Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/329

When Paolo Guinigi left, or rather was driven out of, Lucca, in the year 1429, and the city remained free, this sepulchre was removed from its place; and such was the hatred borne to the name of Guinigi by the Lucchese, that it was almost totally destroyed; but their admiration of the beautiful figure and rich ornaments restraining them to a certain extent, they some time afterwards caused the sarcophagus, with the statue, to be carefully placed near the door leading into the sacristy, where they now are,^[1] but the chapel of the Guinigi was taken into the possession of the commune.

Jacopo had, meanwhile, heard the rumour of what was intended by the guild of the cloth-workers in Florence, who were proposing to have a second door of bronze constructed for the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the first having been executed, as we have said, by Andrea Pisano. He had, consequently, repaired to Florence to make himself known, since this work was to be confided to the artist who, in preparing the required specimen of bronze, should give the most satisfactory evidence of his talents and capabilities. Arrived in Florence, therefore, Jacopo not only prepared the model, but presented one admirably executed story, entirely completed and polished. This work gave so much satisfaction, that, if he had not had those most excellent artists Donatello and Filippo Brunelleschi for competitors, and who did, without doubt, surpass him in the specimens they presented, that great work would have been entrusted to him.^[2] But as the affair concluded differently, our artist left Florence and proceeded to Bologna, where, by the favour of Giovanni Bentivoglio, he received a commission from the wardens of that building to execute the principal door of the church of San Petronio. This door is in marble, and as Jacopo did not wish to alter the manner in which the work had been commenced, he continued it in the Gothic style, adding the stories in relief which

del Carretto, was buried in December 1405; but the work of Jacopo was not executed until the year 1413.—Ed. Flor. 1849.

1. One side of the basement, a basso-relievo, with three boys holding a festoon or garland, is now in the gallery of Florence, having been purchased in the year 1829.— Ibid. 1832.
2. An account of the competition for this work will be found in the Life of Ghiberti, by whom all other competitors were surpassed, as will be well remembered.