X
Palazzo Feroni-Ferragamo

«Leonardo happening to pass [...] in front of Santa Trinita, by the Spini bench, where a group of worthy men had gathered and were discussing a passage from Dante, they called out to said Leonardo, asking him to explain that passage to them; and Michelangelo happening to pass by at that very moment, and being called upon to join them, Leonardo answered, 'Michelangelo will explain it to you'. At this Michelangelo, thinking it had been said in mockery, answered him, 'Explain it yourself, you who made a horse to cast it in bronze and then failed in the attempt and abandoned it out of shame.' And having said this, he turned his back and went away. Stung by these words, Leonardo turned red in the face [...] and again Michelangelo, wishing to offend Leonardo, said, 'And what did you expect from those Milanese capons?' »
Thus the Anonymous Gaddiano recalls the quarrel between Leonardo and Michelangelo that took place in front of Palazzo Spini, between the piazza and the bridge of Santa Trinita. This building was then purchased in the 17th century by Marchese Feroni (whose family came from Vinci) and is today the seat of the Ferragamo Museum.

Texts by
Alessandro Vezzosi, in collaboration with Agnese Sabato / English translation by Catherine Frost
Related resources
Gallery
Related resources
Gallery