by the heirs of Ruberto Martelli, and respecting which a Fideicommisso was executed, to the effect that it should neither be pledged, sold, nor given away, under heavy penalties, in testimony of the affection borne by the Martelli family to Donato, and of his gratitude to them for the opportunity which their protection had afforded him for the acquirement of his art.[1]
Donato also constructed a sepulchral monument for an archbishop, which was sent to Naples, and is erected in Sant’ Angelo di Seggio di Nido.[2] In this work are three figures in full relief, which support the sarcophagus on their heads, and on the tomb itself is a story, in basso-rilievo, which merits the highest praise. In the palace of the Count of Matalone, in the same city, is the head of a horse, from the hands of Donato, which is so beautiful that many believe it to be antique.[3] In the Castello di Prato he constructed the marble pulpit, from which the girdle (of the Virgin) is shown. In one compartment of this pulpit is a dance of children, so admirably and beautifully executed, that the master may be truly said to have exhibited the perfection of his art no less
- ↑ Cicognara gives a drawing of another admirable work of Donatello, now in the Martelli Palace—a bronze medallion or patera, which appears to be the imitation of an antique; whence it may be inferred that there have been, and probably still are, other imitations, no less excellent, by the same artist. An equally admirable work of this master is also in that palace—a bust of San Giovannino, so beautiful and so exquisitely finished as to be a perfect gem. Schorn affirms that the idea of Raphael’s John the Baptist was taken from this work. The genealogical tree of the Martelli family was executed by Donatello on the fa9ade of their ancient house; but when the destruction or removal of these memorials of the nobility was commanded by the conquering French Republic in 1799, this work was removed to the present dwelling of the family. See Cinelli, Bellezze di Firenze.
- ↑ Schorn, who quotes Baldinucci, vol. iii, p. 76, note, observes that in this monument, which was erected to the memory of Cardinal Rinaldo Brancacci, Michelozzo took part; and Gaye (i, 117-9) cites a document wherein this work is mentioned, among others by Michelozzo, in the following terms: “We have a tomb in hand for Naples, which is intended for Messer Rinaldo, Cardinal de’ Brancacci of Naples. We are to have 850 florins for this tomb, but have to finish and take it to Naples at our own expense; they are now working on it at Pisa.” Some heads and figures from this tomb may be seen in Cicognara, ii, pi. 8.
- ↑ And it is in fact the relic of an antique horse, which stood before the cathedral, but was melted down by an archbishop to make a great bell. Mention is made of it by Sarnelli in the Descrizione di Napoli; in the Vite de
