in triumph on November 11, 1506, after the
marvellous campaign by which he restored two rich provinces to the Church
with only five hundred men-at-arms and his twenty-four Cardinals. Less
than ten days afterwards he inquired for his artist. The Cardinal of Pavia
wrote an autograph letter to the Signory of Florence on the 21st, urgently
requesting that they would despatch Michael Angelo immediately to that
town, inasmuch as the Pope was impatient for his arrival, and wanted to
employ him on important works. On November 27 Soderini wrote to the
Cardinal of Pavia introducing Michael Angelo and praising the cartoon the
artist had to leave unpainted, and to the Cardinal of Volterra more
formally as follows:--

"The bearer will be Michael Angelo, the sculptor, whom we send to
please and satisfy his Holiness our Lord. We certify your Lordship
that he is a worthy young man, and in his own art without a peer
in Italy; perhaps also in the universe. We cannot recommend him
too highly. He is of such a nature, that with good words and
kindness one can make him do anything. Show him love and show him
kindness, and he will do things that will make all who see them
wonder. We inform your Lordship that he has begun a story for the
Republic which will be admirable, and also XII Apostles, each
4-1/2 to 5 braccia high, which will be remarkable. We recommend
him to your lordship as much as we can.

"The XXVII of November, 1506."(87)

Michael Angelo says in his letter to Fattucci(88) that the portrait he now
modelled of Pope Julius was in bronze, sitting, about seven cubits in
height.(89) At the end of the two years that it took him to finish the
work he had to cast it twice. He says. "I found that I had four and a half
ducats left. I never received anything more for this work; and all the
moneys paid out during the said two years were the 1000 ducats with which
I promised to cast it." Michael Angelo worked in the Stanza del Pavaglione
behind the Cathedral; he employed three assistants, from Florence--Lapo
Antonio di Lapo, a sculptor; Lodovico del Buono, called Lotti, a founder;
and Pietro Urbano, a man who worked for him for a long time. His way of
life was frugal and sordid in the extreme. In his letter to his brother
Buonarroto he says(90):--

"With regard to Giovansimone coming here, I do not advise it as
yet, for I am lodged in one wretched room, and have bought one