Giovanni di Carlo Strozzi on Buonarroti’s sculpture ‘Night’ – ‘Night as you here behold her gracefully In slumber here was sculpted by an angel And this still stone because it sleeps has life If you doubt it wake her she will speak to you’ Buonarroti’s response – ‘I love to sleep still more to be of stone While shame and ruin their dominion keep Not to see nor feel is my great fortune Speak quietly now why rouse me from my sleep?’