2He was a forger

He probably got his start in 1496 from copying an ancient Roman sculpture called Sleeping Cupid and passing it off as an original.

After completing the reproduction, he buried the statue underground then dug it up to give it a worn, scratched look. Whether from the suggestion of his patron, Lorenzo de Medici, or of his own accord, he ended up selling the piece to Cardinal Riario for a large sum.

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