he
made in his youth, of silver and gold, were executed with incredible
diligence, nor can they ever be praised enough. He made in Rome for Pope
Clement VII a very beautiful morse for a pluvial, setting in it
excellently well a pointed diamond surrounded by some children made of
gold plate, and a God the Father marvellously wrought; wherefore,
besides his payment, he received as a gift from that Pope an office of
mace-bearer. Being then commissioned by the same Pontiff to make a
chalice of gold, the cup of which was to be supported by figures
representing the Theological Virtues, he carried it near completion with
most marvellous artistry. In these same times there was no one who made
the medals of that Pope better than he did, among the many who essayed
it, as those well know who saw his medals and possess them; and since
for these reasons he received the charge of making the dies for the Mint
of Rome, no more beautiful coins have ever been seen than were struck in
Rome at that time. Wherefore Benvenuto, after the death of Clement,
having returned to Florence, likewise made dies with the head of Duke
Alessandro for the coins of the Mint of Florence, so beautiful and
wrought with such diligence, that some of them are now preserved as if
they were most beautiful antique medals, and that rightly, for the
reason that in these he surpassed himself. Having finally given himself
to sculpture and to the work of casting, Benvenuto executed in France
many works in bronze, silver, and gold, while he was in the service of
King Francis in that kingdom. Then, having returned to his own country
and entered the service of Duke Cosimo, he was first employed in some
goldsmiths' work, and in the end was given some works of sculpture;
whereupon he executed in metal the statue of the Perseus that has cut
off the head of Medusa, which is in the Piazza del Duca, near the door
of the Ducal Palace, upon a base of marble with some very beautiful
figures in bronze, each about one braccio and a third in height. This
whole work was carried to perfection with the greatest possible study
and diligence, and set up in the above-named place as a worthy companion
to the Judith by the hand of Donato, that famous and celebrated
sculptor. And certainly it was a marvel that Benvenuto, after being
occupied for so many years in making little figures, executed so great a
statue with such excellence. The same master has made a Crucifix of
marble, in the round a