Pandolfo Malatesti, Lord of
that city, who was then having a chapel made in the Church of S.
Francesco, and a tomb for his wife, who had died. Luca had given an
honourable proof of his knowledge in some low-reliefs in this work,
which are still seen there, when he was recalled by the Wardens of Works
of S. Maria del Fiore to Florence, where, for the campanile of that
church, he made five little scenes in marble, which are on the side that
faces the church, and which were wanting, according to the design of
Giotto, to go with that wherein are the Sciences and Arts, formerly
made, as it has been said, by Andrea Pisano. In the first Luca made
Donato teaching grammar; in the second, Plato and Aristotle, standing
for philosophy; in the third, a figure playing a lute, for music; in the
fourth, a Ptolemy, for astrology; and in the fifth, Euclid, for
geometry. These scenes, in perfection of finish, in grace, and in
design, were far in advance of the two made, as it has been said, by
Giotto, in one of which Apelles, standing for painting, is working with
his brush, while in the other Pheidias, representing sculpture, is
labouring with his chisel. Wherefore the said Wardens of Works--who,
besides the merits of Luca, were persuaded thereunto by Messer Vieri de'
Medici, then a great citizen and a friend of the people, who loved Luca
dearly--commissioned him, in the year 1405, to make the marble ornament
for the organ which the Office of Works was then having made on a very
grand scale, to be set up over the door of the sacristy of the said
church. In certain scenes at the base of this work Luca made the singing
choirs, chanting in various fashions; and he put so much zeal into this
labour and succeeded so well therein, that, although it is sixteen
braccia from the ground, one can see the swelling of the throats of the
singers, the leader of the music beating with his hands on the shoulders
of the smaller ones, and, in short, diverse manners of sounds, chants,
dances, and other pleasing actions that make up the delight of music.
Next, on the great cornice of this ornament Luca placed two figures of
gilded metal--namely, two nude angels, wrought with a high finish, as is
the whole work, which was held to be something very rare, although
Donatello, who afterwards made the ornament of the other organ, which is
opposite to the first, made his with much more judgment and mastery
than Luca had shown, as will be told in the proper place; fo