m to be an improper
picture. Pierre Mariette informs us that the picture was only hidden away,
and that it reappeared and was seen by him. It was restored and sent to
England. In the offices of the National Gallery is the best edition of
this picture. The head and arm are repainted, but the thigh and hip are
modelled in a magnificent style that reminds us of the figure of Night in
the Medician tombs that he was at this very time carving. From the power
of this portion of the work we may assume that it is the damaged and much
restored original by Michael Angelo.

[Image #38]

THE HEAD OF THE DAWN

THE NEW SACRISTY, SAN LORENZO, FLORENCE
(_By permission of the Fratelli Alinari, Florence_)

Vasari informs us that about this time "he began a statue, of three
cubits, in marble. It was an Apollo drawing a shaft from his quiver. This
he nearly finished. It stands now in the chamber of the Prince of
Florence, a thing of rare beauty, though not quite completed." This work
was presented by the artist to Baccio Valori, the powerful agent of the
Medici. It is now in one of the upper rooms of the Bargello, in Florence.
The rough hatchings of the chisel lines are everywhere visible; the figure
is palpitating with life under a veil of hewn marble; the pose of the
young god as he glides along and turns his head over his shoulder is one
of the most beautiful and graceful Michael Angelo ever imagined. Until
1533 Michael Angelo worked at the Medici monuments. The ever recurring
trouble about the Tomb of Julius distracted him in 1532; a new contract
was made out in the May of that year, and Michael Angelo evidently
expected that he would have to go to Rome about it. This may be gathered
from the important letter written on February 24, 1531, by Sebastiano del
Piombo, in Rome, to Michael Angelo, in Florence; it marks the renewal of
the intercourse of the two old friends after the dangers and troubles they
had passed through during the siege of Florence and the sack of Rome.
Sebastiano's previous letter, as far as we know, is dated April 25, 1525:--

_1531, 24th February._

"MY DEAREST COMRADE,--By Master Domenico, called Menichella, who
has been to see me on your behalf. God knows how dear it was to
me. After so many sorrows, hardships, and dangers, Almighty God
has left us alive and well in His mercy and pity. A fact truly