of them—Lorenzo only, I say, permitted all the citizens to see his work, inviting them, or any stranger who might be passing and had acquaintance with the art, to say what they thought on the subject; and these various opinions were so useful to the artist, that he produced a model, which was admirably executed and without any defect whatever. He then made the ultimate preparations, cast the work in bronze, and found it succeed to admiration; when Lorenzo, assisted by Bartoluccio his father, completed and polished the whole with such love and patience, that no work could be executed with more care, or finished with greater delicacy. When the time arrived for comparing the different works, Lorenzo’s specimen, with those of all the other masters, were found to be completed, and were given to the Guild of the Merchants for their judgment. Wherefore, all having been examined by the syndics, and by many other citizens, there were various opinions among them touching the matter. Many foreigners had assembled in Florence—some painters, some sculptors, others goldsmiths: these were all invited by the consuls, or syndics, to give judgment on those works, together with the men of the same calling who dwelt in Florence. The number of these persons was thirty-four, all well experienced in their several arts. But although there were divers opinions among them touching various points, and one preferred the manner of this candidate and one of that, yet they all agreed that Filippo di Ser Brunellesco and Lorenzo di Bartoluccio had presented works of better composition, more richly adorned with figures, and more delicately finished[1] than was that of Donato, although in his specimen also the design was exceedingly good,[2] In the work of Jacopo della Quercia the
- ↑ Cicognara has made an admirable comparison of these works, judiciously and impartially apportioning the due mede of praise to each. It is to be remarked that the specimen presented by Lorenzo was cast all in one piece, while that of Brunellesco was cast in many pieces, which were afterwards conjoined.
- ↑ Cicognara remarks that Vasari here speaks of Donato’s work as though he were possessed of positive intelligence respecting it, while in the life of Donato himself, he makes no further mention of it. Can Vasari be thinking of the model for a bronze door, prepared by Donato for the cathedral of Siena? In the life of Brunellesco, written by a cotemporary, no mention is made of Donato; but there can be no doubt respecting the names of those who were candidates for this magnificent work, since Ghiberti himself names them all in his Commentario. —Schorn and Ed. Flor. 1832-8, 1846-9.
