Meanwhile, Vasari turned his attention to one of the legs of the Christ, which Michael Angelo had been altering.

In order to prevent his seeing it Michael Angelo let the light fall, and they remained in darkness.

He then called for another light, and stepped forth from the screen of planks behind which he worked, saying: "I am so old that oftentimes Death plucks me by the cape to go with him, and one day this body of mine will fall like the lantern, and the light of life will be put out." "If life gives us pleasure we ought not to expect displeasure from death, seeing it is made by the hand of the same master," was a favourite reflection of Michael Angelo's upon mortality.

This Deposition was never completed, flaws appeared in the marble, and perhaps whilst working in the imperfect light Michael Angelo's impatient chisel cut too deep.

He began to break up the work, but luckily his servant Antonio, successor to Urbino, begged the fragments from his master.