Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-09-21
Anecdotes Of Michael Angelo.

| When only seventeen, Michael Angelo
executed for Lorenzo a basso-reevo in
bronze; the subject was the Battle of
Centaurs." When very old the great paint
er once came to see this work of his early
youth. and was heard to say that he regret
ted TINT he had not entirely devoted himself
to sculpture. His next work was Sleep
ing Cupid" The wise of that age thought
it impossible for modern art to produce
anything equal to the antique; and they
were not far wrong, for Michael Angelo had
not then arisen. SO the dealer who pur-
chased his Cupid had the cunning adroit-
ness to stain it in imitation of the deface-
ments of time, and bury it in avineyard.-
He afterwards pretended to discover it by
accident, and sold it as an antique statue of
Cardinal San Giorgio. The praise it OBJ
tanned induced him to reveal the secret the
deceived public generously forgave the trick
and the artist was invited to Rome, where
Pope julius II. commissioned him to erect
a mausolcum. Michaels design was mag
n:a;ocnt. When he showed it to the Pope,
his holiness inquired the cost of such
splendid work. Michael answered that it
would amount to hundred thousand
crowns; and the pope literally gave him
permission to expend twice that sum. The
nausoleum was commenced; Pope julius
was SO delighted with it, that he had a COW
cred way from his palace erected, that he
might visit the artist at his work incOgnitO.
This was too great favor not TO excite the
envy of a court. Ill words and unkind SLAM
ders were spoken of Michael. They reach
ed the Pope's ear, as II was intended, and
he visited Buonarotti no. more. Michael
came to the Vatican, which had been at all
= times open to him but it was not so now.
groom of the chamber stopped his en-
trance.
3 " Do you know to whom you speak 2"
asked the indignant painter.
" Perfectly WE'LL" said the man; " and |
only domy duty, in obeying the orders my
master has given"
"Then tell the Pope" replied Michael,
" if he wants me, he may come and seek
me elsewhere himself"
The insuted artist returned Immediately
to his house, ordered his servants to sell his
furniture, and follow him to Florence; and
left Rome that very night Great was the
: Pope's CONSERVATION. Courers were imme-
= late; he had already passed the boundary
of the Pope's jurisdiction, and force was of
no avail. The couriers reached Florence,
and delivered the Pope's letter. Michael's
answer was this: 81 have been expelled
from the antechamber of your holiness
without meriting Disgrace; therefore hive
lett Rome to preserve my reputation. will
not return, as your holiness commands. If
, have been deemed worthless one day, how
can | be valued the next, except by ca
price alike discreditable to the one who
! shows it and the one to whom it is shown"
julius next wrote to the government OF
FLORENCE, using these concliatory words :
" We know the hunor of men like Michael
Angelo. If he will return, we promise that
none shall offend him or interfere with him,
and he shall be relnstated IN our apostolic
grace" But Michael was inflexIble. Again
and again the Pope wrote, and still tins
. proud aud high spirited man refused to heed
INN. AT last the chef magistrate OF Flor
ence became alarmed. lie sent for the ar
list, and said, "You have treated the Pope
us the king of France himself would not
q have dared, We cannot bring him TO war
against the State on your account; there
/ trate promised also, if Michael feared for
r MS personal safety, W sehu Hiih DIS diIpdS-
, sador to Rome, in which case his person
q would be inyioIabe At last Michael re-
Tented, and met the Pope at Bologna. Ju-
Illus glanced at him with displeasure, and
did not for some time deign to speak. At
last he said, Instead of your coming to us,
4, you seem to have expected that we should
wait upon YOU"
Michael answered with a slight apology
E for his conduct, which however, was SO
haughiily expressed, that prelate, who had
introduced him, thought it necessary to OBJ
serve" One must needs make allowance
: for such men, who are Ignorant OF every
thing except their art"
Wise, and generous too, was the Pope's
, indignant reply to this speech, lie turned
to the prelate Foolish man, it is thou
I, who hast vilfied Michael Angelo; | have
not. lie is a man of genius, and thou an
ignorant fellow. Depart from my sight this
moment" Aud the contemner Of art was
forcibly driven from the ROOM Chambers
Miscellany ..s..a.5a