Giorgio Vasari

“ But he was mistaken, Paolo accepted the defiance, when Mino, repenting of his boldness, would bet no more than a hundred ducats, and that merely to save his credit. The statue being finished, victory was adjudged to Paolo, as to an excellent and distinguished artist, which he was, while Mino made himself known as one who would do more in words than in works. ”

“ There is a tomb by Mino at Monte Casino, a house of the Black Friars in the kingdom of Naples, with certain works in marble at the city of Naples. The statues of San Pietro and San Paolo, which are at the foot of the steps of St. Peter’s at Rome, [2] are also by him, as is the Tomb of Pope Paul II. [3] in the Basilica of St. Peter’s. The statue executed by Paolo, in competition with Mino, was the San Paolo which is to be seen on a marble pedestal at the entrance of the bridge of Sant’ Angelo, and which had for a long time stood before the Chapel of Sixtus IV., its merit being then unperceived. ”

“ Mino greatly inferior to him in talent, but so presumptuous and arrogant, that he not only displayed his self-sufficiency in his conduct, but even exalted and boasted of his own vforks without measure in all his discourse. On a certain occasion, when Pope Pius II. gave a commission to the Roman sculptor Paolo for the execution of a statue, Mino, envious of this good fortune, so persecuted and tormented Paolo, that the latter, who was a most kindly and diffident man, was nevertheless compelled to resent his proceedings ”