BRUNELLESCHI’S ENTHUSIASM.

One morning, as Brunelleschi was amusing himself on the Piazza di Santa Maria del Fiore, in company with Donatello and other artists, the conversation happened to turn on ancient sculpture.  Donatello related that when he was returning from Rome, he had taken the road of Orvieto, to see the remarkable facade of the Cathedral of that city—­a highly celebrated work, executed by various masters, and considered in those days a very remarkable production.  He added that as he was passing through Cortona, he had seen in the capitular church of that city a most beautiful antique marble vase, adorned with sculpture—­a rare thing at that time, as most of the beautiful works of antiquity have since been brought to light.  As Donatello proceeded to describe the manner in which the artist had treated this work, the delicacy, beauty, and perfection of the workmanship, Filippo became inflamed with such an ardent desire to see it, that he set off immediately, on foot, to Cortona, dressed as he was in his mantle, hood, and wooden shoes, without communicating his purpose to any one.  Finding that Donatello had not been too lavish of his praise, he drew the vase, returned to Florence, and surprised his friends with the accurate drawing he had made, before they knew of his departure, they believing that he must be occupied with his inventions.  This urn, or funeral vase, according to the Florentine editors of Vasari, is still in the Cathedral of Cortona.  The sculptures represent the Battle of the Centaurs and Lapithae, or as some say, a Warlike Expedition of Bacchus.  The design and workmanship are exquisite.  It was found in a field without the city, and almost close to the Cathedral.

BRUNELLESCHI AND DONATELLO.

“Among other works,” says Vasari, “Donato received an order for a crucifix in wood, for the church of Santa Croce at Florence, on which he bestowed extraordinary labor.  When the work was completed, believing himself to have produced an admirable thing, he showed it to Filippo di Ser Brunellesco, his most intimate friend, desiring to have his opinion of it.  Filippo, who had expected from the words of Donato, to see a much finer production, smiled somewhat as he regarded it, and Donato seeing this, entreated him by the friendship existing between them, to say what he thought of it.  Whereupon Filippo, who was exceedingly frank, replied that Donatello appeared to him to have placed a clown on the cross, and not a figure resembling that of Jesus Christ, whose person was delicately beautiful, and in all parts the most perfect form of man that had ever been born.  Donato hearing himself censured where he had expected praise, and more hurt than he was perhaps willing to admit, replied, ’If it were as easy to execute a work as to judge it, my figure would appear to thee to be Christ and not a boor; but take wood, and try