Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-14
THE OLD WOMAN OF TUsCANY-A
"REMINISCENCES OF ITALY.


REMINlSCENCE OF ITALY.
1t hes often surpri, ed me that 80 little has
been said by tourists about Siena-one of |
the noblest and most beautiful of the cities |
of Tuscany. Perhaps its proximity to the |
capital may have produced permanent |
eclipse but to those who are familiar with
the place, SieDa vies with Florence ITSELF
With its cathedral, almost uurivaed even
in Italy for unique elegance, and for grandeur
of design; with public buildings aud me-
diaval palaces, which the old Tuscan capital
itself can not surpass; with glorious recol-
lections of the era when the city was free,
proud republic, with the history of an i'm
portant school Of painting to shed luster on
its art career, and with busy population,
which imparts. TO the place a life and ac-
tivity not usually observable in the italian
cities, it is truly surprising that Siena is not
better known, especially as it is now accessi-
bic from Florence by an hours ride on the,
railroad. "Itspopulaton," says Yalery. lis
at once merry, intelligent and honorable,
but one feels that its mild civilization, the
offspring of the manners and its old liberty,
is ancient and proceeds from remoter
source than modern science And this IS
one OF the peculiar effects of Slena; that it
seems so utterly adapted for the past rather
than for the present age. ..I. r. .,
The people of to-day who do their mar
ke irg and their gossiping nnder the shadow
of The cd palace, built as the seat of govern
ment for the Republic; who hurry through
the narrow streets; who kneel within the
never to. be-fnished cathedral, who are now
congrstulsting themselves that they are the
subjects of Victor Emmanuel, seem quite out
of place in Siena. With all its life and ac-
tivity and beauty, a shade of past glory in
vests the city, and the inhabitants of 1861
seem to be sojourners who will tarry a lit
tie while and then go hence and be seen no
more. auU1 10 I.r ''if7 Fans
Of the cathedral of Sena, on which vol
umes bave been written, shall say nothing
here. The other churches are remarkable
rather for what they contain than what they
are; ortheir pictures rather than their archi-
lecture The Sienese school of painting seems
to partake of the nature of the people, and
is characterized by LaDzi as a "laughing,
happy school in the midst Of people always
payn Many celebrated artists have come
from Siena, and of course a vast number
who, though not bad, never rose above the
fatal. mediocrity. The churches of Siena
are 80 built that in most Of them the pictures
are placed in better light, end can be seen to
greater advantage than is usual in the italian
churches. - III - =
In the Church of San Antonio encount-
cred one Of those females who are only to be
met with on the Continent, whose duty is to
haunt church, dust the affairs, and waylay
visitors for the purpose of exhibiting the
pictures which are usually protected by cur
tains. This worthy female-I use the sim
gular number, as one serves as type for all
this worthy female is always very old and
snuffy. She has invariably an unfinished
stockingat which she knits indefatigably.
Her favorite seat is upon the steps in front of
the church, where she may bask in the sun
if the weather be cool Oftentimes she may
be found inside, retired in some niche, whence
she issues forth as soon as stranger appears,
as a spider leaves his nest at the approach
of ahys, She is not, however, persistent, or
really intrusive, and is, moreover, such
meek, forlorn sort of creature, that one is
generally glad tor assist her in earning an
honest pepny-for half paul (about five
cents) she considers a handsome fee.
In the Church, then, of San Agostino-
one famous even IN Sena for its excellent
pictures-I encountered, as usual, such a
parsonage, and allowed myself to be led
around by the snuffy and enthusiastic old
lady. She seemed to take real delight in
exhibiting the pictures, and talked inces-
sanity either of her own vicissitudes or OF
the works of art. AT every altar she passed
she would unexectedly break in upon her
remarks by repeating short Latin prayer,
Immediately resuming her incessant prating.
To do justice TO the harangues of this good
dame, her words should only be recorded in
the language iD which they were spoken,
not be uninteresting. Some of the phrases
which added to the force of her remarks are
utterly untIansatable, however. For in
stance there are the frequent calculations,
"tdnto bellOp and "tdBto buoROP which lit
orally mean how beautiful-how goodl Now,
in Italian, the repetition of an adjective adds
to iis force, and in these ejaculatve sentences
especially, the adjective will be often re-
pested half dozen times. The effect TO one
not accustomed to it is decidedly amusing.
So then, the reader must imagine himself
in my place, being conducted round the
church, under the guidance of the venerable
lady who thus speaks, interlarding her con-
versation with CALCULATIONS, and interrupting
herself every minute or two to utter hurried
Latin prayers at one ofthe numerous altars.
Old lady [Ioq "Good morning, signor,
and suppose you wish to see the pictures
for you know that our church contains some
of the very finest in the world. We have,
sienor, fine Domenichino and a very cele-
bTated Caracci. Nine long years, signor,
have / exhibited these beautiful pictures TO
strangers, and they have told me-Pdtsr
noster gla est in eellm-they told me that
nowhere else have they seen finer. We will
begin, signOr, with this crucifXion by
D0meDiehino. You see, siguor, the figure
with the hands crossed in this way land as
she spoke she ludicrously initiated the posi-
tiOn of the various figures in the pictures) is
our DleSseQ MdQOnnhs w ndL DeduLuui
picture, sirl Che bel qIddro Tdnto betIo
1elIo 6eLlo BIO BIO BIO 6T on And see
sienor, the figure near BY is San Agostino, a
good saint sir, oh what good saint CHI
Jgon sGnfOi TGHto buono 6u0no tHOnO buORo
On b'n Vnl And see, signor, the little an
gels about the cross Coming sir, soon to
show you the other pictures and fine Gloria
Patri et Fho st Pirihi saEetO, cum sydt n
Principle, sEEne esf-yes, sir, eoming-st eriI
semper, o Do you see, sir, this fine, this splen-
did picture by--AVs Maria saaeta Mater,
sxaHd nos-this picture by CaracciH 1t Is
the Communion of st. Jerome, signor. You
see the old man with bis hands in this way,
and leaning back /; that sigpor, st. Jerome,
and the good priest Is giving him the wine.
This, signor, q like the picture BY Domeni-
chino at the Vatican IN Rome. You have
been TO Rome, signor2 Ny husband, when
he wss alive, once went TO Rome, and he's
been dead nearly, If not quite-AVe Maria
Saneta Mater, ezdudi nos-Yes, signor, what
was | ssyiDg2 Was It about the pictured
the beautiful picture. Yes, signor you are
right Gloria PGtri st Fili0 sl sPiritu sanetO