ok
in company with Andrea del Sarto to construct the facade of S. Maria
del Fiore all of wood, with statues, scenes, and architectural orders,
exactly in the manner wherein it would be well for it to be in order
to remove all that there is in it of the German order of composition.
Having therefore set his hand to this (to say nothing in this place of
the awning of cloth that used to cover the Piazza of S. Maria del
Fiore and that of S. Giovanni for the festival of S. John and for
others of the greatest solemnity, since we have spoken sufficiently of
this in another place), beneath that awning, I say, Sansovino
constructed the said facade in the Corinthian Order, making it in the
manner of a triumphal arch, and placing upon an immense base double
columns on each side, and between them certain great niches filled
with figures in the round that represented the Apostles. Above these
were some large scenes in half-relief, made in the likeness of bronze,
with stories from the Old Testament, some of which are still to be
seen in the house of the Lanfredini on the bank of the Arno; and over
them followed architraves, friezes, and cornices, projecting outwards,
and then frontispieces of great beauty and variety; and in the angles
of the arches, both in the wide parts and below, were stories painted
in chiaroscuro by the hand of Andrea del Sarto, and very beautiful. In
short, this work of Sansovino's was such that Pope Leo, seeing it,
said that it was a pity that the real facade of that temple was not so
built, which was begun by the German Arnolfo. The same Sansovino made
among these festive preparations for the coming of Leo X, besides the
said facade, a horse in the round all of clay and shearings of woollen
cloth, in the act of rearing, and under it a figure of nine braccia,
upon a pedestal of masonry. Which work was executed with such spirit
and force, that it pleased Pope Leo and was much extolled by him;
wherefore Sansovino was taken by Jacopo Salviati to kiss the feet of
the Pope, who showed him many marks of affection.

The Pope departed from Florence, and had a conference at Bologna with
King Francis I of France; and then he resolved to return to Florence.
Whereupon orders were given to Sansovino that he should make a
triumphal arch at the Porta S. Gallo, and he, not falling back in any
way from his own standard, executed it similar to the other works that
he had done--namely, beautiful to a marvel, and full of statues