e
had executed himself, of battles and certain other small works, in the
execution of which there was no one to be found in Florence at that
time who surpassed him. Now Lorenzo, who bore a very great love to
painting and to sculpture, was grieved that there were not to be found
in his time sculptors noble and famous enough to equal the many
painters of the highest merit and reputation, and he determined, as I
have said, to found a school. To this end he besought Domenico
Ghirlandajo that, if he had among the young men in his workshop any
that were inclined to sculpture, he might send them to his garden,
where he wished to train and form them in such a manner as might do
honour to himself, to Domenico, and to the whole city. Whereupon there
were given to him by Domenico as the best of his young men, among
others, Michelagnolo and Francesco Granacci; and they, going to the
garden, found there that Torrigiano, a young man of the Torrigiani
family, was executing in clay some figures in the round that had been
given to him by Bertoldo. Michelagnolo, seeing this, made some out of
emulation; wherefore Lorenzo, seeing his fine spirit, always regarded
him with much expectation. And he, thus encouraged, after some days
set himself to counterfeit from a piece of marble an antique head of a
Faun that was there, old and wrinkled, which had the nose injured and
the mouth laughing. Michelagnolo, who had never yet touched marble
or chisels, succeeded so well in counterfeiting it, that the
Magnificent Lorenzo was astonished; and then, perceiving that,
departing from the form of the antique head, he had opened out the
mouth after his own fancy and had made a tongue, with all the teeth
showing, that lord, jesting pleasantly, as was his wont, said to him,
"Surely you should have known that old folks never have all their
teeth, and that some are always wanting." It appeared to Michelagnolo,
in his simplicity, both fearing and loving that lord, that he had
spoken the truth; and no sooner had Lorenzo departed than he
straightway broke one of the teeth and hollowed out the gum, in such a
manner, that it seemed as if the tooth had dropped out. And then he
awaited with eagerness the return of the Magnificent Lorenzo, who,
when he had come and had seen the simplicity and excellence of
Michelagnolo, laughed at it more than once, relating it as a miracle
to his friends. Moreover, having made a resolve to assist and favour
Michelagnolo, he sent for