Giorgio Vasari

“ Ultimately Nanni Bigio devoted himself more especially to architecture, under Antonio da Sangallo, and while the disciple of the latter, Nanni Baccio worked with him at the Church of San Pietro, where he fell from a scaffold sixty braccia high, and hurt himself so grievously that it was a marvel he escaped with life. This artist has erected many buildings both in Rome and without the city; many others and of more important character he has laboured to obtain the care of, as we have said in the Life of Michelagnolo. ”

“ What we have previously said of the Aretine Sculptor, the Cavalier Lione Lioni, having been spoken incidentally, it will not be amiss that we should here enumerate in order the works performed by him, and which well merit to be retained in the memory of future ages. Lione first studied the art of the goldsmith, and in his youth produced many good works, more especially dies for medals, cut in steel, and representing portraits from the life ”

“ I will now say a few words respecting medals and dies of steel, in which I believe I may truly affirm, that the moderns have approached the ancient Romans as respects the beauty of the figures, while in the excellence of the letters and some other particulars, they have surpassed them. ”

“ Around the basin, into which there is a commodious descent by circular steps, there is a space in which two persons can walk together conveniently.
The wall of the building is divided into eight compartments, in four of which are large niches, each of them having a circular basin, but slightly raised from the ground, and half within the niche, while the other half projects beyond it; this basin, which is large enough for a man to bathe therein, receives cold and hot water from the horns of a great mask which takes the same in again at its mouth. ”

“ Having subsequently executed a Ceres in marble, which stands over a door of the house of Ansaldo Grimaldi, Guglielmo made a figure of Santa Caterina, the size of life, to go over the Gate of the Cazzuola in that city, with the Three Graces, also in marble, and four Children, which were sent to Flanders, to the Grand Esquire of the Emperor Charles V., accompanied another statue of Ceres, of the size of life. All these works were produced by these artist in six years, and in 1537 he repaired to Rome, where he was warmly recommended to the good ofiices of the Venetian painter. ”

“ When Galeazzo has not been able himself to be present, he has sent designs for Palaces, Churches, and other buildings, into every part of Italy; but of these I will not now speak further, what I have said being sufficient to make him known as an excellent and able architect. [10]
There is one artist more, whom, as he is one of our Italians, I will not omit to mention, although I do not know the particulars of his works ”

“ These eight compartments are separated by terminal figures which support the cornice whereon the circular vaulting of the whole fabric reposes: from the centre of the ceiling hangs a large ball of crystal, on which is depicted the celestial sphere, and within this is the Griobe of the Earth, from various parts of which proceed lights to illumine the Bath, when any one desires to use it at night: these lights render the whole building as clear as it is at mid-day. ”

“ For this tomb he used the models of the Cardinal and Theological Virtues, which he had prepared for that of the Bishop of Sulisse, [5] but with improved design, placing four Children, with inscriptions, at the four angles, and adding the seated statue of the Pontiff, in the act of giving the benediction: this last figure, which is seventeen palms high, is in bronze. Fearing that the mass of the metal might get cold, and so endanger the success of his casting, Guglielmo kept it in the lower furnace constantly heated, and caused it to be brought gradually into the mould above ”

“ King Philip; and a third, the Cardinal himself; all portraits from the life, and each placed on a basement adorned with little figures of infinite grace. For the Signor Yespasiano Gonzaga, Lione has made the portrait of Alva, in a large bust of bronze, which Yespasiano now has in his house; and for the Signore Cesare Gonzaga, he has executed a Statue four braccia high, also in bronze, and having a figure beneath him, around which is entwined a Hydra. ”

“ His Holiness having caused the whole to be arranged after the designs of Michelagnolo, with the exception of five figures in bronze, which are by the hand of Lione. The first and largest of these figures is the Statue of the Marquis, larger than life, and standing upright; he has the baton of a General in one hand, and rests the other on a helmet, richly decorated, which is placed on a genealogical tree. To the left of this figure is a smaller statue, representing Peace ”