ly did he work for it during forty years. Had he remained
in Florence he might have been a better artist; the splendor and luxury
of the Venetians brought out corresponding traits in Jacopo, and he fell
short of the purity which the influence of Florence might have given
him. He is one of the masters in whom the sensual influence of the study
of pagan art was fully manifested. Many of his subjects were
mythological; among them were the story of Phrixos and Helle, Mercury,
Apollo, Pallas, Mars, and Neptune, the last two being colossal figures
on the steps of the Doge's Palace.

Among the pupils and associates of Sansovino were NICCOLO BRACCINI
(1485-1550), called IL TRIBOLO, and FRANCESCO SANGALLO (1498-1570),
neither of whom were important artists, though many works by them are
seen in various places in Italy.

BENVENUTO CELLINI (1500-1572) is a far more interesting study than were
many sculptors of his time. His life was an eventful one, and his own
account of it is one of the most interesting books of its class in
existence. His statement of the origin of his family is that "Julius
Caesar had a chief and valorous captain named Fiorino da Cellino, from a
castle situated four miles from Monte Fiascone. This Fiorino having
pitched his camp below Fiesole, where Florence now stands, in order to
be near the river Arno, for the convenience of the army, the soldiers
and other persons, when they had the occasion to visit him, said to each
other, 'Let us go to Fiorenza,' which name they gave to the place where
they were encamped, partly from their captain's name of Fiorino, and
partly from the abundance of flowers which grew there; wherefore Caesar,
thinking it a beautiful name, and considering flowers to be of good
augury, and also wishing to honor his captain, whom he had raised from
an humble station, and to whom he was greatly attached, gave it to the
city which he founded on that spot."

When this artist was born his father was quite old, and named him
Benvenuto, which means welcome, on account of his pleasure in the child
of his old age. The father had a passion for music, and from the first
wished that his son should study this art; but the boy loved drawing,
and was determined to be an artist; thus his time was divided between
these two pursuits until he was fifteen years old, when he was
apprenticed to a goldsmith.

Benvenuto had a fiery temper, and when still very young he became
involved in so serious a quarrel t