Milan, of which design
there are two forms in our book; in one the Duke has Verona beneath him,
and in the other he is on a pedestal covered with battle pieces, in full
armour, and forcing his horse to leap on a man in armour. But the reason
why he did not put these designs into execution I have not yet been able
to discover. The same man made some very beautiful medals; among others,
one representing the conspiracy of the Pazzi, containing on one
side the heads of Lorenzo and Giuliano de' Medici, and on the reverse
the choir of S. Maria del Fiore, with the whole event exactly as it
happened. He also made the medals of certain Pontiffs, and many other
things that are known to craftsmen.

[Illustration: THE MARTYRDOM OF S. SEBASTIAN

(_After the panel by =Antonio Pollaiuolo=. London: National Gallery,
292_)

_Mansell_]

[Illustration: TOMB OF POPE SIXTUS IV

(_After =Antonio Pollaiuolo=. Rome: S. Peter's_)

_Anderson_]

Antonio was seventy-two years of age when he died, and Piero sixty-five.
The former left many disciples, among whom was Andrea Sansovino. Antonio
had a most fortunate life in his day, finding rich Pontiffs, and his own
city at the height of its greatness and delighting in talent, wherefore
he was much esteemed; whereas, if he had chanced to live in an
unfavourable age, he would not have produced such fruits as he did,
since troublous times are deadly enemies to the sciences in which men
labour and take delight.

For S. Giovanni in Florence, after the design of this man, there were
made two dalmatics, a chasuble, and a cope, of double brocade, all woven
in one piece without a single seam; and for these, as borders and
ornaments, there were embroidered the stories of the life of S. John,
with most delicate workmanship and art, by Paolo da Verona, a divine
master of that profession and rare in intelligence beyond all others,
who executed the figures no less well with the needle than Antonio would
have done them with his brush; wherefore we owe no small obligation to
the one for his design and to the other for his patience in embroidering
it. This work took twenty-six years to complete; but of these
embroideries, which, being made with the close stitch, are not only more
durable but also seem like a real painting done with the brush, the good
method is now all but lost, since we now use a more open stitch, which
is less durable and less lovely to the eye.

SANDRO BOTTICELLI

LIFE OF