Giorgio Vasari

“ Piero therefore began once more to draw as he had been wont to do, for having here the competition of the other young people whom Tribolo kept about him, he set himself with much ardour of mind to his studies, devoting himself thereto day and night, being impelled by his nature and an eager desire for knowledge and honour, while he was still further incited by the example of his fellow disciples, whom he constantly saw labouring around him. ”

“ He therefore gave the young artist a piece of marble, twothirds of a braccio high and a braccio and a quarter long; and from this Vinci produced a figure of Our Saviour Christ fastened to the column and scourged. In this work the rules of basso-rilievo and of design are observed with great care and all who considered that Piero had not yet attained his sixteenth year, were amazed at this production, seeing that in the five years of his study, this youth had made acquisitions in art, which others attain only after length of life and the varied experience of many labours. ”

“ This decided on, Bartolommeo took measures for effecting it without delay, and placed Piero, who had now reached the age of twelve, with Baccio Bandinello, persuaded that Baccio, as having formerly been the friend of Leonardo, would take due care of the boy, and would teach him his art with all diligence; the father believing himself to have ascertained that his child was more strongly disposed to sculpture than to painting. ”

“ Francesco Bandini, who was the intimate friend of Michelagnolo Buonarroti, having arrived in Florence from Rome, II Vinci was made known to him by means of Luca Martini; being much pleased with the young artist, Francesco caused him to make the model in wax of a sepulchral monument, which he proposed to construct in marble for his chapel in the church of Santa Croce, and shortly afterwards, on his return to Rome, he took Vinci with him, the latter having made known to Luca Martini his wish to proceed to that city. ”

“ In this work II Vinci was no less happy in setting forth the powers of design, than Dante had been in displaying the excellence of poetry, seeing that he who beholds these events as represented in the wax of the sculptor, is moved to compassion no less forcibly than are those who listen to the words and accents imprinted on the living page of the poet.
To mark the site where the event delineated in the rilievo occurred, Piero has caused the river Arno to occupy the whole of the foreground, the before-mentioned tower in Pisa being but a very short distance from the Arno. ”

“ While Piero was thus working in Rome, and was occupied with the labours of which we have spoken, Luca Martini was appointed by the Duke of Florence to be Proveditore of Pisa, and in his new office he did not forget his friend, but wrote to him, on the contrary, telling him that he was preparing an abode for his reception, and had a piece of marble of three braccia ready for him to commence working on, so that he might return at his pleasure, seeing that he should want for nothing while he would remain with him. ”

“ After this Piero sculptured a figure of a boy for one of the fountains of Castello; he is holding a fish which he presses closely in his arms, and from the mouth of which there flows water: and Tribolo having then given him a larger piece of marble, Piero made two boys therefrom; with their arms thrown around each other they hold fishes compressed in their hands, from whose mouths the water is gushing. ”

“ Il Vinci then executed the statue in travertine, making it three braccia and a half high, and the work was highly applauded, more particularly for the figure of a little child, which, being placed at the foot of the statue, assists to support the cornucopia, and, notwithstanding the rugged and intractable character of the material, has all the softness and flexibility of life. ”

“ Martini having spoken to the Duke therefore, and presenting Piero to his Excellency, obtained a very willing assent from the Duke, who entrusted the young artist with that work, having always been ready to assist men of ability, and to bring forward all wlio have given promise of distinction. ”

“ Ed. Flor.j 1832-8. ↑ This work, which has sometimes been erroneously attributed to Michael Angelo, is still to be seen in the Palace of the Count della Gherardesca, near the Porta-a -Pinti; many copies in plaster are to be found in other places. ”