o a man of thought. Possibly advancing age had
something to do with it; but the fact remains that the man who executed
the bronze statue of Julius in two years, and painted the vault of the
Sistine in less than three years, took seven years to finish the Last
Judgment, which covers a surface about one-third the extent of the vault,
and also is in a much more favourable position for painting.

There is a document shown in the rooms of the State Archives at the Uffizi
that belongs to this period; it is a memorial addressed by the Florentine
Academy to Pope Leo X., asking him to authorise the translation of the
bones of Dante from Ravenna, where they still rest under "the little
cupola, more neat than solemn," to Florence. It is dated October 20, 1518.
All but one of the signatures appended are written in Latin; that one is
as follows:--"I, Michael Angelo, the sculptor, pray the like of your
Holiness, offering my services to the divine poet for the erection of a
befitting sepulchre to him in some honour-place in this city." Michael
Angelo's devotion to Dante was well known to his contemporaries; he is
known to have filled a book with drawings to illustrate the "Divina Com
media"; this volume perished at sea, whilst in the possession of the
sculptor Antonio Montanti, who was shipwrecked on a journey from Leghorn
to Rome.

On April 17, 1517, Michael Angelo bought some ground in the Via Mozza, now
Via San Zanobi, Florence, from the Chapter of Santa Maria del Fiore, to
build a workshop for finishing his marbles; the purchase was completed on
November 24, 1518. This studio remained in his possession until his death.
He describes it to Lionardo di Compago, the saddle-maker, as an excellent
workshop, where twenty statues can be set up together.

Meanwhile he went on working at Pietra Santa for the facade. In August
1518, he writes:----

[Image #34]

ONE OF THE ANCESTORS OF CHRIST, OVER THE WINDOW INSCRIBED "ASA"

(_By permission of the Fratelli Alinari, Florence_)

"The place of quarrying is very rugged, and the workmen are very
ignorant of this sort of work. So for some months I must be very
patient until the mountains are tamed and the men are mastered.
Then we shall get on more quickly. Enough, what I have promised
that will I do by some means, and I will make the most beautiful
thing that has ever been done in Italy if God helps me."

The m