to Florence, and represented St. Anthony tormented by devils. It is a copperplate, and Michelangelo copied it with a pen in such a manner as had never before been seen. He painted it in colors also; and, the better to imitate the strange forms of some among those devils, he bought fish which had scales somewhat resembling those on the demons; in this painted copy also he displayed so much ability that his credit and reputation were greatly increased thereby.

He likewise copied plates from the hands of many old masters, in such sort that the copies could not be distinguished from the originals, for Michelangelo had tinged and given the former an appearance of age with smoke and other things, so that he had made them look old, and when they were compared with the original, no difference could be perceived. All this he did that he might give his own copies in the place of the old works, which he desired to possess from the hand of their authors, admiring in them the excellence of art and seeking to surpass them when engaged in the execution of his own works, by which he acquired a very great name.

Lorenzo the Magnificent retained at that time the sculptor Bertoldo at his garden on the Piazza, not so much as curator and guardian of the many fine antiquities collected there at great cost, as because Lorenzo desired to form a good School of Painters and Sculptors; wherefore he wished that the students should have for their chief and guide the above-named Bertoldo, who had been a disciple of Donatello. It is true that he was old and could not work, but he was an able and highly reputed artist, not only for the ability and diligence which he had shown in polishing the bronze pulpits of Donatello, his master, but also for the numerous casts in bronze of battle pieces and other smaller works, which he had executed for himself, and in the treatment of which there was then no one in Florence who could surpass him.

Having a true love for art, Lorenzo grieved that in his time there should be found no great and noble sculptors who could take rank with the many painters of high fame and merit then existing, and he resolved, as I have said, to form a School. To this end he requested Domenico Ghirlandaio to send to the garden any youth whom he might find disposed to the study of sculpture, when Lorenzo promised to provide for his progress, hoping thus to create, so to speak, such artists as should do honor to his city.

By Domenico, therefore, were presented to him among others, Michelangelo and Francesco Granacci, as excellent for this purpose. They went to the garden accordingly, and found there Torrigiano, a youth of the Torrigiani family, who was executing in clay certain figures in full relief which Bertoldo had given him. Seeing this, and aroused to emulation, Michelangelo began to attempt the same; when Lorenzo, perceiving his fine abilities, conceived great hope of his future success, and he, much encouraged, took a piece of marble, after having been there but a few days, and set himself to copy the head of an old Faun from the antique. The nose of the original was much injured, the mouth was represented laughing, and this Michelangelo, who had never before touched the chisel or marble, did in fact copy in such a manner that the Magnifico was utterly amazed.

Lorenzo, furthermore, perceived that the youth had departed to a certain extent from the original, having opened the mouth according to his own fancy, so that the tongue and all the teeth were in view. He then remarked in a jesting manner to the boy, “Thou shouldst have remembered that old folks never retain all their teeth; some of them are always wanting.” Michelangelo, who loved that Signore as much as he respected him, believed in his simplicity that Lorenzo had spoken in earnest, and no sooner saw his back turned than he broke out a tooth, filing the gum in such sort as to make it seem that the tooth had dropped out. He then waited impatiently the return of the Signore. When the latter saw what was done, he was much amazed, and often laughed at the circumstance with his friends, to whom he related it as a marvel, resolving meanwhile to assist Michelangelo and put him forward.

He sent for Lodovico, therefore, requesting the latter to entrust the youth to his care, and saying that he would treat him as a son of his own, to which Lodovico consented gladly; when Lorenzo gave orders that a room in his own house should be prepared for Michelangelo, and caused him to eat at his own table with his sons and other persons of worth and quality. This was in the second year of Michelangelo’s engagement with Domenico, and when the youth was fifteen or sixteen years old. He remained in the house of Lorenzo the Magnificent four years, to the death of Lorenzo namely, which took place in 1492. During all this time, Michelangelo received from the Magnifico an allowance of five ducats per month, and was furthermore presented for his gratification with a violet-colored mantle. His father, likewise, had an office in the Customs conferred on him. But indeed all the young men who studied in the garden received stipends of greater or less amount from the liberality of that magnificent and most noble citizen, being constantly encouraged and rewarded by him while he lived.

At this time and by the advice of Politiano, Michelangelo executed a Battle of Hercules with the Centaurs in a piece of marble given to him by Lorenzo, and which proved to be so beautiful that whosoever regards this work can scarcely believe it to have been that of a youth, but would rather suppose it the production of an experienced master. It is now in the house of his family,⁴ and is preserved by Michelangelo’s nephew Lionardo, as a memorial of him, and as an admirable production, which it certainly is. Not many years since, this same Lionardo had a basso-relievo of Our Lady, also by Michelangelo, and which he kept as a memorial of his uncle; this is of marble and somewhat more than a braccio high. Our artist was still but a youth when it was done, and designing to copy the manner of Donatello therein, he was succeeded to such an extent that it might be taken for a work by that master, but exhibits more grace and higher powers of design than he possessed. That basso-relievo was afterwards given by Lionardo to Duke Cosimo, by whom it is highly valued, and the rather as there is no other basso-relievo by his hand.

But to return to the garden of Lorenzo the Magnificent. Of this place, adorned with valuable antiques and excellent pictures, collected there for study and pleasure, Michelangelo had the keys, and proved himself more careful as well as more prompt in all his actions than any of the other young men who frequented the place, giving proof of boldness and animation in all that he did. He labored at the pictures of Masaccio in the Carmine also for many months, copying them with so much judgment that the artists were amazed thereat. But envy now increased with his fame. Respecting this we find it related that Torrigiano, having formed an intimacy with Michelangelo, and becoming envious of his distinction in art, one day, when jeering our artist, struck him so violent a blow in the face that his nose was broken and crushed in a manner from which it could never be recovered, so that he was marked for life; whereupon Torrigiano was banished from Florence.

On the death of Lorenzo, Michelangelo returned to his father’s house in great sorrow for his loss. Here he bought a large piece of marble from which he made a Hercules, four braccia high, which was much admired and, after having remained for some years in the Strozzi Palace, was sent to France, in the year of the siege, by Giovan Battista della Palla. It is said that Piero de’ Medici, the heir of Lorenzo, who had been long intimate with Michelangelo, often sent for him when about to purchase cameos or other antiques, and that, one winter, when much snow fell in Florence, he caused Michelangelo to make in his court a Statue of Snow, which was exceedingly beautiful. His father, seeing him thus honored for his abilities, and beginning to perceive that he was esteemed by the great, now began to clothe him in a more stately manner than he had before done.

For the church of Santo Spirito, in Florence, Michelangelo made a Crucifix in wood, which is placed over the lunette of the high altar. This he did to please the prior, who had given him a room wherein he dissected many dead bodies, and, zealously studying anatomy, began to give evidence of that perfection to which he afterwards brought his design.

Some weeks before the Medici were driven from Florence, Michelangelo had gone to Bologna, and thence to Venice, having remarked the insolence and bad government of Piero, and fearing that some evil would happen to himself as a servant of the Medici. But finding no means of existence in Venice, he returned to Bologna, where he had the misfortune to neglect the countersign, which it was needful to take at the gate, if one desired to go out again, Messer Giovanni Bentivogli having then commanded that all strangers who had not this protection should be fined fifty Bolognese lire. This fine Michelangelo had no means of paying, but he having, by chance been seen by Messer Giovan Francesco Aldovrandi, one of the sixteen members of the government, the latter, making him tell his story, delivered him from that peril, and kept him in his own house for more than a year.

One day, Aldovrandi took him to see the tomb of San Domenico, which is said to have been executed by the old sculptors, Giovanni Pisano⁵ and Maestro Niccolò dell’Arca. Here, as it was found that two figures, of a braccio high, a San Petronio, and an Angel holding a candlestick namely, were wanting, Aldovrandi asked Michelangelo if he had courage to undertake them, when he replied that he had; and having selected a piece of marble, he completed them in such sort that they are the best figures of the work; and he received thirty ducats for the two. He remained, as we have said, a year with Aldovrandi, and to have obliged him would have remained longer, the latter being pleased with his ability in design, and also with his Tuscan pronunciation in reading, listening with pleasure while Michelangelo read the works of Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, and other Tuscan authors.

But our artist, knowing that he was losing time at Bologna, returned to Florence, where he executed a San Giovanni in marble for Lorenzo di Pier Francesco de’ Medici; after which he commenced a Sleeping Cupid, also in marble and the size of life. This being finished was shown as a fine work, by means of Baldassare del Milanese to Pier-Francesco, who having declared it beautiful, Baldassare then said to Michelangelo, “I am certain that, if you bury this statue for a time, and then send it to Rome so treated, that it may look old, you may get much more for it than could be obtained here”; and this Michelangelo is said to have done, as indeed he very easily could, that or more, but others declare that it was Milanese who, having taken this Cupid to Rome, there buried it, and afterwards sold it as an antique to the Cardinal San Giorgio for two hundred crowns. Others again affirm that the one sold to San Giorgio was made by Michelangelo for Milanese, who wrote to beg that Pier-Francesco would give Michelangelo thirty crowns, declaring that sum to be all he had obtained for it, thus deceiving both him and Michelangelo.

Cardinal San Giorgio had, meanwhile, discovered that the Cupid had been made in Florence, and having ascertained the whole truth, he compelled Milanese to return the money and take back the statue, which, having fallen into the hands of the Duke Valentino, was presented by him to the Marchioness of Mantua, who took it to that city, where it is still to be seen. San Giorgio, meanwhile, incurred no small ridicule and even censure in the matter, he not having been able to appreciate the merit of the work; for this consisted in its absolute perfection, wherein, if a modern work be equal to the ancient, wherefore not value it as highly? For i...