New-York tribune., 1891-12-27
OLD FLORENCE REBUILT.

Jeanie Porter Rudd, In Kate Fields Washington
Looked at from an artistic point of view, Florence
to mcderSts U herself are not only psSy cOmmoa.
place, but bitterly disappointing u lovers OF Vhsos
Fiorence' Including the Ghetto and the tall, DARK
mysterious houses with labyrnthine cellars IN mat
network OF alleys which once formed tie Ola MerAet
has been torn down. and medieval Florence, or INA.
part OF il where the quarTclsome HOrenunes Iya
and loved, and fought their neighbors, has been %
As the physical and moral health Of present sod
future Florentnes Is OF far greater mPIta,ce ess -
shared by all men alike, would not even We
could, obstrllct the work Of demolition But one saa,
not help asking why Florence rebuilt shouId oe |"
medlocrei
The new square of Victor Emmanuel, scOOped ou,
of the very heart OF the Old Alart 10 square ~ ,ae
can be. Broad streets are cut from IL at rght ansS
I'm the most approved nineteenth century ItSinoh:
They drew red lines up and down and across the on
quarter and cut plumb through the llnen barAns on
the face Of one house. tue rear OF a1ouer allu se
corner cupboard Of third They cut through na.sn'
walls which had withstUod the storms OF centuries,
looping oil herJdic bearings and mural decoau0'
which we should De glad Of an excuse 10 pnt up ,s1S
where, and demolishing historic LANDMARKS, Po.m.
esque arches, quaint balconies. winding siDrs 1ln
rcccsses and halowed associations with the Tule''
hand OF modern utility .
the dusty Piazza, and Just IN the oentc Stands ,he NJ
Gently unveiled equestrian statue Of Nct0s rJinahu.
This statue may be good am too igtorant on suon
matters ~ express an opinion. lie bUr- NcIl'
very big and carries hi, tail rampant FirDrs mss'
tache Is very, very fierce aud evidently Just Wnoi
IL the short, clumsy looks too small Tor me w.
clumsy horse you are reminded that the soltiershs
always rode big horse.
The bronze OF the entire structure is polished ana
shining quite unlike the bronze OF Cellinis reseas,
though perhaps that too, shcne dehantIy "heh w"
But the square Surely We nartisuc. bundc1as;;
semi barbarous Americans might have pn"Is
nothing worse I'm a mushroom prairie city. fe.po
say there Is nothing Objectionable afoat ", anu v
say that Of public square IL quite as oaa Is T,r,
Of acquaintance that he Is well meaning ~
Is, indeed, nothing Objectionable about a-eA'ep' +"
unobjectonability.
Quent towers OF stone, rough but picturesque Du. &
for purposes OF defence IN times when Il S~ P@,'
Even nOw reaching high above the SURROUNDING % rD.'
and comr andng wide views over the outlying eV.I s,
try, thy lc'l rugged air Of protection 10 uie '''
Well, into our brnnd-new square has been ,sI. san
a new tower. massive and rugged, grim and warA, -
at least 1t was meant to look 90 being i e1s s hsarts
OF the ancient ones II was built 10 gntlfy ue ns ios
OF the antiquarans, who only laugh when they ''-
at Il. All. but they laugh sadly 4, LIN
With ali their artistic and architectural past WIN
imperlshabe monuments starring their cy ~',s y, ne
grand gothic OF the Duom0 and the lily bloom W ~
beltower: with the stately msgnincence OF se",. -
palaces with the spring OF arch, the point o. sp1
the nlpitc decacy Of handw0rk In wood ana uom
stone; IN short. with the prof,iseness OF hs oean @
which lies all about them, Forentines ought 70 A'"
better
The vandalism OF Florence IL but copy OF the & vsu
dalsm OF Rome which has gone on until now oia s o
is dsmantled and is rapidly becoming the most
Here are commonplace dreay squares, sSs rOss doors
streets OF blank Lideous honses: windows nu ,,sy
cut of by the yard and such interiors Here IN Ia''
home OF the Arts Verify. the Arts are slunoenntt
ont of Il all have evolved FOR myself conlloIuns
reflection. From the shadows OF her misty oys.nS
years having shaken of the shackles OF oppression s
superstition. young Italy is reaching out eagerly D""
all that Is clean and fresh and modern =,
Let have patience are modern oufSei'es.. 4.
But Just as discriminate between good sotn0 st
and bad gothic the generations 10 come viii s,nnh
mate between good modern and bad modern H.
erto | have often asked myself why should hm'~ -
be- sneered az and despised for cridiiios OF h "a,
manners She has had mghtier work to 90 u un' y,
campaniles round cupolas. chip out sa.. ss -
polish her speech. These things are the HOWE hLca
n healthy deep rooted civilization and our Amers A. =
Is planted deep that the flower must QUO wv
bloom. -. so,,s
I'm the United States today than In besutlful
with her store-housc ~ memories, her masnlns, asn,o.
examples her Giottos, Arnofos and Michael Ahs.a,-
But Italy is young-the youngest VI me hsu'y A
and She too has been doing other WORK, 'he WV
work, freeing an enslaved people.