The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-07-30
PICTURE OF AMERTGO.
FINDING OF PORTRAITS ARGUS
rs NEW INTEREST.
Found in Florence Chapel-The Ex-
Plorer and His Family beautifully
Illustrated In an AnegOrioaI Group
About chs Madonna. v

The recent discovery in Florence of
a fresco by Ghirlandajo in the chapel
OF Ognissanti is of more than usual in
terest to Americans, as the principal
ngures in the long-hidden work of art
are those of Amerigo Vespucci. who
gave his name to our continent and of
other members of the illustrious fam
ily' says the Philadelphia Record. The
precious fresco, of which Vasan speaks
at length in his Life of Ghirlandaio,"
was long thought to have been destroy
co. as 1t was known that some parts
OF the walls of the Ognissanti chapel,
which was owned by the Vespucci fam
lly' were destroyed and then rebuilt,
and whitewashed, in 1916, and it was
supposed that the famous portraits of
the Vespucci family had disappeared at
the same time. Toward the end of 1892
Guido Carocci, in an article in carte ct
Storia," entitled "Amerigo Vespucci
and Some Souvenirs of Florence and
Its Environs," suggested the idea of
holding national fete in Italy to cele-
brate the centenary of the mariner who
had given his name to America, even
though Columbus had discovered it be-
fore him. The outcome of the sugges-
ton was project of restoring the
chapel Of 0gnissanti, and under the di-
rection Of M. Raggoli, the enthusiastic
historian of Ognissanti, who had
searched the archives Of the convent,
the statement of Vasan with regard to
the frescOes was verified, and the Dead
Christ" described by the old Italian,
was revealed to modern eyes. Stand
ing over marble iagstone a madonna,
in white tunic, extends her arms like
two wings, while humble suppliants
tineel before her. In the foreground is
the grandfather of Amerigo Vespucci,
with face turned to the virgin, so that
we have here a glimpse of his profile.
Behind him are his two sons, one clad
in a brochie dalmaticY with mitre on
his head, who was a Dominican monk,
the friend Of Savonavola and the pre-
ceptor Of the boy Americas. A noble
figure in velvet hood and the dress of
notary of the day is the elder brother
or the mariner, unfortunately much
damaged, while near by, almost touch
ing the robe of the madonna, is the
Benjamin of the family, he who made
illustrious for all time the name Of Am
ericus Vespucci. The face is that of an
adolescent; calm, yet vibrant; it seems
that all the virtues Of his race, serious
or subtle, are united in this handsome
young countenance. To the right is a
feminine group; the grandmother, rob-
ed in black; Elizabeth Mini, the mother
of Amerious; the pretty nun, his
younger sister, and Agnoletta, his
youngest sister. Touching the precise
date of the fresco no textual indications
other than that of Vasan is yet reach
ed, but it is evident that the work Of
art is one of the first done by Ghirlan-
dajo in the church, but not, according
to chronology, one of the first works
Of the artist. For art and for history
the discovery is as valuable as it was
unhoped for, and presents much deli
cate material for discussion for critics
and saVants alike.