The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-02-01


of all the great modern artists. 1t was
over the mausoleum of the Princess Bea-
trice, that Nicholas of Pisa bent, and
studied as over the cradle of newly born
child of art. From the works of Nicho-
las, John of Pisa, the architect and sculp-
tor, derived his impulse. John commu-
nicated the call of genius to Andrew of
Pisa, and Andrew to Orcagna. After
Orcagna came Ghiberti, who sculptured
the triumphant gates of the Baptistery of
Florence, before which Michael Angelo
stood astonished, and reverently named
them the gates of Paradise. And finally
out of this grand creation of art came the
designs Of the mosaics of Venice and Pisa,
of Giotto, Masaccio, Leonardo da Vipci,
Michael Angelo, and Raphael.
Independently of these sarcophagi
there are other antique monuments dis
persed on the walls as we'll as variety
of modern tombs. The most curious of
these, perhaps, is an antique bas-relief
which has long been supposed to have
been wrought in commemoration of a
cage of iron in which an enormous SER
pent was enclosed in 1109 by the skill of
a man called Nino Orlando, and carried
in triumph through the streets of Pisa.
The marble was sculptured and placed on
the spot in memory of this achievement,
which has been mentioned by many his
torians. Amongst the ancient tombs there
Is one bearing the following inscription ::
D. NJ. 7. AELIUs. AUG. LIB. LUCIFER.
FIBUs (U5uuS) sIBI. PosUIT. In fact
amongst the ancients there are many ex-
amrles of people who, not having any
confidence in their heirs, raised their own
tombs In their lifetime in order to be sure
that their names would reach posterity
The Campo Santo presents modern in
stance OF this singular precaution. 1t is
the tomb of Felippo Decio, lawyer of
Milan, and professor in the University
of Pisa. We shall only quote the last
words of the inscription which are curl
ous-hoc Sepulcrunn si5i ta5r5car5 clruyit
ne poSte11S SatiS crederet.
The Campo Santo is also the theatre
IN which the most celebrated paintings
of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries
are displayed. There you see passing in
panorama as it were, Giotto, Simon de
Sienna, Buffalmacco, Piero Laurati, the
brothers Orcagna, Spinello d'Arezzo,
Faddeo Bartoi, and lastly, Benozzo Coz
gnli, whn eurPoeeod thera oil, ond VIM,
in concert with Masaccio, gave existence
to that new style which, superseding that
OF Glotto, spread itself abroad through
out Europe, and more especially in Elan
ders, and served as model for the great
masters of the following age. On these
walls of the Campo Santo, painting bids
adleu to the preceding ages and rises
through the various stages toward per-
lection. As we trace it, we see it cast
ing off its early rude clothing, assuming
a form of simplicity, and then of elegance,
then attaining beauty and natural graces,
till it at last reaches that sublime ideal
beyond which all is the exaggeration Of
Astheticism, the absurd affectation of
Wilde-the rock on which art ALWAYS
founders when the boundaries of reason
are once passed.
The paintings on the left are by Giotto.
whom Dante has immortalzed in the we'll
known verses
Cedette Cimabue nela pittura
iener 10 campo, ed ora Giotto il grido
> che la fama dI colui oscura"
VILLAIN, the historian, calls him the most
celebrated master of his day. Like Mu-
rillo, he began sketching on the clay and
In the dust the strange figures of his i'm
agination. From the bosom of nature he
drew his immortal inspiration. His pen
cil was tipped with the light of the morn
ing sun. In the embellishments which
ne contributed to these cemetery walls
we see already the marks of the genius
of Raphael. True, IL bodies of his fg-
ures are earthly, and stand all too rigid
ly but the uplifted heads are gazing
steadiastly into the new heaven of grace
ful art. Who can fail to mark his Job
on the wall, representing the history of
that mysterious Arabian history which
has puzzled human genius in all ages.
1t is obscured like the recollection of
those days; it is undone like the faith
which animated him, and yet though the
wall is injured by the damp, and is dis
figured by restorations, you still see the
job of Scripture-the penltent who COM
plains Of God without daring to curse
him, surrounded by sceptical friends,
between the Devil, hideous and terrific,
and the beautiful angel on the right float
ing IN the luminous atmosphere.
We cannot linger to describe the His
tory Of Creation, painted by Bufalmacco.
and occupying the first compartments of
the northern cloister-a painting remark
able for simplicity and Justice Of express
sion: nor examine with any minuteness