men made daily inquiries for him. His nephew, Leonardo, son of Buonarroto, who was dead, hastened to Rome, but was only met by his uncle's charge that he had been urged to kill him to see if he left anything. He tells him that he need not think of that, for he had made his will. Such was the bitter feeling to which the ingratitude of his family had given birth.

Still his letters are not always in this strain. During his busy years in Rome, Leonardo was his chief correspondent. They are mainly of a domestic character, referring to presents, investments, and alms. "I want to give fifty crowns for the love of God, part for the soul of Buonarroto the father, part for my own. Take care you give when there is need, and not for the sake of relationship or friendship, but for the love of God."

Occasionally there is a glimpse of his pride.

6

"I never was a painter or sculptor to sit in a bottega.' I have striven for the honour of my father and brothers; and if I have served three Popes, it has been because I was forced to do it." "Some day I will tell you about our origin, where we came from, and when we settled in Florence."

To restore his family to position he made several purchases of landed property, and was not a little anxious about the perpetuation of his line through his nephew.

The year after the old man lost his most loved Vittoria Colonna, his brother Giovansimone died. He writes of him to Leonardo: "I would remind you that I grieve for the loss of a brother. You write respecting his death that he was sincerely contrite; if so, it is enough for his son's welfare. What he has left goes to his brother 'Gismondo, for he died intestate."

LETTER TO HIS NEPHEW, LEONARDO.

103

He was anxious for his nephew to be settled, but would not advise him in the choice of a wife. He was to look for character, not money, for a wife who was submissive, and not always wanting to be going about to parties. "No one can say that you want to ennoble yourself by marriage, for it is well known that we are as ancient and noble citizens of Florence as any."

He bought Leonardo a house in the Ghibelline quarter of Florence, which was left to the city by the last of his descendants, in 1858. It bears the arms of Leonardo, and a bronze bust of Michelangelo over the door. It contains many works of art, manuscripts, and memorials of the artist, among them the wonderful relief which was done when he was a boy.

1

On the 22nd of April, 1553, he writes to his nephew :— "Leonardo, I learn from thine that the arrangement with the daughter of Donato Ridolfi has been completed. God be praised. May it be followed by His blessing." Again, on the 20th of May: "I shall show that she is the wife of my nephew." In March 1554 he was anticipating the birth. of his nephew's child, and bids him perpetuate the name of his father if it should be a boy, or of his mother if a girl, "either Buonarroto or Francesca." I should like to preserve this name of Buonarroto in our house, as it has lasted for three hundred years." We read his letter to Vasari when a son was born, in M. Clément's account.

It is pleasant to notice in his letters the improvement in his spirit and temper as old age comes on him. This, too, M. Clément dwells upon. He often alludes to his will. His remaining brother, Sigismund, was to divide his property

1 He settled 1500 ducats upon his nephew's wife, Cassandra, and gave her two rings, one set with a diamond, the other with a ruby.

with his nephew; and, in the event of there being no heir of the family name, it was to go to "San Martino:" it was to provide for the poor, for the love of God.

One of the last letters in the Buonarroti archives shows us the old man, who was surrounded by devoted friends, and passing his life in peace, roused up by a letter from his nephew, which conveyed some false rumours circulating in Florence. "I tell you I couldn't be better or more faithfully served; and as to being robbed, I have people in my house in whom I place the utmost confidence. Look after your own affairs, not mine. I know how to take care of myself if needs be. I am not a baby."

Mr. C. D. E. Fortnum, in a pamphlet upon "The original portrait of Michelangelo by Leo Leone" (1875), says:—“ No more than eight of the existing portraits of Michelangelo can be considered as authentic, and several of these on merely presumptive evidence. 1. The bronze bust of the capitol. 2. The marble bust (after Vasari, in Santa Croce, at Florence), a posthumous work. 3. Leo Leone's medal. 4. The painted portrait by Daniele, in the Trinita de' Monti fresco. 5. Marcello Venusti's portrait, in his copy of the Last Judgment. 6. The portrait ascribed to Venusti in the Casa Buonarroti. 7. The print by Bonasoni."

CHRONOLOGY OF

THE LIFE OF MICHELANGELO.

1475. Born at Caprese (March 6).

1488. Apprenticed to Ghirlandaio.

1489. Sculptured the Head of a Faun, now in the Uffizi.

1490. Quarrelled with Torriggiano.

1492. Sculptured the Hercules, now lost.

1493(?).Painted the Virgin with the two Children and four Angels, now in the National Gallery.

1495. Went to Bologna and Venice.

1496. Arrived at Rome (June 25).

1497.

Sculptured the Cupid, now in the South Kensington Museum. 1498. Sculptured the Bacchus, now in the National Museum,

Florence.

1499. Sculptured the Pietà, now in St. Peter's, at Rome.

1501. Received a commission to execute the David, in Florence. 1503. Sculptured the Virgin and Holy Child, now in Notre Dame

at Bruges.

1504. The statue of David, erected in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Painted for Angelo Doni the Holy Family, now in Florence. Commenced his cartoon for The Battle of Pisa.

1505. Began the Tomb of Julius II., at Rome.

1507. Completed, at Bologna, the bronze statue of Julius II., which was destroyed in 1511.

Began the frescoes in the Sixtine Chapel.

1509(?).Drew a cartoon of Venus caressed by Love, (now in the Naples Museum) from which a painting was made by Pontormo.

1512. Finished the frescoes in the Sixtine Chapel.

1516

to

1521.

1520.

1527.

These years were chiefly passed in the Marble Quarries, at
Carrara.

Commenced building the Sacristy of San Lorenzo, at Florence.
Worked at the Tombs of the Medici, in San Lorenzo.

1529.

Made Director of Fortifications at Florence.

Painted the picture of Leda (lost).

1531. Worked at the Tomb of Julius II.

Made design for the painting of The Fates.

1534. His father, Lodovico Buonarroti, died.

Commenced The Last Judgment, for the Sixtine Chapel.

1535. Appointed architect, painter, and sculptor, to the Vatican, by

Paul III.

1538. Made the acquaintance of Vittoria Colonna.

1541. Finished his fresco of The Last Judgment (December 25). 1542. Worked at his statue of Moses.

Worked on the paintings of the Pauline Chapel.

1547. Appointed architect to St. Peter's on the death of San Gallo. 1548. Purchased the Casa Buonarroti, Florence.

1552. His appointment as architect to St. Peter's, confirmed by Julius III.

1555. Finished the Medici Tombs, in San Lorenzo.

His servant, Urbino, died.

1558. Made a model for the Cupola of St. Peter's.

1564. Died Feb. 18, in his eighty-ninth year, at his house in Rome. Buried, in July, in Santa Croce, Florence.