dinary talents. To me it appears, that from the time of the Greeks and Romans to the present, there has appeared no more excellent or more admirable genius than Filippo; and he is all the more worthy of praise, because in his time the German (Gothic) manner was in high favour through all Italy, being that in practice among all the elder artists, as may be seen in numerous edifices. It was Filippo who revived the use of the antique cornices, and who restored the Tuscan, Corinthian, Doric, and Ionic orders to their primitive forms. He had a disciple from Borgo a Buggiano, who was called II Buggiano; it was this artist who executed the lavatory of the sacristy of Santa Reparata,[1] where there are figures of children, by whom the water is poured forth. He also executed the portrait of his master, taken from the life, in marble, and this, after the death of Brunellesco, was placed in Santa Maria del Fiore, at the door on the right hand as you enter the church; where there is still to be seen the following epitaph, placed there on the part of the public to do him honour, after his death, as he had done honour to his country during his life.
“Quantum Philippus architectus arte Dcedalea valuerit, cum hujus celeberrimi templi mira testudo, turn plures alice divino ingenio ab eo adinventce machines documento esse possunt. Quapropter ab eximias sui animi dotes, singidaresque virtutes, xv Kal. Maias anno MCCCCXLVI ejus b. m. corpus in hac humo supposita grata patria sepeliri jussit.”[2]
- ↑ With respect to this artist nothing was known, beyond the few indications given by Vasari, until the present time; but the Carteggio Inedito di Artisti, published by Gaye, has furnished us with more authentic and precise accounts of his existence, at least, if not of his works. His true name was Andrea di Lazzaro Cavalcanti, of the Borgo-a -Buggiano, in Val di Nievole, and not Michele, as Moreni affirms. He was brought up from a child by Filippo di Ser Brunellesco, and is registered as a “maestro di scarpello”; but he also practised architecture, following the doctrines of his master. For the lavatory in the sacristy of Santa Reparata—a most eccentric production—he received eighty florins. The portrait of his master and adoptive father, mentioned in the text, is in the font-room of the apartments used by the Superintendents of the Duomo. We have no authentic information as to any other work of this artist, but Gaye believes the oratory of San Pietro e Paolo, in Pescia, to be by his hand, as is also a sort of temple erected within the cathedral of the same city. (See Carteggio Inedito, i, 142-45.) Brunellesco made him his heir, and to him was entrusted the execution of the epitaph on the tomb of his master.
- ↑ From a book of the Resolutions of the Superintendents, commencing
