The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-09-23
About BrunelIeSchi.

| ~ 'Oi Nuce Ill lOII, ana uled IN l44O.
tihppo's father desired that his son
should be a physician, but the boy had
such love of art. and was so fond of the
study 81 mechanics, that his father at
length allowed him to learn the trade of
a goldsmith, which trade was, in that
day, more closely connected with what
we call the fine arts than it is now.
flliippo made rapid progress in his art
lie also made some beautiful figures in
nlello' This art was so interesting that
must describe it to you, especially be-
cause to it we owe the origin of en-
craving.
Inc nlelloworker drew a design upon
gold or silver, and cut it out with sharp
tool called BURN. He then melted to-
gether some copper, silver, lead and sui
phur' and when the composition was cool
ground it to powder. He covered his
drawing with this, and over it sprinkled
some borax; he then placed it over a
charcoal fire, and the powder and borax
melted together and ran into the lines of
the drawing. When this was cool. the
metal on which the drawing had been
made was scraped and FURNISHED, and
the nlello then had the effect of a draw
ing IN black upon gold or silver. Niello-
WORK was known to the ancients, and
there are very rare old specimens of it in
some museums The discovery of the art
| OF taking impressions on paper from these
drawings on metal is aScribed to MasO
tiniguerra, who fOurished about the time
when Brunelleschi died.
FilippO went to Rome with his friend
| Don atallO nO1 tbo,,, bo ,,r.,-
his study of architecture, and made in
Vulnerable drawings from the beautiful
objects of ancient art which he saw.
! One day when these two artists were
| digging among the ruins in the hope of
finding some beautiful sculpture, they
| came upon vase full of ancient coins,
and from that time they were called ''the
treasure seekers" They lived very
poorly, and made the most of their small
means, but even then they suffered
many privations. DOnatello returned to
Florence, but FilippO Brunellesch hi
studied and struggled on, and there
grew up in his heart a great desire to ac-
cOmplish two things in his native city
to revive there pure style of architect
ure, and to raise the dome upon the then
unfinished cathedral, He lived to see
realization of both these ambitions hopes.
In 1907 BrunelleSchi returned to Flor
ence, and soon after the Superintendents
of the works upon the cathedral listened
to the plans of various architects for
raising the dome. Filippo proposed his
views, but they were considered far too
bold. He made models in secret and
convinced himself that he could accom-
plish the great work. After time he
wearied of the waiting and returned
to Rome, always thinking and planning
about the dome, the erection of which
had now become the one passionate wish
of his heart. The struggle was long,
and he suffered from the ignorance and
INDIGESTION of the officials of Florence; at
| length, in 1920, call was made for the
architects of all countries to come with
their plans, and after many meetings and
debates, the commission was finally
given to Brunelleschi, thirteen weari-
some years having passed since he had
first asked for it,
At this meeting of architects, Filippo
refused to show his models, and when
he was criticised for this it is said that
he proposed that, if any one present
could make an egg stand upright on a
smooth marble, he should be the builder
of the dome. The eggs were brought,
and the others all tried in vain to make
one stand. At last Filippo took his egg,
and, striking it little blow upon the
marble, left it standing there. Then
the others exclaimed that they could
have done the same TO this FilippC
replied: eyes, and you might also build
dome if you had seen my design ~
Filippo's enthusiasm for art made him
willing to endure any amount of fatigue
for the sake of seeing beautiful things.
One day he heard Donatello describe an
ancient marble vase which he had seen
in Cortona. As Filippo listened he was
possessed with the desire to see it, and
quietly walked away, saying nothing of
his intentions. He went on foot to Cor
tona, a diJtance of seventy-two miles,
saw the vase and made accurate draw
ings from it, and was again in Florence
before he was really missed by his
friends, who supposed him to be busy
with his invention in his own room.
A very interesting story concerning
himself and Don atello is that the latter
received an order for q crucifx, carved
| from wood, for the church of Santa
Croce, and when it was finished asked
Brunelleschi's opinion of it, Relying
on their long friendship, Filippo frankly
said that the figure of Christ was like
that of day-laborer. whereas that of
the Saviour should represent the great
est possible beauty. Donatcllo was
angry, and replied: at is easier to
criticise than to execute; do you take a
piece of wood and make better cruel
| fix"
Brunelleschi did this, and when he had
completed his work invited Donatello to
dine with him. He left the crucifx in u
conspicuous place in his house while the
two went to the market to buy the
dinner He gave the parcels to Dona-
tello and asked him to precede him,
saying that he would soon be at home.
When Donatello entered and saw the
crucitiX, he was so overcome with admit
ration that he dropped eggs, cheese and
all on the floor, and stood before the
carving as motionless as if made of wood
himself. When Brunelleschi came in he
said: "What are we to do now? You
have spoiled all the dinnerm 81 have
had dinner enough for to-day" replied
Donatello. you, perhaps, may dine