I ran home with all speed, elated and full of enthusiasm, to tell my wife of the charming proposal of Count Benino. My wife, poor soul, could not understand all this delight, this vehemence and excitement, in praise of that kind gentleman; and without saying it, she made me understand that she should have greatly preferred my continuing as a wood-carver, without troubling myself about an art which hitherto had only given me disappointment and worry. With her eyes she seemed to say to me, "Don't bother yourself, Nanni, about it."
I looked about to find a studio, and took one in the Niccolini buildings in Via Tedesca, now Via Nazionale. I ordered two large modelling-stands—one for the living model, the other for the statue in clay. "A standing statue he will not make," they said; but I will make it, and in movement too. The idea of Cain came at once into my head. Cain, the first homicide, fratricide! A fierce and tremendous subject, and one of great difficulty. I made the sketch, and it seemed to me that I had divined the movement and expression. Among the artists, it was soon known that I had taken a new studio to make another statue. Those who had laughed at first, laughed no longer. My friends encouraged me, and added fuel to the fire. I had also some offers for the Abel—insufficient if you will, but enough to encourage me. Among the others I accepted that of Signor Lorenzo Mariotti, an agent of the Russian Government, who lived in his own house in the Piazza Pitti. He came to see me, and said that he should like to order the statue of Abel, whenever I would make it, for what it cost me, and when it was done he would help me to sell it. The expenses were calculated at 800 scudi; and he offered me this price, with the understanding that whatever sum it was sold for above the 800 scudi, should be divided between us.
MODEL OF CAIN.
The marble was procured, and I was already modelling with ardour the statue of Cain. Fortunately the Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, daughter of the Emperor Nicholas, was passing through Florence. She had already heard the discussion, pro and con, which this statue had raised. She wished to see it, and was so well pleased by it that she did not conceal her delight. She was in company with her husband, the Prince of Leuchtenberg. They went into my private studio and saw the Cain, only just begun. She exchanged some words with the Prince, and he was much pleased, and embraced me. Then the Grand Duchess, pressing my hand, said, "The Abel and the Cain are mine." Then they departed. When I went home and told the good news to my wife, it seemed as if she had a little more faith in what I was so convinced of—viz., my future career as an artist.
PRINCE OF LEUCHTENBERG.
For the rest of the time that the august Prince and Princess were in Florence, he never omitted to pass some half-hours of the morning in my studio, because he liked so much to see me at work. He spoke Italian extremely well, and it amused him to talk with my model Antonio Petrai on various subjects; and as he was such a strong and well-made fellow, one day he asked him if he would like to measure his strength at fisticuffs with any one; and Petrai—who knew well enough who it was who asked the question, and was embarrassed about making a proper reply—after much hesitation could only say "Aho!" upon which the Prince laughed heartily and gave him something.
Who would have thought that such a handsome youth, so tall, squarely built, and so spirited, would have died only a few years later of an insidious disease? He was the son of Prince Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy in the troublous times of Napoleon I. One day he came and carried me away from the studio, because he wished to see with me the statues which ornament our Piazza della Signoria and the Loggia of Orsanmichele; but first he would go to Doney's to breakfast. As soon as we were seated, he ordered caviale. "Caviale!" answered the waiter, "we have none." "Bring caviale," said the Prince, sharply; but before the servant could reply he made a sign to the master, who was at the desk, and he knocked loudly on the marble to call the waiter back. After a little while a magnificent plate of caviale was served. I wish to note this anecdote, as it depicts the courteousness, affability, and popularity of this Prince, who, though he had married the daughter of the Emperor of Russia, had not forgotten that he was born and educated in Italy.
COMMISSION FOR CAIN AND ABEL.
In the meantime, Mariotti, by order of the Grand Duchess, made the contract for the two statues, Cain and Abel, and the price fixed for the Abel was 1500 scudi, and for the Cain 2000 scudi. The contract which I had made with Mariotti was torn up, and I gave him out of my first receipts the sum he had given me; but as to the remainder, the 700 scudi, which was to be divided between us, he would not receive it, saying that the Grand Duchess had already paid him enough. And this, for Mariotti, whom they call mangia-russi, was a good action.
In the meantime the good Count del Benino lent me a considerable sum of money to pay the rent of my studio, for the modelling stands and tools, and for the models, as also the daily sum I carried home for household expenses. This was all registered in a book, with the sums, the dates, and my name signed in receipt. And all this together came to the amount of about 100 scudi.