CAPPELLA  DEI  PRINCIPI.
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Infant  Jesus,  unfinished  group  by  Michelangiolo.  —  The  statue
of  S.  Cosmo,  G.  A.  Montorsoli.
Returning  to  the  Church,  we  shall  continue  our  tour  round
the  chapel.  —  The  Annunciation  of  the  Virgin,  Unknown.  —
The  Adoration  of  the  Magi,  G.  Macchietti.  —  The  frescoes  of
the  cupola,  belonging  to  the  next  chapel,  V.  Meucci.
A  door  next  to  this  chapel  leads  to  the
Cappella  dei  Principi.  —  The  designs  of  this  chapel  belong -
  to  the  Prince  Giovanni  dei  Medici,  who  entrusted  the  execution -
  of  the  plan  to  the  architèct  Matteo  Nigelti  in  1604.
This  edifice,  containing  the  mausoleums  of  the  six  first  Grandukes -
  of  Tuscany,  is  of  the  composite  order  and  octagon.  —
Its  height  is  of  braccia,  upon  40  in  width,  and  is  almost  totally -
  covered  with  marbles  and  pietre  dure  of  the  richest  kind.
The  armorial  bearings  of  the  principal  Tuscan  towns,  in
lapislazzuli,  verd’  antico,  of  flemish  touch  stone,  of  mother
pearl,  of  oriental  alabasters  and  jaspers  of  different  and  various -
  qualities,  are  ranged  round  the  chapel.  —  At  first,  on
the  right  entering,  are  the  arms  of  Pienza  and  Chiusi,  after
which  is  the  tomb  of  Ferdinand  II  in  egyptian  granite,  and
green  jasper  of  Corsica.  —  Hence  come  the  bearings  of  Soana
and  Montalcino,  followed  by  the  mausoleum  of  Cosmo  II.  -The -
  bronze  statue  representing  this  granduke,  is  by  Bologna.
—  Hence  come  the  bearings  of  Massa  and  Grosseto,  after
which  is  the  mausoleum  of  Ferdinand  I,  whose  bronze  statue
was  begun  by  P.  Tacca  and  finished  by  Ferdinand  his  son.—
Thence  are  the  arms  of  Siena  and  Fiesole,  and  the  Tribune
on  which  was  to  stand  the  altar.  —  On  its  other  side  are  the
bearings  of  Florence  and  Pisa  preceding  the  mausoleum  of
Cosmo  I.  —  This  is  followed  by  the  arms  of  Pistoia  and  Arezzo, -
  and  these  by  the  mausoleum  of  Francis  I;  preceding  the
bearings  of  Volterra  and  Cortona,  followed  by  the  tomb  of
Cosmo  III;  and  lastly  the  armorial  bearings  of  S.  Sepolcro
and  of  Montepulciano.  —  The  paintings  of  the  cupola  were
executed  by  Cav.  B.  Benvenuti,  and  they  represent;  the  Creation -
  of  Adam  and  Eve;  the  sin  of  the  first  Fathers;  Adam
and  Eve  weeping  on  the  body  of  the  murdered  Abel;  the  Sa¬