The Hillsborough Recorder

TORRIGIANO AND THE INQUISITION.

Torrigiano had undertaken to carve a Madonna and child of the natural size at the order of a Spanish Grandee: it was to be made after the model of one which he had already executed; and a promise was given him of a reward proportioned to the merit of his work. His employer (the Duke de Arcos) was one of the first Grandees of Spain; and Torrigiano, who conceived highly of his generosity, and well knew what his talents could perform, was determined to outdo his former work. He had passed a great part of his life in travelling from kingdom to kingdom in search of employment, and, flattering himself with the hope that he had now found a resting place after all his labors, the ingenious artist, with much pains and application, completed the work; and presented to his employer a matchless piece of sculpture, the utmost effort of his art. The Grandee surveyed the striking performance with great delight and reverence, applauded Torrigiano to the skies, and, impatient to possess himself of the enchanting idol, forthwith sent to demand it. At the same time, to set off his generosity with a better display, he loaded two lacqueys with the money; the bulk was promising, but when Torrigiano turned out the bags and found the specie nothing but a parcel of brass maravedi, amounting to only thirty ducats, vexation upon the sudden disappointment of his hopes, and just resentment for what he considered as an insult to his merit, so transported him, that, snatching up his mallet in a rage, and not regarding the perfect it, or what was to him of little consequence) the sacred injury to the image he had made, he broke it suddenly in pieces, and drove the lacqueys, with their full findings, to tell their tale. They used their talent too well. The Grandee, in his turn, fired with shame, vexation and revenge, and assuming, or perhaps conceiving horror for the sacrilegious nature of the act, presented himself before the inquisition and impeached the artist at that terrible tribunal. It was in vain that Torrigiano urged the author over his own creation. Reason pleaded at his side, but Superstition sat in judgment. The decree was, Death with torture! The Holy Office lost his victim, for Torrigiano expired in prison, and not under the hands of the executioner.