ot the world give for one of
them, even though Michelangelo is said to have burst his sides with
laughing at the man's stupidity! Another familiar of the same sort was
a certain stone-cutter called Domenico Fancelli, and nicknamed
Topolino. From a letter addressed to him by Buonarroti in 1523 it
appears that he was regarded as a "very dear friend." According to
Vasari, Topolino thought himself an able sculptor, but was in reality
extremely feeble. He blocked out a marble Mercury, and begged the
great master to pronounce a candid opinion on its merits. "You are a
madman, Topolino," replied Michelangelo, "to attempt this art of
statuary. Do you not see that your Mercury is too short by more than a
third of a cubit from the knees to the feet? You have made him a
dwarf, and spoiled the whole figure." "Oh, that is nothing! If there
is no other fault, I can easily put that to rights. Leave the matter
to me." Michelangelo laughed at the man's simplicity, and went upon
his way. Then Topolino took a piece of marble, and cut off the legs of
his Mercury below the knees. Next he fashioned a pair of buskins of
the right height, and joined these on to the truncated limbs in such
wise that the tops of the boots concealed the lines of juncture. When
Buonarroti saw the finished statue, he remarked that fools were gifted
with the instinct for rectifying errors by expedients which a wise man
would not have hit upon.

Another of Michelangelo's buffoon friends was a Florentine celebrity,
Piloto, the goldsmith. We know that he took this man with him when he
went to Venice in 1530; but Vasari tells no characteristic stories
concerning their friendship. It may be remarked that Il Lasca
describes Piloto as a "most entertaining and facetious fellow,"
assigning him the principal part in one of his indecent novels. The
painter Giuliano Bugiardini ought to be added to the same list. Messer
Ottaviano de' Medici begged him to make a portrait of Michelangelo,
who gave him a sitting without hesitation, being extremely partial to
the man's company. At the end of two hours Giuliano exclaimed:
"Michelangelo, if you want to see yourself, stand up; I have caught
the likeness." Michelangelo did as he was bidden, and when he had
examined the portrait, he laughed and said: "What the devil have you
been about? You have painted me with one of my eyes up in the temple."
Giuliano stood some time comparing the drawing with his model's face,
and then remarked: "I d