assistant Scipione of Settignano at Carrara as overseer of
the work and returned to Florence. On the 20th of July following he
went again to Carrara, and stayed nine days. On the 16th of August the
contractors for the blocks, all of which were excavated from the old
Roman quarry of Polvaccio, came to Florence, and were paid for on
account. Scipione returned on the 19th of August. It may be added that
the name of Stefano, the miniaturist, who acted as Michelangelo's
factotum through several years, is mentioned for the first time in
this minute and interesting record.

That the commission for the sacristy came from the Cardinal Giulio,
and not from the Pope, appears in the document I have just cited. The
fact is confirmed by a letter written to Fattucci in 1523: "About two
years have elapsed since I returned from Carrara, whither I had gone
to purchase marbles for the tombs of the Cardinal." The letter is
curious in several respects, because it shows how changeable through
many months Giulio remained about the scheme; at one time bidding
Michelangelo prepare plans and models, at another refusing to listen
to any proposals; then warming up again, and saying that, if he lived
long enough, he meant to erect the facade as well. The final issue of
the affair was, that after Giulio became Pope Clement VII., the
sacristy went forward, and Michelangelo had to put the sepulchre of
Julius aside. During the pontificate of Adrian, we must believe that
he worked upon his statues for that monument, since a Cardinal was
hardly powerful enough to command his services; but when the Cardinal
became Pope, and threatened to bring an action against him for moneys
received, the case was altered. The letter to Fattucci, when carefully
studied, leads to these conclusions.

Very little is known to us regarding his private life in the year
1521. We only possess one letter, relating to the purchase of a house.
In October he stood godfather to the infant son of Niccolo Soderini,
nephew of his old patron, the Gonfalonier.

This barren period is marked by only one considerable event--that is,
the termination of the Cristo Risorto, or Christ Triumphant, which had
been ordered by Metello Varj de' Porcari in 1514. The statue seems to
have been rough-hewn at the quarries, packed up, and sent to Pisa on
its way to Florence as early as December 1518, but it was not until
March 1521 that Michelangelo began to occupy himself about it
seriously. He then de