f architect, sculptor, and painter of
the Vatican. He was enrolled in the Pontifical household, and he at once
began his work in the Sistine Chapel. Mr. Symonds believes that he must
have been engaged upon the "Last Judgment" through 1536, 1537. The great
artist was not without a keen wit of his own as well; for on receipt of
a letter from Pietro Aretino, from Venice, in September of 1537, with
praises of his work that Michael Angelo deemed extravagant, he replied
that while he rejoiced in Aretino's commendation, he also grieved; "as
having finished a large part of the fresco," he said, "I cannot realize
your conception which is so complete that if the Day of Judgment had
come and you had been present and seen it with your eyes, your words
could not have described it better."

Vittoria Colonna now passed some years between Rome and Orvieto, that
picturesque town with its magnificent cathedral rich in mediaeval art,
where she lived in the convent of St. Paolo d'Orvieto. She varied this
residence by remaining at times in the convent of San Caterina di
Viterbo, in that city. In Rome she had lived both at the convent of
Santa Anna and also at the Palazzo Cesarini, which was the home of
members of the Colonna family. A sonnet of Michael Angelo's written to
Vittoria reflects the feeling that she inspired in him:--

"Da che concetto ha l'arte intera e diva
La forma e gli atti d'alcun, poi di quello
D'umil materia un semplice modello
E 'l primo parto che da quel deriva.
Ma nel secondo poi di pietra viva
S'adempion le promesse del martello;
E si rinasce tal concetto e bello,
Che ma' non e chi suo eterno prescriva.
Simil, di me model, nacqu'io da prima;
Di me model, per cosa piu perfetta
Da voi rinascer poi, donna alta e degna.
Se 'l poco accresce, 'l mio superchio lima
Vostra pieta; qual penitenzia aspetta
Mio fiero ardor, se mi gastiga e insegna?"

Of this sonnet the following beautiful translation is made by John
Addington Symonds:--

"When divine Art conceives a form and face,
She bids the craftsman for his first essay
To shape a simple model in mere clay:
This is the earliest birth of Art's embrace.
From the live marble in the second place
His mallet brings into the light of day
A thing so beautiful that who can say
When time shall conquer that immortal grace?
Thus my own model I was born to be--