The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-04-23


Joining the Church of ST. Lorenzo,
(which, in 1904, was erected to re.
ceive the Holy Sepulchre from Jeru-
salem, but which never camc), con-
tains many fine specimens OF these
mosaics within It's magnificent pre-
cincts. mostly representing the
coats of-arms or armorial bearings &C
the cities of Tuscany, The stones for
these, as well as for other similar
ones, used are marbles and alabasters
of the rarest and most beautiful
kinds. Sicilian granite. periphery, jas
per, of various varieties, lapis lazuii,
malachite, agate, sardonica, cornelian,
amethyst, topaz, granates, corals, and
often rubies and pearls; aud, as no ar
tificial coloring or tinting of the mate
rial is permitted, the process ofselect-
| ing, cutting, and placing the pieces is
work of great tediousness, and re-
auires much skill.
The open squares or Piazzas. are
quite pleasant feature, of Florence.
and to many of them cling historical
"reminiscences very interesting. The
| Piazza Of Santa Maria Novella is, and
for centuries has been, the scene of
the principal festivities of the people
| that of Santa Croce, adorned BY a
magnificent colossal statue of Dante,
the Immortal Florentine,- witnessed
! the establishment Of democracy in the
Republic in 1850, and the downfall of
the Ghibelline mobiles while the
Piazza della Signorina. the center of
Florentine life, overlooked by the
quaint stone tower of the Palazzo
Vechio, as it seems to be almost
hanging in the air (being built on the
outer edge of the very far overhang-
ing machicolations) was in 1893
the scene of the hanging and burning
of the once powerful enthusiast, Sa-
vonarola, who was Dominican. friar,
and whose cell in the now suppressed
monastery of st. Marco, of which
order the celebrated painter Fra Bar
tolomeo also became member, [
went to see the other day, and
thought of Miss Eliiot's beautiful and
ably written book, Romola." The
last named square has very large
and costly fountain, with colossal
Neptune, rather overdone, and out of
proportion to the locality. On
tn toe the Palasao V see Stands stands
a. colossal David ;" in marble, by
Michael, Angelo, all nude, and of
magnificent proportions. giving eyf-
dence to the genius of this Titan
amongst sculptors !; whilst on the right
there is a Hercules .subduing Cacus.
On one side of the square is the Log
gia del Lauzi, a beautiful open porch ]
In the Italian Gothic style; here are
placed some of the finest specimens
Of modern sculpture; tt Q most re-
markable are Centaur and Her
cules. and the Rape of the Sabines,
both by John of Bologna; the world
renowned Perseus, with the head of
Medusa, by .Bcnvenuto, sCellini, in
bronze, and above all magnifi-
cent group by Professor Fedi,
only e completed within the
last. year. It is Pyrrhus, the son of
Achilles, avenging the death of his
father. He has struck down Politics,
who is expiring under his feet; in his |
right hand, high over his head, he |
holds a bare sword, ready to strike: /
with his left arm he clasps the beautiful |
form of the youthful Polyxena, while
Hecuba, the mother, PROSTATE at the |
hero's feet, tries to withhold him with I
her trembling arms from imnlolating /
the victim The idea and moment
chosen are SO tragic and grand, and /
the execution so mastery, that I
when Fedi (who is Florentine)
had, in \ 1856. finished the model T
it awoke such enthusiasm amongst his
townsmen that they raised, by ma
tional subscription, the sum required
to haven't executed in marble. Near
the middle of the square is the
equestrian bronze statue of COsimo [.
the founder of the Mcclellan line of
Grand Dukes, for a period of two
hundred years the destroyers of lib
erty.
Not far from here is the Bargello
Palace, fine specimen of medieval
with its quaint court
yard aud boldly arched halls and
chambers. Here is chapel in which
is an authentic portrait of Dante. in
fresco,. lately discovered under
whitewash no less than an inch thick.
The Palazzo is now used as
Museum, and contains many interest
ing things; amongst others. fine
collection of bronzes, a shield and
helmet of that beaten work by Ben
venuto Cellini priced 50 highly now
a-days, and some cases of ivory carv-
ings and things made of amber
belonging to King Victor Emanuel. /
have yet to mention locality of
great interest it is the Palazzo
One cannot possibly go
through Italy and meet on all hands
the evidences of the genius of Michael
Angelo and not want to visit his
Florentine home. Everything is here