h of Michelagnolo, for he was very modest. Finally
it was agreed that the direction should be left entirely to
Michelagnolo, and that the labour of executing that work should fall
to Tiberio; with all which they were content, Buonarroti promising
them that Tiberio would serve them excellently well. And so, having
given the ground-plan to Tiberio to be drawn accurately and with
correct measurements, he drew for him the profiles both within and
without, and bade him make a model of clay, teaching him the way to
execute it so that it might stand firm. In ten days Tiberio executed a
model of eight palms, which much pleased the whole Florentine colony,
so that afterwards they caused to be made from it a model of wood,
which is now in the residence of the Consuls of that colony; a thing
as rare in its beauty, richness, and great variety, as any temple
that has ever been seen. A beginning was made with the building, and
five thousand crowns were spent; but the funds for the fabric failed,
and so it was abandoned, at which Michelagnolo felt very great
displeasure. He obtained for Tiberio the commission to finish under
his direction, at S. Maria Maggiore, a chapel begun for Cardinal Santa
Fiore; but it was left unfinished, on account of the death of the
Cardinal, of Michelagnolo, and of Tiberio himself, the death of which
young man was a very great loss.

[Illustration: BRUTUS

(_After =Michelagnolo=. Florence: Museo Nazionale_)

_Brogi_]

Michelagnolo had been seventeen years in the fabric of S. Pietro, and
several times the deputies had tried to remove him from that position,
but they had not succeeded, and they were seeking to oppose him in
every matter now with one vexatious pretext and now with another,
hoping that out of weariness, being now so old that he could do no
more, he would retire before them. It happened in those days that
Cesare da Castel Durante, who had been the overseer, died, and
Michelagnolo, to the end that the fabric might not suffer, sent there
Luigi Gaeta, who was too young but very competent, until he should
find a man after his desire. The deputies (some of whom had many times
made efforts to place there Nanni di Baccio Bigio, who was always
urging them and promising great things), in order to be able to
disturb the affairs of the fabric at their pleasure, sent Luigi Gaeta
away, which having heard, Michelagnolo, as in anger, would no longer
show himself at the fabric; whereupon they began to give