Full text: Spence, B.: The "Lions" of Florence and its environs, or the stranger conducted through its principal studios, churches, palaces and galleries

72 
lasquez, Rubens, Da Vinci, etc. I may mention here 
by the by that Vasari makes out Pietro Perugino to 
have been any thing but a saint, and would almost 
have one believe that poor Pietro was an atheist: if 
this had been the case and generally known, he 
could hardly have had the sfacciataggine to paint his 
own portrait holding a scroll in one hand on which 
is written in very legible characters Timete Deum.- 
Leaving the Venetian school on the left is a small 
passage or corridor containing some excellent works 
of Luca della Robbia, Mino da Fiesole, etč. 
Hall of Niobe.—These celebrated statues by some 
supposed to be the work of Praxyteles, seem however 
on a close examination to be by several hands: some 
are inferior to the rest and two are repeated. The 
colossal group of the mother and the youngest child 
are amongst the finest pieces of ancient sculpture; 
perhaps Niobe herself is almost too matronly; but it 
must be kept in mind that these statues which ap¬ 
pear to have ornamented a pediment, were placed 
at a considerable height and distance from the spec¬ 
tator. —The two immense pictures by Rubens, which 
decorate this saloon, formed part of the collection of 
the Louvre. Henry the fourth at the battle of Ivry 
is wonderful for true pictorial fire and animation; 
the white horse especially. Its pendant is greatly 
inferior, and seems in part to have been painted by 
Jordans. — Leaving the Niobe follow the corridor 
taking a glance as you go on, till you arrive at the
	        
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