us offers, on account of the ability and
fidelity of the father, who died at the age of forty-eight.

MICHELE SAN MICHELE

[Illustration: PAOLO VERONESE: INDUSTRY

(_Venice: Doges' Palace, Sala Anticollegio. Ceiling Painting_)]

LIFE OF MICHELE SAN MICHELE

ARCHITECT OF VERONA

Michele San Michele, who was born at Verona in the year 1484, and
learned the first principles of architecture from his father Giovanni
and his uncle Bartolommeo, both excellent architects, went off at
sixteen years of age to Rome, leaving his father and two brothers of
fine parts, one of whom, called Jacopo, devoted himself to letters,
and the other, named Don Camillo, was a Canon Regular and General of
that Order. Having arrived there, he studied the ancient remains of
architecture in such a manner, and with such diligence, observing and
measuring everything minutely, that in a short time he became renowned
and famous not only in Rome, but throughout all the places that are
around that city. Moved by his fame, the people of Orvieto summoned
him as architect to their celebrated temple, with an honourable
salary; and while he was employed in their service, he was summoned
for the same reason to Monte Fiascone, as architect for the building
of their principal temple; and thus, serving both the one and the
other of these places, he executed all that there is to be seen in
these two cities in the way of good architecture. Among other works, a
most beautiful tomb was built after his design in S. Domenico at Monte
Fiascone--I believe, for one of the Petrucci, a nobleman of
Siena--which cost a great sum of money, and proved to be marvellous.
Besides all this, he made an infinite number of designs for private
houses in those places, and made himself known as a man of great
judgment and excellence.

Thereupon Pope Clement VII, proposing to make use of him in the most
important operations of the wars that were stirring at that time
throughout all Italy, gave him as a companion to Antonio da San
Gallo, with a very good salary, to the end that they might go together
to inspect all the places of greatest importance in the States of the
Church, and, wherever necessary, might see to the construction of
fortifications; above all, at Parma and Piacenza, because those two
cities were most distant from Rome, and nearest and most exposed to
the perils of war. Which duty having been executed by Michele and
Antonio to the full satisfactio