much that he placed it on his balcony, so that all Florentines
who passed by could see it. When the merchant was given the price of the
bust he objected to it, and it was referred to Duke Cosimo for
settlement. In the conversation the Genoese said that the bust could be
made in a month, and that he was willing to pay the artist a dollar a
day for his time and labor.

When Donatello heard this he exclaimed, "I know how to destroy the
result of the study of years in the twinkling of an eye!" and he threw
the bust into the street below, where it was broken into fragments. Then
the merchant was deeply mortified, and offered the sculptor double the
price he had asked if he would repeat the work; but though Donatello
sadly needed the money he would not do this, and persisted in his
refusal, even when Cosimo de' Medici tried to persuade him to consent.

When Donatello was old Duke Cosimo gave him an allowance which would
support himself and four workmen; but in spite of this Donatello wore
such shabby clothes that Cosimo sent him a red surcoat, a mantle and
hood. These Donatello returned, saying they were far too fine for him.
When the sculptor at length became feeble and bedridden his benefactor
had died, but Piero de' Medici, the son of Cosimo, was careful to keep
him in comfort; and when he died his funeral was attended with much
ceremony. He was buried near Duke Cosimo, in the Church of San Lorenzo.

Several of Donatello's works are in this church, and are a more suitable
monument to his memory than any that could be made by other hands.

The works of Donatello are numerous, both in marble and bronze, and in
both these substances he made statues and reliefs. We cannot speak in
detail of all that he accomplished; but as he lived in an age when every
advance in art was an event in history, we must not forget to say that
he made the first equestrian statue which had been produced since the
time of the Romans. This statue is in Padua, in front of the Church of
San Antonio; it is of colossal size, and represents the Venetian General
Gattamelata; and though it does not satisfy our conception as an
equestrian statue, it is worthy of some praise when we remember all the
circumstances of its origin. It is not probable that Donatello had ever
seen an antique equestrian statue, unless it might have been that of
Marcus Aurelius, which was found in the Forum in 1187; no modern statues
existed as examples for him; he was not familiar