d no less useful to him their acquaintance and
friendship, by reason of which, and also by the many works that he
executed throughout the whole city and dominion, he became a man of
substance as well as one of much repute in his art. To this
Michelagnolo the Medici, on their departure from Florence in the year
1494, entrusted much plate in silver and gold, which was all kept in
safe hiding by him and faithfully preserved until their return, when
he was much extolled by them for his fidelity, and afterwards
recompensed with rewards.

In the year 1487 there was born to Michelagnolo a son, whom he called
Bartolommeo, but afterwards, according to the Florentine custom, he
was called by everyone Baccio. Michelagnolo, desiring to leave his son
heir to his art and connection, took him into his own workshop in
company with other young men who were learning to draw; for that was
the custom in those times, and no one was held to be a good goldsmith
who was not a good draughtsman and able to work well in relief.
Baccio, then, in his first years, gave his attention to design
according to the teaching of his father, being assisted no less to
make proficience by the competition of the other lads, among whom he
chose as his particular companion one called Piloto, who afterwards
became an able goldsmith; and with him he often went about the
churches drawing the works of the good painters, but also mingling
work in relief with his drawing, and counterfeiting in wax certain
sculptures of Donato and Verrocchio, besides executing some works in
clay, in the round.

While still a boy in age, Baccio frequented at times the workshop of
Girolamo del Buda, a commonplace painter, on the Piazza di S.
Pulinari. There, at one time during the winter, a great quantity of
snow had fallen, which had been thrown afterwards by the people into a
heap in that piazza; and Girolamo, turning to Baccio, said to him
jestingly: "Baccio, if this snow were marble, could we not carve a
fine giant out of it, such as a Marforio lying down?" "We could so,"
answered Baccio, "and I suggest that we should act as if it were
marble." And immediately, throwing off his cloak, he set his hands to
the snow, and, assisted by other boys, taking away the snow where
there was too much, and adding some in other places, he made a rough
figure of Marforio lying down, eight braccia in length. Whereupon the
painter and all the others stood marvelling, not so much at what he
had done