Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-20

'S ''ooNcAS Va tHc BcI IlOOuS III dICII-
lecture when he built the Pa2zi Chapel in
1920. The great dome on the church of
Saint Mary Of the Flower Santa Maria del
Fiorel, more Familiarity known as the
"Duomo" or cathedral, had already been
begun by him before he turned his atten-
ton to a mortuary structure for an i'll.
fateG family of Florentine mobiles.
The Pazzi were rich and powerful. Their
architect. quickened with the study of the
classical monuments of Rome-then far
better preserved than at the present day
was given a,free hand to develop his artis-
tic enthusiasms in a little masterpiece.
THE refinement grace and classic dig
- nifty are in admirable harmony with the
intended use of an imitation of the chapel
In Philadelphia. In Florence the serenity
of the original Is in striking contrast to
the vivid dramatic associations of Its en-.
vironment and its history.
The Pazzi Chapel, exquisite rather than
grand, rises, in the c~loisters of the last rest
ing place Of some Of the %.mightiest figures
In the tale of restless Renaissance Flor
ence. In the adjoining church of Santa
N'NhSeNSS'V VfV 'pdJSS'li "uSiild-
velli the subtle, Calico the cosmic. Giotto
painted there, Donatello carved and Bru,
nelleschi composed fair passages in the
frozen music of architecture, perhaps
among them strains of the Pazzi Chapel.
And In Acknowledgement of reposeful beauty
a scene of dark and heated frenzy was
once enacted.
Old Jacopo Pazzi, head of the family at
the time OF its conspiracy against the
Medici, was executed at the Palazzo Vec.
chic and buried in the Pazzi Chapel. Soon
afterward Florence was inundated by tor.
rental rains and the superGtitious belief
arose that divine. vengeance was at work
because Jacopo had been laid in sacred
soil. A mob rushed to the chapel, broke
open his tomb, dragged the body through
the streets and cast 1t into the Arno.
WET triumphant over the echoes Of such
= passions is the chaste and happy as.
poet of a symbol of artistic culture. Au-
thority of architectural conception is sus.
tained in the low ribbed dome, the elegant
porch In two stages. the open colonnade
OF six Corinthian columns, with the mid.
Ole opening covered Dy an arch rising to
the second story, and there the graceful
loggla, while the humanizing touch of in
timacy is revealed In the delightful della
Robbia reliefs of the interior.
The evocation of Brunelleschi's witchery
will assuredly be rightly keyed to the pur.
pose Tor which his architectural motives"
viii be employed on Philadelphia's ambi-
tlous boulevard. The full dramatic flavor
OF an architectural masterpiece can only
be tasted rin stu" The story of the Pazzl
Chapel abroad enriches its appeal SO far
as history goes. But It's purely artistic
import can be carried overseas. The at
~tractive duplicates which adorn parts of the
city are expressive OF beauty which need
not wither II the transplanting be reverept,
The message OF such buildings Is peril
nent in airy community where alleged utility
Is SO often placed second to artistic consid'
eratiops. A bit OF Florence IN the won
drous days In which ideals Of beauty had
nrst place should be inspiring, even IN a
= ucony.n "