Verrocchio's great equestrian statue of the condottiere Colleoni
sums up the arrogance of the mercenary commanders who bestride
the history of 15th century Italy.
Bartolomeo Colleoni, reputed
to have had three balls to match his military reputation, left
all his money to the Venetian Republic on condition his statue
was erected outside St Mark's. The Venetians took the money
and relegated him to the exterior of the Scuola di San Marco,
the
Renaissance building on the northern side of this square.
Verrocchio,
being a Florentine, achieved little glory either. On his death
in 1488, the Venetian Alessandro Leopardi took over, and signed
his name prominently on the horse's girth, omitting any mention
of Verrocchio, his Florentine predecessor.
