The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06

'Misericordia,' In which is tho portrait Of
Amerigo Vespucci who made the voyages to the
Indies"
In a guide book to Florence. too, of the year
1891, lie Believe di Fiorenza." by francesca
Bocchi, the fresco is described:
In uno Arco mel quale 9 dipinta una Miseri-
cordia di mano di Domenico altrcsi ci ha IL
~ritratto di Amerigo Vespucci."
I'm an arch in which is painted a 'Miseri-
cordia.' by the hand Of Domenico, there is like
wise the portrait OF Amerigo vespucci."
The existence and character OF the picture
were therefore known, as well as the place
where it was, yet it had completely disappeared,
and was discovered only q few weeks ago. while
Florence was preparing to celebrate the ami
versary OF Vespucci's voyage.
The reason is that the Vcspucci family had
two chapels in the Church of Ognissanti. The
better known OF these passed in 1916 to another
family, when the walls were whitewashed, and,
though they were scraped by Investigators later.
no traces OF Ghirlandaio's work could be found.
parts of the church were misled by the omission
OF a word or u comma In Nasari' 5 description,
and song; sought a Tor la IT gSov sd an hc arch p T Rnlyom 1t 1t. IS lin In
franciscan order OF .Uinori OSSrrr0Hti, how
eyer. on Feb. l informed the Inspector of
Monuments at Florence, Signor c.. Carocci,
that he had found in some old documents
in his convent the statement that there were
tain pictures. among them a fresco OF a dead
Christ in the Chapel of ST. Elizabeth. Queen
OF Portugal; Two days later Matteo kossellIs
wall. and behind it was disclosed the lost CHR
landaio fresco. One OF the affairs in the chapel,
The iresco is in two parts. The lower portion
represents a Descent, from the Gross" with
John the Evangelist and ,Magtalen. ana sur
rounded by many saints, whose heads arc prob
ably portraits Of tlorentine contemporaries OF
the painter. Above this, in the arch formed by
the chapel roof is a standing figure OF the Virgin
Mary. the Lady OF Mercy. MisericoTd.a."
kneelinG members OF the vcspucci fam.
lily. six men on her right. six women on
Inscribed with the words Mlsericordia Domini
plena est terra" kneelinG mex, to the Virgin.
of about 20 years. whose head and shoulders
only show in the fresco. This head has been
younger. the navigator. Next to him KnecIs
the principal figure in the group OF men. a very
back. This is AmerigG. the elder. grandfather
OF tho other and head OF the family whom tho
picture was painted. The other four men and
.ome OF the women have also been identified
from accounts OF the Ncsnucci family.
great. There may be doubt as to the exact date
at which the frcsco was painted, though the
year l472. but there is no doubt as TO tho work
being by Ghiriandaio, painted by him when he
was young. and as to It's being an unusually fine
served. owing probably to the protection given
by the canvas that concealed il for so many
years. The upper picture, il is agreed. has not
been retouched, though opinions vary us to the
treatment the Descent from tine Cross - has
received. Any touching.up OF the figures must
have taken place before the beginning of the
seventeenth century, and. il It did occur. was
probably done by Ghirlandaio's pupils. He was
the teacher in painting of Michael Angelo.
There has hardly been time to publish the his
torical demonstration OF the genuineness Of the
Vespucci portrait. The strong in
In yOr NJ thc Identification of the head hero rem
resented are the probability of the date of the
painting. the description in Nasari OF Yes
pucci's portrait as being that OF a young man.
the recent discovery OF his birth certificate.
which would make him about 20 years OF nRe in
l472. and that Of his Grandfather'S tombstone n
few years ago. which bears the date li72. There
is no doubt as to his hcing one Of the SIX men
represented. and probability that he is the
young man selected by tho FlOrcntine experts.