Florence—Churches—Santa Croce.
17
only exposed on the feast of St. John
nected with the construction of the
the Baptist), is of silver, richly ena¬
Cathedral.
melled; the frame-work is of delicate
Gothic workmanship. It was begun
Church of Santa Croce, the principal
in 1366, but not completed till after
church in Florence, of the Conventual
Minors, of the Order of St. Francis,
1477. Ghiberti, Orgagna, Bartolom-
or Black Friars. St. Francis sent his
meo Cenni, Andrea del Verrocchio,
and Antonio del Pollajuolo were em-
earliest colony to this city in 1212,
who, after some migrations, were located
ployed upon it, and the account¬
books, testifying the payments made
in this magnificent building, of which
to them, are still preserved here. The
the first- stone was laid with great
Arnolfo was the
dossale, which is about 5 ft. in height
pomp in 1294.
and 15 in length, is in three divisions.
architect. It is 460 ft. long and 134
ft. wide across the nave and two aisles.
In the centre is a fine statue of St. John,
by Michelozzidi Bartolommeo. Around.
Almost from its foundation this church
in compartments, is the history of the
became the favourite place of interment
life of St. John. The tabernacle and
of the Florentines; and it has been
appropriately designated as the “ West¬
filigree-work are of great delicacy.
del
minster Abbey and the “ Pantheon
the portion executed by Antonio
of Florence.
Pollajuolothe countenances are remark
In a niche over the principal door
able for their expression. The figures,
of course, exhibit a progress in style.
stands a bronze statue of St. Louis,
Bishop of Toulouse, by Donatello.
-A rich silver crucifix (about 1456),
by Betto di Francesco Betti, a Floren-
Above, in a circle, are the letters I. H. S.,
remarkable as having been placed there
tine, and Antonio del Pollajuolo.—A
by St. Bernardino of Siena after the
pastoral staff of the same period, with
the Virgin, St. John, and other figures
plague in 1437. He was the inventor
—A mosaic diptych of Greek workman-
of these initials to denote the name
ship of the 11th century. It had been
and mission of our Lord, Jesus Ho¬
preserved in the Imperial Chapel of
minum Salvator. Having remonstrated
Constantinople, and was sold to the
with a maker of playing cards upon
baptistery, towards the end of the 14th
the sinfulness of his calling, the man
century, by a Venetian lady, Nicoletta
pleaded poverty, and the needs of
de Grionibus, whose husband had been
his family. “ Oh, replied the saint,
chamberlain to the Emperor John Can-
“ I will help you;” and writing the
tacuzene. The figures are small, and
letters I. H. s., he advised the card¬
the workmanship is fine and delicate :
maker to gild and paint these upon
the tessera of the mosaic are micro¬
cards, and sell them; and they took
scopic, and are so well put together
greatly. St. Bernardino then travelled
as almost to have the effect of minia¬
the country, putting up I. H. s. wher-
ture. As far as design is concerned, this
ever he went. A subscription was set
diptych is one of the finest existing
on foot, headed by Grand Duke Leo-
specimens of Byzantine art. The setting
pold II., to complete the façade of
is evidently of much later date than the
this national temple, from a design left
compartments. The Guardaroba also
by Cronaca, and thereby repair. what
contains many early paintings of the
might be considered a want of respect to
school of Giotto.
the memory ofthe illustrious menwhose
In the cortile of the Opera del Duomo
remains have found a resting-place
are preserved some curious specimens
within its hallowed walls; the prin-
of ancient sculpture—a Roman millia¬
cipal contributor being our countryman,
rium from the Via Cassia of the time
Mr.Sloane, longsettled in Tuscany. The
of Hadrian, some mediaval bas-re¬
façade will be completed in the course of
liefs and statues. In its Archivio
1861, and in a great measure owing to
are many interesting documents con¬
the liberality of this English gentleman.