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When this prince had the equestrian statue of himself by Antonio Tassi, Gianbologna's pupil, erected in the square of the Corte, he secretly caused to be made, says my anonymous MS., a silver statuette of his familiar genius or angel "familiaris ejus angelus seu genius, quod a vulgo dicitur idolino" which statuette or idol, after having been consecrated by the astrologers "ab astrologis quibusdam ritibus sacrato" was placed in the cavity of the chest of the effigy by Tassi, in order, says the MS., that his soul might rest until the general Resurrection.
His long clemency is a result of mere fear of laying violent hands upon her. He fears her as something almost supernatural; he would have enjoyed having had her burnt as a witch. Here, then, is the explanation of that silver image quod vulgo dicitur idolino which he caused to be soldered into his effigy by Tassi.
Upstairs in Sala XVI are many more Greek and Roman bronzes, among which I noticed a faun with two pipes as being especially good; while the little room leading from it has some fine life-size heads, including a noble one of a horse, and the famous Idolino on its elaborate pedestal a full-length Greek bronze from the earth of Pesaro, where it was found in 1530.
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