Biography and information
Francesco di Giorgio, a Sienese, who was an excellent sculptor and architect, made the two bronze angels on the main altar of the Cathedral of his native city, poured out truly well, and then cleaned them with nevozmozhnoye care imaginable. And he could do it freely, because the wealth he had no less than a rare talent, and because he worked not for acquiring, and for his pleasure, when he pleases, and to leave an honorable memory. He was also engaged in painting and wrote something not similar to sculpture.
In architecture he had a great taste and found a great understanding of the subject what excess can testify constructed in Urbino for the Duke of Federigo Feltro Palace, the plan of which reflects beauty and utility, and the unusual stairs is better designed and more enjoyable than any other built before it. The vast and gorgeous halls, apartments, the same residential premises extremely comfortable and worthy of its purpose, in short, this whole Palace is so beautiful and so well built, like no other ever built. Francesco was the greatest engineer, mainly military vehicles, which he proved by frieze painted them personally named in the Urbino Palace is full of such rare things relating to the war. He painted also a few books full of this kind of tools, the best of which is stored Signor Duke Cosimo dei Medici, together with the most expensive things for him. He tried to understand war machines and weapons of the ancients with this curiosity and explored the methods used in ancient amphitheaters, and similar things, so much so that because of this less studied sculpture, although it is brought in, and brought him no less honor than he could bear sculpture. For all this he was such a nice named the Duke of Frederigo, portraits which he did, and on medals, in paintings, that when he returned to Siena in his homeland, he was showered with equally and honors, and blessings.
For Pope Pius II he made all the designs and models of the Palace and bishopric in Pienza, the home of the Pope, and in the town they created and named after him by Pienza instead of its name: Corsignano. These buildings were for this town, as far as possible, excellent and worthy of their appointment. Francesco also made a plan and strengthening of the named city, and with it the Palace, and loggia of the high priest. And since he lived in high esteem, and in his native city has honored Sirs, its Supreme rulers. Reaching, finally, a forty-seven-year age, he died. Works of his are to about 1480.
