cotta and in full-relief. In terra-cotta, likewise, for the
corners of the vaulting of the Madonna del Popolo in the same city, he
executed four figures larger than life; namely, S. Petronio, S. Procolo,
S. Francis, and S. Dominic, figures which are all very beautiful and
grand in manner. And by the hand of the same man are some works in
stucco at Castel Bolognese, and some others in the Company of S.
Giovanni at Cesena.

Let no one marvel that hitherto our account of this master has dealt
with scarcely any work save in clay, wax, and stucco, and very little in
marble, because--besides the fact that Alfonso was always inclined to
that sort of work--after passing a certain age, being very handsome in
person and youthful in appearance, he practised art more for pleasure
and to satisfy his own vanity than with any desire to set himself to
chisel stone. He used always to wear on his arms, on his neck, and in
his clothing, ornaments of gold and suchlike fripperies, which showed
him to be rather a courtier, vain and wanton, than a craftsman desirous
of glory. Of a truth, just as such ornaments enhance the splendour of
those to whom, on account of their wealth, high estate, and noble blood,
they are becoming, so are they worthy of reproach in craftsmen and
others, who should not measure themselves, some for one reason and some
for another, with the rich, seeing that such persons, in place of being
praised, are held in less esteem by men of judgment, and often laughed
to scorn. Now Alfonso, charmed with himself and indulging in expressions
and wanton excesses little worthy of a good craftsman, on one occasion
robbed himself through this behaviour of all the glory that he had won
by labouring at his profession. For one evening, chancing to be at a
wedding in the house of a Count in Bologna, and having made love for
some time to a lady of quality, he had the luck to be invited by her to
dance the torch-dance; whereupon, whirling round with her, and overcome
by the frenzy of his passion, he said with a trembling voice, sighing
deeply, and gazing at his lady with eyes full of tenderness: "S'amor non
e, che dunque e quel ch' io sento?"[9] Hearing this, the lady, who had a
shrewd wit, answered, in order to show him his error: "A louse,
perhaps." Which answer was heard by many, so that the saying ran through
all Bologna, and he was held to scorn ever afterwards. Truly, if Alfonso
had given his attention not to the vanities of the world