The life of Leonardo da Vinci by John William Brown
Leonardo da Vinci 's last years
Both the Pope and the King of France were extremely desirous of an interview, that they might arrange their different interests; and as the King did not like to go so far as Florence, which would have obliged him to draw off too many of his troops from the Milanese, Bologna was fixed upon as the place where the congress should be held. To this effect the Pope left Rome, accompanied by several of the Cardinals, with a numerous retinue of attendants, and was received on the confines of Tuscany by a deputation from Florence, consisting of all the leading characters in the State, amongst whom was Guicciardini, the historian.
He was conducted with the greatest pomp to Florence, where all ranks of people concurred in celebrating his return to his native country, with the respect due to his situation. After remaining two days with his brother Giuliano, who was in very bad health, he proceeded to Bologna, where he had not the same reason to feel flattered with the reception he met with. The King joined him soon after his arrival, and came attended with very little pomp, and but a small part of his brilliant court, amongst whom was Leonardo da Vinci, who must have been highly gratified in being able to show himself to the Pope's followers as the friend and favourite of a powerful monarch, after having been almost compelled to quit Rome. To the young King his experience was doubtless of the greatest use in treating with so wary a politician as Leo; and his general knowledge of Italy, both in politics and literature, must have increased his favour with Francis, to whose interests he was now most firmly attached, and from that time Leonardo considered himself as belonging to the French court.
Among Leonardo's papers was found a design for the, portrait of Signore Artus, under which is written in his own hand-writing, " Ritratto di M. Artus Maestro di Camera del Re Francesco primo, nella Giunta con Papa Leon decimo," which fully proves that Da Vinci was present on that occasion. The congress lasted three days, during which the two monarchs lived in the same palace, and showed each other every possible mark of friendship and attention, with about an equal portion of sincerity on each side, as they pertinaciously held out for the principal objects of their different interests, while each endeavoured to gain over the other to his wishes. Leo was the most profuse in his promises, as he had the least intention of performing them; and they parted with the most solemn assurances of friendship.
On the termination of their conference, the King returned with his followers to Milan, and the Pope, disgusted with the Bolognese, hastened back to Florence, where he intended to pass a month with his fellow-citizens. His Holiness was most liberal of the benefits and rewards he distributed amongst the friends of the Medici; and he made use of every possible intrigue to consolidate the power of his house, and flatter the people of Florence into good humour with his family. But not all the pompous entertainments and public rejoicings that greeted him on all sides, or even the presence of his brother, who had attained the highest situation of worldly power, could at all ameliorate the health of Giuliano dei Medici, who was suffering under an illness that was slowly conducting him to the grave. Giuliano was endowed with great natural abilities, and resembled his father more than either of his brothers in the honesty of his principles, both in public and private life.
He was also distinguished by his great love for the Fine Arts, and the same desire to advance the welfare of his country; so that his fellow citizens had every reason to regret his early death, which happened a few days after the Pope's departure, at the Abbey of Fiesole, whither he had been removed for change of air. Florence had seldom witnessed a more pompous funeral than that which conducted Giuliano to the tomb, to which he was accompanied by the unfeigned grief of his countrymen. The procession passed through the same streets, which but a few months previous had been the scene of his triumphs in all the pride of health and gratified ambition. The moderation of his conduct as ruler of Florence, had gained him the esteem of his fellow citizens, who had now no one to watch over their expiring liberties, and check the unjust ambition of his family by curbing the violence of Leo's, policy, and moderating the harshness of Lorenzo's despotism.
