The record-union., 1897-11-24
A WALK IN FLORENCE.
THE GLoRIES OF ART IN THE
PERIOD OF RENAISSANCE.
Interesting Lecture Before the
Teachers Institute by Prof.
Briggs Of Stanford.

Yesterday evening the Sixth-street
Methodist Church was well filled
by teachers and friends of ed
uoation, and Superintendent How
ard, in a few well chosen
words, welcomed them on behalf of the
Teachers Institute, and announced that
although the train in which Professor
Briggs, who was to lecture, was COM
ing, he would not arrive until $40, and
the time would be filled by other num-
bers on the programme and the enter
tainmert would commence at o'clock
sharp, which he hoped would not es-
tablish an unwholesome precedent in
Sacramento.
The first number was an artistic solo
on the piano by Miss Carolee Wilsey,
which was enthusiastically encored,
and she responded with another fine
solo.
Schubert's "Serenade," a vocal duet,
by Mrs. Coppehsmith and Mrs. How
ard, was a beautiful gem that was
sung with much feeling and taste, and
was loudly encored, and they sang
Nearest and Dearest with fine effect.
A WALK IN FLORENCE.
ford University, the title of whose lee
ture was entitled "a Walk in Florence
said that in both Florence and Athens
the people We're noted for their ar
tistic taste and had the power of in
citing in their residents that singular
form of patriotism that made them feel
that life elsewhere was not worth liv-
ing. Florence reached out and took
from the hand of Athens the torch of
enlightenment. 1t was the birthplace
of the renaissance Great art never at
tempted to carry out a sensational line.
1t was quiet and graceful and more
profoundly restful to human nature
than anything we have in later art.
1t is upon this background that Euro
pean civilization is built. Christianity
changed the whole ideal of European
life and it no longer depended on the
Greek ideas
If we examine Greek architecture we
shall find the easiest key to the change
from ancient to mediaeval The Greek
architecture breathed a spirit of rest
fulness and content which we have
never since found. For mediaeval ar
chitecture we must turn to the cities
of Northern Italy. The Cathedral of
Milan is a good instance of it. The
light coming through the stained glass
gives an idea of the abaSement and
humility that We're characteristic of the
middle ages. Florence gave us Dante.
In u back street of Florence he first
saw the light and grew up into
strong, vigorous, but dreamy manhood.
He became eminent and a stat atesman
who was intrusted with many import
ant matters. He was a friend of Giot-
to, ONE of the two greatest painters of
the day, and his picture, painted by
Giotro, and covered many years ago
with a coat of whitewash, was lately
uncovered and given back to the sight
of his rejoicing countrymen Florence
is still full Of relics of Dante but his
greatest monument is the Divine Com
edy." 1t not only embodied that side
of the middle ages embraced in monas-
tic aspects, but also that side en-
bodied in the chivalry and love of wo-
men.
Almost in a breath the renaissance in
Florence took place. 1t seemed to come
from nowhere in particular. 1t is per-
haps, parallel with the Periclean age
in Athens. In Florence the first new
schools were found, that tried to bring
Plato into his true relation to Aristotle.
1t was the center of the group of great
painters Of the time. 1t has been said
that this renaissance was a pagan re-
vival. In many directions it seems to
be on the line of Greek ideals. But
when we look into it deeply we find
that it is really profoundly Christian
The fact is that history never repeats
itself. 1t never returns TO exactly the
same state. 1t is on higher or lower
plane, and the renaissance is essentially
Christian Michael Angelo was
medieval painter. Fra Angelica's
paintings were reaching after spir-
itual idealism. Florence produced Sa-
vanarola also, a grand gloomy nature.
F1orentine art, While often sensuous,
never becomes sensual, as it did in
Naples. The renaissance which began
in Florence, pulsated through all Eu-
ropean civilization and even reaches
down to us.
There is charm about Florence that
lifts it above all the other cities Wis
tied by the traveller After three days
of rain on their road, on the occasion
of his visit there that on ascending a
hill, the sun bursting through the
clouds revealed them the beauties of
Florence, a sight never to be forgotten.
Here are found the first great pictures
of the renaissance, which show the ef-
fort to show grace and beauty in art,
and the effort to show the symbols of
religion In a natural manner The Ca
thedral. with the beautiful baptistry of
ST. John: the tower of Giotto. one of
= p, 500
ure that the world has ever seen, all
appeal TO the soul. The church of
Santa Crucia. sometimes called the
Westminster Of Italy, the church Of
the Dominicans, is another great point
of interest, and contains a portrait of
st. Francis by Giotto. 1t is also filed
with other pictures by the same artist,
which depict the teachings and life
Of the saint. They are SO true to life
and so full of religious spirit that one
hardly knows which trait to admire
most in them. Here is the great square
where the populace met and where they
deposed their leaders when tired of
them, and the scene of Sayanarola's
martyrdorn.
The Pitt and Ufizzi palaces contain
gallery of paintings unrivaled in the
history of the world. Michael Angelo,
Rafael and Gunardo Da vinci all
worked in Florence at one time and
their pictures are here, but they are
overshadowed by Andrea del Sarto. all
whose pictures are here, and they are
exquisite. They are beautiful and
graceful, but we find 1t difficult to de-
termine what they mean. They lack
something that is found in the Sistine
Madonna and the Last Supper of Da
Sinci. The Last Sumner of Del Sar4o