Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-02-19
FLORENCE REBUILT.
THE MEDIEVAL CITY OF ROMANTIC
ITALY MOpERN!zED.

for Its Artistic Buildings. FITS Historic
Palaces. Its Picturesque Towers and
Rough, Old Walls Is Destroyed.
Looked at from an artistic point of view
Florence is nothing if not medieval, and
her recent attempts to moderniZe herself
are not only pitiably commonplace, but
bitterly disappointing to lovers OF romance.
During the last three years great part of
old Florence, including the Ghetto and the
tall, dark. mysterious houses with laby-
rint cellars in that network of alleys
which once formed the old market, has
been torn down, and medieval Florence or
that part of it where the quarrelsome Flor
entines lived and loved and fought their
neighbors. has been destroyed.
As the physical and moral health of pres
ent and future Florentines is of far greater
Importance than anything artistic, and as
fresh air and light should be shared by all
men alike, we would not. even if we could.
otstruct the work of demolition. But one
cannot help asking why Florence rebuilt
should be so mediocre.
The new square of Victor Emmanuel.
scoopea ont of the very heart Of the Old
market, is square lis square can ne. Broa
streets are cut from it at right angles iii
the most improved Nineteenth century
fashion. They drew red lines up and down
and across the old quarter and cut plumb
through the lines. barking off the face Of
one house the rear of another and the cor
ner cupboard of Il third. They cut through
massive walls, which had withStOod the
storms of centuries. looping off heriltlis
bearings and mural decorations which w,
should be glad of an excuse to put up SOME
where. and demolishing historic lan;.
marks. picturesque arches. quaint bal
comics. winding stairs. dim recesses ans.
halowe! associations with the ruthlesa
hand OF modern utility.
pREARY SQUARES.
Flat faced, eXrreSsiOnless houses rise Of;
all sides of the dusty Piazza and just ii,
the ceEter stands the equestrian statue o
Victor Emmanuel.
This statue may be good. am too i'm
rant Oil such matters to express an ops:
The horse is very. very big and carries
tail rampant Nictor's mustache is vel'
very fierce and evidently just waved.
the short. clumsy man looks too small
the big. clumsy horse you are renliutie.
that the soldier king always rode biz
horse
The bronze of the entire structure is pol
ished and shining-quite unlike the bronze
of CelIini's Perse,ls. Though perhaps that
too. shone tiefiantly Wien it was FRESH from
the mold.
But the square! Surely we inartistic.
blundering. semibarharous Americans
h,v Off, OIL h in,
Il mushroom city People say there is
nothing objectionab about it," and to
say that of a public square is quite as bad
as to say of IN acquaintance that he is
well meaning" There is, indeed, nothing
objectionable about it-except it's unoh-
jectionability.
Fran the old walls of historic Florence
rose frequent towers Of stone, rough but
picturesque, built for purposes of defense
in times when it was Il part of each days
routine for men to kill each other Even
now, reaching high above the surrounding
roofs and commanding wide views over the
outlying country, they lend q rugged air
of protection to the fair flower city.
Well, into our brand new square has
been built new tower. massive and
rugged. grin, and warlike-at least it was
meant to look so, being an exact copy of
the ancient ones. 1t was built to crafty
the hearts of the antiquarians. who only
laugh when they look ut it. All. but they
laugh sadly.
MODERN VANDALISM.
With al! their artistic and architecture.
past; with imperishable monuments star
ring their city. with the grand gothic of
the Duomo and the lily bloom of the bell
tower: with the stately magnificence of
scores of palaces. with the spring of arch,
the point Of spire the infinite delic;tcy of
ha,iworb in wood and irop and stone: in
short. with the profuseness Of the beautiful
which l;aa ell about them, Florentines
ought to know better.
The vandalism of Florence is but a copy
of the vandalism of Rome. which has gone
on until now ole! Rome is disnlantled and
is rapidly becoming the most modern city
of Italy.
Here are commonplace. dreary squares,
rows and streets OF blank, hisieous houses;
windows and doors cut of l,y he yard, and
such interiors Here in It;,y-. home of the
Arts. Verify, the Arts are s!umhering.
OHt OF it all have evolved for myself u
comforting reflection. From the shadows
of her misty bygone years. having shaken
Off The shackles OF oppression and super
stithl. young Italy is reaching out eagerly
toward all that is fresh and clean and mod
eri.
Let us have patience: we are modern
ourselves.
But just as we discriminate between
good gothic and bad gothic. the genera
tions to come will discriminate between
good modern and bad modern. Hitherto
have asked myself why should America
i,e s,ieered at and desplstd for cr,i.iities of
art or niannerSt She has had mightiSr
work to do than erect cainpaniies, rounl
ctlpolns. chip out statues Or polish her
speech These things Are the flower of 4,
healthy. deep rooted civilization, and our
America is planted so deep that the flower
must one day bloom. -.Jeanie p Rude in
Kate Fields Washington