and April 1566 may be partly understood from Diomede Leoni's
correspondence. This man, a native of San Quirico, was Daniele's
scholar, and an intimate friend of the Buonarroti family. On the 9th
of September 1564 he wrote to Lionardo: "Your two heads of that
sainted man are coming to a good result, and I am sure you will be
satisfied with them." It appears, then, that Lionardo had ordered two
copies from Daniele. On the 21st of April 1565 Diomede writes again:
"I delivered your messages to Messer Daniele, who replies that you are
always in his mind, as also the two heads of your lamented uncle. They
will soon be cast, as also will my copy, which I mean to keep by me
for my honour." The casting must have taken place in the summer of
1565, for Diomede writes upon the 6th of October: "I will remind him
(Daniele) of your two heads; and he will find mine well finished,
which will make him wish to have yours chased without further delay."
The three heads had then been cast; Diomede was polishing his up with
the file; Daniele had not yet begun to do this for Lionardo's. We hear
nothing more until the death of Daniele da Volterra. After this event
occurred, Lionardo Buonarroti received a letter from Jacopo del Duca,
a Sicilian bronze-caster of high merit, who had enjoyed Michelangelo's
confidence and friendship. He was at present employed upon the
metal-work for Buonarroti's monument in the Church of the SS. Apostoli
in Rome, and on the 18th of April he sent important information
respecting the two heads left by Daniele. "Messer Danielo had cast
them, but they are in such a state as to require working over afresh
with chisels and files. I am not sure, then, whether they will suit
your purpose; but that is your affair. I, for my part, should have
liked you to have the portrait from the hand of the lamented master
himself, and not from any other. Your lordship must decide: appeal to
some one who can inform you better than I do. I know that I am
speaking from the love I bear you; and perhaps, if Danielo had been
alive, he would have had them brought to proper finish. As for those
men of his, I do not know what they will do." On the same day, a
certain Michele Alberti wrote as follows: "Messer Jacopo, your gossip,
has told me that your lordship wished to know in what condition are
the heads of the late lamented Michelangelo. I inform you that they
are cast, and will be chased within the space of a month, or rather
more. So your lord