ith no other colour, it is as beautiful as if it were of marble. So
are two angels that are above by way of ornament, each with a
candelabrum in his hand. On the predella of the altar there is a Pieta
with Our Lady and S. John, made of marble and very beautiful. At his
death he left in his house many things begun both in clay and in marble.
Benedetto was a very good draughtsman, as may be seen in certain
drawings in our book. Finally he died in 1498, at the age of fifty-four,
and was honourably buried in S. Lorenzo; and he left directions that all
his property, after the death of certain of his relatives, should go to
the Company of the Bigallo.

While Benedetto in his youth was working as a joiner and at the inlaying
of wood, he had among his rivals Baccio Cellini, piper to the Signoria
of Florence, who made many very beautiful inlaid works in ivory, and
among others an octagon of figures in ivory, outlined in black and
marvellously beautiful, which is in the guardaroba of the Duke. In like
manner, Girolamo della Cecca, a pupil of Baccio and likewise piper to
the Signoria, also executed many inlaid works at that same time. A
contemporary of these was David Pistoiese, who made a S. John the
Evangelist of inlaid work at the entrance to the choir of S. Giovanni
Evangelista in Pistoia--a work more notable for great diligence in
execution than for any great design. There was also Geri Aretino, who
wrought the choir and the pulpit of S. Agostino at Arezzo with figures
and views in perspective, likewise of inlaid wood. This Geri was a very
fanciful man, and he made with wooden pipes an organ most perfect in
sweetness and softness, which is still at the present day over the door
of the Sacristy of the Vescovado at Arezzo, with its original goodness
as sound as ever--a work worthy of marvel, and first put into execution
by him. But not one of these men, nor any other, was as excellent by a
great measure as was Benedetto; wherefore he deserves to be ever
numbered with praise among the best craftsmen of his professions.

FOOTNOTES:

[28] _I.e._, clock.

ANDREA VERROCCHIO

[Illustration: DAVID

(_After the bronze by =Andrea Verrocchio=. Florence: Bargello_)

_Anderson_]

LIFE OF ANDREA VERROCCHIO

PAINTER, SCULPTOR, AND ARCHITECT OF FLORENCE

Andrea del Verrocchio, a Florentine, was in his day a goldsmith, a
master of perspective, a sculptor, a wood-carver, a painter, and a
musician; but in the arts of s