The Spokane woman. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1921-1935, 1927-06-23
FLORENCE, ITALY

hluu WHICH only lldly can Oler. Ill
this happy atmosphere we started for
the famous Baptistry. This compare
lively small and unprep0ssessing 0eta-
gonal building boasts one of the most
exquisite accomplishments in bronze
that the world has known. On the
"Porta del Paradise" Ghiberti has rep
resented in ten square panels ten
subjects from the Old Testament.
With architectural backgrounds and
landscapes remarkably done, each
panel is more painting than a piece
of sculpture. The group of five pan
els of each door is surrounded by an
elaborate border of figurines and med
allions. The decreasing is ornament
ed by a charming freize of foliage,
fruits and birds.
We were so held by the beauty of
Ghiberti's great work that we could
scarcely tear ourselves away to con-
slider the Cathedral itself Here
Brunelleschi achieved what was then
believed almost impossible and in
1406 proposed the vaulting of the cent
raj OctagOn of the Cathedral. Inc
great sectional dome now stands ma
jestically as monument to his gen.
d
in the geometric polychr0matic point
ed style as is also the graceful Cam
panile of GiOtto standing near by. On
entering the Cathedral we were
pleased to find the expected dark
musty interior frightened by quanti-
ties of beautiful fresh flowers and
rows of candles decorating the altar
in preparation for the Good Friday
services.
Once again in the sunshine we pro-
ceeded to the PalaZZO VecchiO whose
thick stone walls and small high win
dows are reminiscent of the days
when a castle was a real stronghold
against the attack of political rivals.
Fees were paid and we were all put
through the gate ut the entrance to
the Uffizzi Gallery. Rapt coDtempla-
ton shown on the faces of the sight
seers as we proceeded from room to
room filled with famous masterpieces
of sculpture and painting. AS the
number of rooms increased the facial
expressions changed. Deep interest
gave way to mild concern, then came
look of passing notice and finally,
after traversing the full length of the
portrait-filled passage across the
Ponte Vecchio, some stragglers
were reduced TO a state of utter bore
dom. But the death blow came when
the entrance to the Pitt Palace and
Galleries, at the far end of the Ponte
Vecchio was found closed. The more
foot-sore ones collapsed completely
mt this and their mouths turned down
as they expressed their feelings.
Some sat down on steps and in win
dows and refused to bulge.
Retracing our steps we left the
Uffizzi Gallery and taking a deep
breath of invigorating fresh air as we
crossed the Arno, we entered the Pitt
Palace. Here Michelangelo's Madon-
mas revived our interest in the rever-
ence for the great works around us.
Beside the painting the halls of the
palace contained some marvellous bro
cade upholstered chairs, tables with
exquisite inlaid tops of malachite or
Russian lapis-lazuli and beautiful vas
es, all of which had their separate
histories involving rulers and nobility
of the time of the Renaissance.
1t was nearly noon when we left
the Pitt and our train was to depart
for Rome shortly after luncheon but
there was one more thing that we
could not bear to miss. Leaving the
others we dashed to a machine and
raced to the Palazzo del Podesta
which houses the National Museum.
At that hour the place was nearly