Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-09-21
Anecdotes of Cellini.

This sculptor had an eventful life, and
the story oft, written by himself, is one
of the most interesting books of its class
in existence. He was born in Florence,
in 1900, and died in 1870. He gives a
very interesting though improbable ac-
count of the origin Of his family, which
is that "Julius Caesar had chief and
valorous Captain named Fiorino da
Cellino, from a castle situated four miles
from Monte Fiascone. This Fiorino
having pitched his camp below Fiesole,
where Florence now stands, in order to
be near the river Arno, for the conven-,
fence of the army, the soldiers and other
persons, when they had accession to visit
him, said to each other: Let US 90 to
Fiorenza,' which name they gave to the
place where they were encamped, partly
from their Captains name of Fiorino,
and partly from the abundance of flow
ers which grew there; wherefore Cesar,
thinking it beautiful name, and con-
sidering flowers to be of good augury,
and also wishing to honor his Captain,
whom he had raised from an humble
station, and to whom he was greatly
attached, gave it to the city which he
founded on that spot.''
Benvenuto was of so fiery a temper
that he was early involved in a serious
quarrel and fled to Sienna, and then to
Bologna. When he dared he returned
to Florence and resumed his work, but
soon again became angry because his
best clothes were given to his brother,
and walked off to Pisa, where he re-
manned year. Meantime he had be-
come skillful in the making of various
articles, and not only his execution but
his designs were so fine that in some
respects he has never been excelled.
When Celini was eighteen years old,
the sculptor TorregianO-who had Civ
en- Michael Angelo blow upon the nose
which disigured the great sculptor for
life-returned to Florence to engage
workmen to 60 with him to England to
execute commission which he had re-
ceived. He desired to have Cellini
among the number, but the youth was
so outraged by Torregiano's boasting of
the disgraceful deed that he refused to
90, in spite of the natural desire of his
age for travel and variety. Doubtless
this predisposed Michael Angelo in his
favor, and led to the friendship which
he afterward showed to Cellini.
At length, in 1545, Cellini returned to
Florence, never again to leave it Tor any
considerable time. He was favorably
received by Duke Cosimo, and received
a commission to make a statue of Perseus
to be placed in the Loggia del Lanzi.
When Cellini heard this, his ambition
was much excited by the thought that a
work of his should be placed beside
those of Michael Angelo and Donatello.
The Duke gave him house in which to
work and salary sufficient for his sup
port. Nine years passed before the
statue was in place and uncovered; but
at last the time came for the casting
everything was prepared, and just at
the important moment, when great care
and watchfulness was needed, Cellni was
! seized with so severe an illness that he
was forced to 60 to bed and believed
that he would soon die. .... ....t
As he lay tossing in agony, some one
ran in and exclaimed: "Oh, Benvenu-
to! your work is ruined past earthly
remedy" Ill as he was he rushed to
the furnace, and found that the fire
was not sufficient and the metal had
cooled and ceased to flow into the mold.
By superhuman efforts he remedied the
disaster, and again the bronze was
liquid he prayed earnestly, and when
he saw that his mold was filled, to use
his own words: ssI fell on my knees and
thanked God with all my heart, after
which 1 ate hearty meal with my as
sistants, and, it being then two hours
before dawn, went to bed with light
heart, and slept as sweetly as if l had
never been ill in my life.''
We have spoken of his autobiog-
| raphv, which was honored by being
made an authority in the Academia
della Crusca on account of its express
sive diction and rich use of the Floren-
tine manner of speech; he also wrote
valuable treatise upon the goldsmith s
art, and another upon sculpture and
bronze-casting. He takes up all the
departments of these arts, and his writ
ings are of great value. He also wrote
poems and verses of various kinds.
But his association with popes, kings.
cardinals, artists, men of letters, and
people of all classes, makes the story Of
his life by far the most interesting OF
all his literary works.-Claro Erski,se
Clement, in st. Nicholas. .s-gl