Beschreibung:

Bartolommeo AMMANATI (1511-1592). Vingt-cinq lettres, dont 10 lettres autographes signées, Florence, 13 Octobre 1565 - 15 Juin 1572. Toutes concernant l'éxécution de la Fontaine de Neptune sur la Piazza della Signoria, Florence. AMMANATI, Bartolommeo (1511-1592). Ten autograph letters signed, one autograph letter unsigned, six letters signed, four letters written and signed in his name, four letters written and signed by his agent Benedetto Giramonte, comprising twenty-three to Francesco Busini and two to Giovanni Caccini Provveditori in Pisa, Florence, 13 October 1565 - 15 June 72 , all related to the Neptune fountain in the Piazza della Signoria, Florence, altogether 17 pages, sizes 285 x 210mm - 300 x 220mm , 14 with integral address leaves with contemporary endorsements and cut to provide seal strip, 11 with address panels with contemporary endorsements, 4 with papered seals and 21 with traces of seals (slight ink erosion in 3 letters, small holes and tears at right edge of 2). The fountain erected in the Piazza della Signoria (ca.1560-1575) was part of Cosimo's scheme for improving the supply of water to the centre of Florence; three new aqueducts were built, the drainage system was restructured and this was the city's first large public fountain. The colossal central figure of Neptune, after which the fountain is now named, was started by Bandinelli before 1560. The restrictions that his earlier cutting of the marble imposed on Ammanati resulted in a statue that has been regarded from the time of its unveiling as being aesthetically unsatisfactory. There has been no such disparagement of the figures of the lower level, the bronze gods, fauns and satyrs and the marble horses. These were entirely designed and made under Ammanati's supervision. The earliest of these letters concern the shipping of the marble blocks, both white and mischio , for these horses. The blocks were cut to size and to an approximate shape in the quarries and were already named and identified by their final form. From October 1565 Ammanati was making arrangements for the transport of the cavagli di marmo : the white one from the marina at Carrara and the others from Serravezza. There were difficulties in shipping them because the water level of the Arno was too low. Finally on 14 December 1566, when it was raining and the Arno was rising, Ammanati wrote to Busini requesting immediate despatch of the horses because work needed to be started on them. In the same letter he asked for terra bianca to make a furnace for casting some birds and figures requested by the Duke. The horses arrived in January along with other stone in large quantities but Ammanati was annoyed with the shippers who asked for more money, refused to unload and complained without cause. He instructs Busini to punish the next one who complains falsely 'lo farei gastigare amisura di carboni per esemplo degli altri questi'. On 18 September 1568 Ammanati requested more terra bianca to make a furnace in order to cast the bronzes for the fountain and he demands it quickly so that the figures can be cast before the arrival of bad and wet weather. When the terra bianca arrived it was too much but 'la colpa fu mia risposto al mio garzone'. Work had started on the steps of the fountain by 10 February 1571, but the last three letters offered here concern Ammanati's dissatisfaction with the work of maestro Mateo Starnazini, who had cut the stone badly. He requested that rather than be penalised Mateo should be sent to Florence to see what is necessary and what is required from him so that the steps can be recut, 'altrimenti la fara male, e diteglielo cho no se ne faccia beffe'. Ammanati was concerned about the reception the fountain would have and asked for patience with bringing the work to completion 'per sodisfatione oltre de padrone ma di tutta la nobilta di firenze...quella piaza sio mavesi lassato trasportare alo sdegno, io avere fatto la magior porcheria del mondo'. The letter of 10 F