| Show 7 wr bwy vf 15 i 1 ar art ill sunny florence master masterpieces pieces of sculptors and artists abound ia in that famous city church of or san michele a fine specimen special correspondence RECENT criticism on the works ot of the paint er Dotti botticelli celli is that which represents them as being filled with the mod rn sp rit and s ig cestive of the ud and restless ret less anex mental activity which arc charac tens teris tic of our times in a certain sense such might be set down as a quality of florentine art it is as strong in its appeal to the sense bt bf beauty and harmony a when it first gladdened the eye of the people the abundance and high ty of the art of the city of florence in the alth and and centuries are th surprise of mod era ern visitors donatello it has been said was an artist in every sense of the word be cause he translated into marble clay ol 01 bronze the man the whole man that he wished to dep ct it was in a niche of or san michele that ho he plant ed firmly on his feet that young strong daring cavalie st george who was the patron of the corazzol Coraz zal the niche has now a copy in bronze of the original marble which has been transferred to the barbello Bar gello or national museum on the plea that the weather was spoil ng it 0 nce the year 1416 until 1887 that is to say ears it stood in its niche on the church exposed to the which the figures play a part is allegorical others that it represents the story of the on the right is a king on his throne talking to a warrior on the left two ONO horsemen one old and the atae young and a statue 0 of f cupid in the center is a statue to which seven men are at cached and they are surrounded by I 1 fire in the upper part of this center over the heads of the burning men Is jupiter pluvius in a cloud from which ram rain descends upon the men at the stake about this time salvi Bor gherini buh bult a house and took to wife mar cherita accia oil oll the bridal chamber was prepared for so worthy a lady and this mantled ece was made with many other artistic works for its adornment the carving in black wal nut was the work of the sculptor bac clo d agnolo agnelo the front of the great clothes chests cassoni were painted by no less a master than an d ea del sarto and others only less celebrated than the e worked on the furniture and walls of this house during the siege of bl orence in 1529 salvi Bor Dor gherini margherita Margh enta s husband was kept away avay in lucca and on the wite wile i ue ie safety of the home depended feancis I 1 king of france had a passion tor for ital an art and his florentine aget G iovanni Dat battista tista delia della palla bought to curry favor with the king uy ly obtaining the con 7 S 4 S N R NN t 0 ak N va 14 t 7 1 14 44 aa 44 A 4 FF s ilk t 44 at hill 11 f 0 1 10 1 air gaz 4 Y 01 I 1 it ali A r CHURCH OF OR SAN MICHELE winds and the rains without very great damage you come across the work of dona tello in several places in florence in the elquis tely tender work of his in the gray green stone pietra serena serene in the annunciation of santa croce in statues in the cathedral and in busts in various places and in the church of san lorenzo perhaps his crucifix in santa croce Is one of his most interesting works it is a wooden crucifix and it has gone down the stream of history surround ed by a special interest donatello Dond Dona tello tellos s friend Brunel leschi called in to see it said that donatello had put a peasant a contadino on the cross instead of christ take some wood then said Don donatello atelIo irritated and try to make one yourself Brunel leschi did so and one day in cited donatello who had been pur chasing thing for bis his dinner to come t his studio when donatello saw Brunel leschi s crucifix that which Is now in the church of santa maria novella he opened his arms in admira tion and surprise and let fall the eggs and other things that he had bought for his dinner it Is indeed given to you to carve christs he said in his generous way and to me to make contadini A strange story Is suggested by the chimney piece that stands in the sec see ond end hall of sculpture in the barbello Bar gello museum As a rule a chimney piece is more practical than artistic this one Is an exception it Is the work of benedetto and dates from about the year 1500 it is carved in the brownish green stone found in the neighborhood of florence and mas aas made for the house of salvi Dor gherini and the artist who whid I 1 ad tl ti en j come to florence was of great promise and his col leagues said of him that marble mirble be comes flexible as is lace work in his hands bands scions and end trophies of areas armb n belef rel ef and figures adorn its sides and frieze iome I ome declare that the subject in lac AJL t sent of the signorina sig nonna to purchase the Bor gherini treasures when he presented himself before margherita Margh enta on this business the irate lady said you are a bad man messer G ovan battis a vile broker that you are to despoil the homes of gentlemen and to roo the city of the t chest and most revered treasures to beautify the land of strangers ard our enemies and her anger increasing she de dared she would defend her furniture with her life blood if need were and she added leave the house with your vil lanies giovan glovan battista aad and I 1 famous statue of dante go to those who sent you and say that I 1 will not li have ve a single thing moved and if they want to mal e pres ants to king ling francis let them despoil 4 kneir own houses and never neve r dare you to enter this door again |
