THE ORTI ORICELLAEI LEADER SCOTT TO WHICH IS APPENDED AN ENLARGED CATALOGUE OF THE ANTIQUITIES IN VINCIGLIATA CASTLE. Slovenes, PRINTED BY G. BARBERA. 1893. CONTENTS. The Orti Oricellari Page 1 The Rucellai 3 The Plato Academy 21 A turn of fortune 84 Descriptive Catalogue of the Castle of Vincigliata. 93 The outer Ballium idem The Quadrangle of the keep 103 The Chapel 159 The Guard-Room 167 The Council-Chamber 177 The Reception-Room 189 The Bed-Chamher 209 The Refectory 217 The Ante-Room 227 The Kitchen 230 The Breakfast-Room 237 I-t Gallery 243 The Study 245 The Ground Floor 258 The Cloister 260 Appendix. — The Geodetic Society at Vincigliata . 272 THE OKTI ORICELLARI. THE ORTI OEICELIARI. A MONG the classic spots which have hitherto rendered Florence in- teresting as the cradle of the renais- sance, none can be more full of remi- niscence tlian the garden of Bernardo Rucellai, known in history as the Orti Oricellari. Here, tlie famous Plato Academy died its deatli, being broken up by treachery, after liaving for 60 years gathered into itself all that was great and learned in tlie 15*^' century. Here, the humanists whose 2 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. names have become as household words to us^ wrote and read their yet famous books. Here, the classic garden having fallen from its high literary uses, conspirators formed their plots, and Grand Dukes and their favourites disported themselves with light pastimes. In these days the gardens have fallen lower still, the Roman statues that Bernardo Rucellai placed beneath the ilexes have been sold ; the grand old avenues are doomed to be cut down, and the gardens sold on build- ing leases. Before the very site and name have vanished, it will be well at least to preserve some memories of the Orti Oricellari, and as Mr. Leader THE ORTI OKICELLAKI. 3 has sheltered some of the antiquities Avhich have adorned the place for four hundred years, we will dedicate this little history to the bust of Plato, to which he has given an honorable asylum in its age and loneliness. THE RUCELLAI. To tell the story of the Orti Ori- cellari is to tell tlie history of the family Rucellai, who first idealised the gardens, and gave them their name. Of course this family name, as do most of the Florentine ones, originated in a nickname. In 1261 there lived in Florence a certain Ala- manno, a cloth merchant who jour- neyed much in the East, whence he 4 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. brought a precious secret for his trade. It was the discovery that a rich purple dye might be made from the plant Lichen Boccella (the " Ro- cella " tinctoria of Linnaeus) by the application of uric acid. Before Ala- manno's time the Florentines seem to have been restricted in their co- louring for woollen stuffs ; the richer people wearing red, and the poorer classes green flannel or baize. The new purple was vastly appreciated ; they called it " Oricella " from the plant, and Alamanno was hence- forth known as the Oricellaro, a name which clung to all his des- cendants and ultimately became Ita- lianized into Rucellai. The dye not only raised the woollen trade into THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 5 new phases, which led to the " Arte della Lana ' taking rank among the higher guilds, but it endowed the family of the inventor with wealth and honours. The Eucellai flou- rished throughout the Eepublic, in the government of which they seem to have always had a hand, for they count 85 Priors, and 14 Gonfalonieri among their ranks, not to mention Masters of the Mint, and otlier oner- ous offices, besides ambassadors by dozens. The family politics do not seem to have been as constant as their prosperity. The Rucellai held tlieir own through distinctions and civic honours till early in the 1 5*^' century when Giovanni Rucellai was one of 6 THE ORTI OEICELLARI. the most violent of the party which exiled Cosimo cle' Medici to Padua in 1433. Giovanni Eucellai and Palla Strozzi tried to re-establish the liberty of the Republic, but the Me- dici returning in the following year, they in their turn became " sus- pects; " Rucellai was excluded from the magistrature, till Cosimo politi- cally turned him into an adherent, by standing as God-father to his son Bernardo. When Bernardo com- pleted his 18*^ year Cosimo gave him in marriage his grand-daughter Nannina, the daughter of Piero de' Medici, and sister of Lorenzo il Magnifico. From that time the Ru- cellai shared the power with the Medici, and though many of them. THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 7 especially Palla (Giovanni's grand- son), had a strong feeling for liberty, we generally find them staunch Pal- leschi. Among other things they shared with the Medici, were intellectual tastes, together with the love of luxury and magnificence. It was the age of palace-building, and on that point Giovanni liucellai was not behind his neighbours, tie em- ployed Leon Battista Alberti (wlio was then engaged in putting the re- naissance fa9ade to the gothic church of Santa Maria Novella) to give him plans for a splendid Tuscan " Palaz- zo, " in the Via della Vigna Nuova. He moreover built a ' vaga loggia " opposite it, which was said to be the 8 THE ORTI ORICELLAEI. most graceful one in Florence.^ At young Bernardo's marriage withNan- nina de' Medici this loggia was hung with awnings which covered the whole street and piazza in front of it. The walls were adorned with rich tapestries, candelabra, and flow- ers; and music, dancing and feasting were carried on here for three entire days. It is said that 1004 candles were consumed, each of which was warranted to burn for 12 hours. He also built a charming covered « terrazza " on the roof of the palace, decorated with frescos like those in the green cloister (chiostro verde) of Santa Maria Novella. The ter- ^ It is now walled in and made into sliops, but the pillars and arches are still traceable. THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 9 race is now converted into common place rooms. Another of Giovanni's buildings was the family Chapel in the church of San Pancrazio. For this he sent his architect in a special vessel to Jerusalem to take the precise shape and measurements of the Holy Se- pulchre of which the Chapel is a copy. He was also an elegant Avriter, and in 1457 when obliged to flee to San Gimignano from the plague then raging in Florence, he wrote his fa- mily history in a book named the " Zibaldone quadragesimale/' a work something on the style of Agnolo Pandolfini's " Governo della Fami- glia " which he ingenuously avers 10 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. was written with the object of " firing the souls of his descendants to imi- tate the virtues of their ancestors. " Some of his chapters would be useful as aids to. history, such as the one " Delia pestilenza del 1348 ed altre morie insino al presente anno 1457 " (page 25 to 26);^ "Che vuol dire giubileo, e della bellezza e anticaglia di Roma " (page 51 to 56);^ " Di molte cose nuove e grandi, state dal- r anno 1400 in qua " (page 60 to 73).^ Then he treats of " When the Monte del comune was begun in * About the pestilence in 1348, and other plagues until the present year 1457. ^ What jubilee means, and about the beauty and antiquities of Rome. ^ Of many things new and great, that have taken place from the year 1400 onwards. THE OKTI OKICELLAKI. 11 Florence, and when the first florin was struck ; " " A letter of the King Rnpert to the Duke of Athens while ruling Florence ; " " Of the events in Florence ; " " The compatriots ; ' " The war of the Church; " " The war of Florence with the Visconti ; " "Episodes of Florentine liistory" etc. The other chapters are more perso- nal to the family, and contain many good maxims, and much domestic philosophy. The book is bound in wood, with leathern back and brasen clasps. It consists of 253 pages folio. This valuable codex, together with the archives of the Kucellai ; Gio- vanni's diary of the embassy of Mar- chese Corsi to Louis Xlll of France to offer the Duke of Tuscany's con- ! 12 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. dolence for the death of his mother Maria de' Medici ; and other precious manuscripts are now in the possession of Comm. John Temple Leader, who covaldi family, a branch of the Ru- cellai. Giovanni being such an intel- lectual man was of course a member of the Plato Academy then held at Lorenzo de' Medici's Villa at Careggi, and his son Bernardo, the young bridegroom, was then the youngest member, though in later years he became its chief supporter. The young couple were at this time living in the usual patriarchal fashion under the father's roof in the Palace in Via della Vigna Nuova ; but in the purchased them from the Goggi Mar- THE OKTI OKICELLARI. 13 course of time they found the few rooms which belonged to them there, were quite insufficient for their in- creasing household and artistic col- lections, and Bernardo formed the idea of building a house for himself. So he exchanged a ham and sausage shop in the parish of San Salvadore (which had been a part of his wife Nannina's portion), for an orchard in the Via della Scala, where he alrea- dy rented a piece of land adjoining. The shop was valued at 165 florins and 1 1 lire ; and the garden which belonged to a hospital supported by the Arte di Calimala, was adjudged to be an equivalent. The contract which registers the exchange was drawn up by the notary Ser Giovanni 14 THE OKTI OEICELLAKI. Migliorelli, on February 26*\ 1489. The house was not immediately built however, for in 1498 we find an entry in the Catasta that Bernardo possessed an orchard in Via della Scala which was cultivated by Do- menico da Prato and only yielded him enough fruit and vegetables for his household consumption. The garden was already historical ; in ancient times it was called il Pan- tano and was a very marshy spot be- tween the Arno and Mugnone. In 1186 Vinciguerra Donati built a Le- prosy hospital there, which was en- larged by his son Forese (immorta- lized in Dante, Purg., c. xxiii, xxiv). This Forese was the father of the beautiful Beatrice who tempted Buon- THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 15 delmonte to break his troth with the damsel Amidei, and caused the first war of factions in Florence. Within a hundred years the Tornaquinci, who were the administrators of the Leprosy hospital, proved such poor guardians that the government took it out of their hands, and placed it in the care of the " Arte di Ca- limala. " In 1482 when this com- pany sold it to Eucellai it had long ceased to be needed as a hospital. The great architect Leon Battista Alberti, who had built tlie family palace, was no longer living, so Ber- nardo employed a certain Giovanni Bettini, and about tlie year 1500 the palace arose in one corner of the beautiful garden wliich was now 16 THE OETI ORICELLAEI. thickly planted with groves and ave- nues of fine trees. Bernardo, like his brother-in-law Lorenzo dei Me- dici, was an ardent collector of ar- tistic antiquities, and his Casino and gardens were to him as much a shrine for his treasures, as a home for his family. In the house were rare books and illuminated Mss., pictures, sculptures, and antiquities; in the garden, the shady walks and nooks beneath the cypress and ilex trees, were gay with fountains and flowers, and adorned with statues and inscriptions. Here were the busts of Roman Emperors, orators, and greek poets, which had been dug up in the excavations of Rome, under Raphael and San Gallo, or had THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 17 been brought from Greece by curio seekers who found hberal purchasers in the Medici and their friends. To make this delightful place still more charming, Bernardo of- fered it as a meeting place for the Plato Academy which since Lorenzo de' Medici's death in 1492 had no longer its head quarters at Careggi. Some years must have elapsed, how- ever, between the Careggi meetings and their revival in the OrtiOricellari, for Bernardo's house was not built when Lorenzo died ; and besides the building of this palace, his time was very much occupied in politics. The rule of the Aveak young Piero, who succeeded his fatlier Lorenzo il Magnifico, did not suit the views of 18 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. Rucellai ; and, Pallesco though he was, he made another strike for the liberty of Florence in a zealous defence of the city against Charles VIII, after an equally zealous partizanship with the reformer Savonarola. An old inedited manuscript " Prio- rista," written by Giovanni del Nero and Stefano Cambi, throws a curious light on Messer Bernardo's diplomacy in these difficult times. In 1498 his name appears in the list of Gonfa- lonieri, he being elected for the Quar- ter of Santa Maria Novella. He took part in the general Council held in May 1498, in which Vieri di Cam- bio, then Gonfaloniere di Giustizia and head of the Republic, condemned Savonarola to death; and was evi- THE ORTI ORICELLARL 19 dently so much out of harmony with the decrees of that Council that he evaded attending its meeting on the 2"^ of November, not having the cou- rage to openly oppose his colleagues, yet wishing to hinder the motion they proposed. The quaint old chronicle is rather obscure, but the following is the entry made after the name of Bernardo : Costui a di 2 Novembre finse d' haver male, et allego I'impedimento, et ordino- rono die il notaio d^i^ (sic) tratte non lo potessi vedere con dire stava male, e questo perclie liaveva a cer- care di guastare il Consiglio gene- rale, non gli basto ranimo. " The next entry proves that Mes- ser Guid' Antonio Vespucci, Giudice, 20 THE ORTI OKICELLARJ. attended this Council in Bernardo's place, and used still more diplomacy. In his crabbed old writing Cambi reports: " A costui ne feciono di- sfare quello havevano ordinato sotto parole larghe, d^ vincere una provvi- sione di detti, e disse a chi non place questo modo lo dica in Consiglio, e non basto 1' animo a chi s' haveva a levare a dire no, e lui disse di poi scusandosi a chi lo riprese, che di- ceva d^i^ provvisione de detti." The chronicler does not tell us particulars of the question on which Bernardo and Vespucci so differed from the measures of the Great Civic Council, but it probably referred to the exiled Medici. We need not however follow him through this THE ORTI OllICELLARI. 21 stormy epoch of his poHtical life, but shall again meet him in his relaxa- tions in the classic garden of Via della Scala. But first we must trace the progress of the Platonists up to his time. THE PLATO ACADEMY. The works of Plato had been known and read in Italy for a hundred years back, for Petrarch had copies of the pliilosoplier's works, and he and his friend Boccaccio, both learned Greek to be able to read these precious possessions. Coluccio Salutati too sent Jacopo da Scarperia to Greece to obtain him a lexicon, together with as many of the Avorks of Plato 22 THE ORTI OKICELLARI. and Plotinus as he could collect. These were however only rare excep- tions, for it was not till the 15*^ cen- tury that Italians in general began seriously to study the master. Cosimo de' Medici, that founder of libraries, being desirous of reading his Greek codices in the original, retained Giorgio Themistus or Ge- mistus in Florence as Professor of Greek, when he came over with Palaeologus to the famous Ecume- nical Council of 1439. Gemistus, nothing loth, commenced a course of public lectures on the philosopher Plato, for whose works and doctrines he had such a fanatical admiration that he was named by the Floren- tines Pletone, or Pletho. THE OETI ORICELLARI. 23 It was not long ere Cosimo became as demoted to Plato's doctrines as his instructor, and being a man of in- fluence he formed the design of re- storing to the world the "culto" of Pla- tonic philosophy. Among his friends was a sharp boy named Marsilio Fi- cino, who showed such gifts of mind and intelligence that Cosimo took him into his house, and educated him with a view of giving him the post of high priest of the new doc- trines. Marsilio used to say that he had two fathers; that to father Ficino he owed the birth of his body, which was dedicated to Galen; and to father Cosimo the birth of his soul, which was consecrated to Plato. At the age of twenty-three he wrote tlie 24 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. " Istituzioni Platoniche, " and when Cosimo was taken with his last illness, Marsilio had, for twelve days, been reading to him his translation of Plato's " De summo bono, " On Cosimo 's death he became pre- sident of the Plato Academy, which then counted as its members Lorenzo de' Medici (who in himself was musi- cian, poet, scholar and statesman) and all his brilliant circle of friends. And what friends ! There were Giovanni Rucellai calm and learned ; large nosed Politian, plain of feature and melo- dious of voice, eloquent and full of poetry, so that his speech entranced every listener ; Leon Battista Alberti brilliant at Court, in the studio, and in the field , who could tame a horse THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 25 as easily as he played his lute, could tilt a lance as cleverly as he held his pencil ; Marsilio Ficino, by this time, so saturated and imbued with Plato, that philosophy oozed out of him with every word ; the two Pulci full of poe- try and courtesy, sparkling with wit and humour; Pico, lord of Mirandola, tall and divinely beautiful, an in- tellectual Antinoos, full of mystic tliouglit and fancies; together with Cavalcanti, Bandini, Marsuppini and many others. We can see them all in a fine picture by Mussini, wliich re- presents the Academy beneath a Log- gia at Careggi — the ' Campo delle Grazie ' as Marsilio Ficino called it. Lorenzo, in his red litcco which the artist lias classicalized into a toga, 26 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. sits before a sculptured Greek Cippus, on winch lies a large volume of Pla- to's works; his son Piero is at his feet. Seated just under the marble bust of Plato/ which Giorgio Roscius nardo Rucellai, anxiously listening to the debates as he writes down the speeches. The other members group around them, Scala and Chalcondila are in Greek dress, and a lute player is in the back-ground leaning over the balcony. The debates were often very keen ; sometimes one party would favour Aristotle, and argue with the Platonists on the rival merits of the * Possibly the one now in possession of Comm. Temple Leader. See N** 148 of the catalogue. had brought from Greece for Lo- renzo, is the youngest member Ber- THE ORTI OKICELLARI. 27 two systems ; at others Ficino would read and expound a chapter of the divine Plato. The anniversary of the philoso- pher's birth-day was celebrated by a reading party, each member per- sonating one of the speakers of the dialogues, and reading in turn, as we read Shakespeare now. Some time after the Medici house was closed in 1494, Bernardo Kucellai, who, as we have said, had married Lo- renzo's sister, offered his Casino, then in process of building, for the meet- ing of the Academy,^ receiving the members in a room on the ground floor, over the door of which he ^ Capponi, BepubUica di Firenzc, II. 28 THE ORTI OEICELLAKI. placed a porphyry inscription "Ave hospes, " The room still exists, but its present mural decorations are po- sterior to this epoch. The sole study of even the " di- vine philosopher " could not satisfy for ever so many keen intellects. A change of thought was needful, and in course of time the Plato Academy lost its distinctive charac- teristics, no longer dedicating itself exclusively to the works of the one philosopher. Its name too was chan- ged: it now became known as the " Academy of the Orti Oricellari, " and books of all kinds, historical, social, and poetical, were studied and written here. The members com- posed original essays and read them. THE OKTI OKICELLARI. 29 Machiavelli wrote his " Libri suU' Arte della Guerra, ' and read his famous discourse on the first ten books of Livy. Here Jacopo da Diacceto preached liberty and read his book on the beautifuL Alamanni recited his graceful poem on the woods and cornfields. ( " Trattato della coltiva- zione e le selve. ') Bernardo died in 1514, but his sons Giovanni and Palla were not less intellectually inclined than their ancestors, and ably carried on the Academy. When in 1516 their cousin Gio- vanni de' Medici came to Florence in his new honours as Pope Leo X, the Academy gave an " open night " in his honour, and celebrated it with 30 THE ORTI OKICELLARI. a theatrical representation of a tra- gedy named " Rosmunda " Avritten by Giovanni Rucellai the younger. The subject was the awful story of the Longobardic wife of Alboin, who was made to drink wine out of her fa- ther's skull. This kind of entertainment was new at the time, the only preceding attempt at drama being Trissino's " Sophonisba," which had been repre- sented at the Olympic theatre at Vi- cenza in 1514, two years previously. Giovanni, however, has the honour of being the first to introduce music into the drama. In fact the Italian opera may be said to have had its birth in the Orti Oricellari, where the chorus, which was introduced in the THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 31 Greek style, was sung to the accom- paniment of musical instruments/ Giovanni Eucellai followed up tins literary success by another, and mo- delling his style on the Georgics of Virgil wrote a poem entitled " Sulla natura, costume e coltivazione delle Api." It was a very elegant poem, and being in detached verses, whicli gave it a certain originality, it at- tracted great admiration, and made a new epoch in tlie history of tlie Orti Oricellari. At tliis time the members of the Academy Avere: Nic- colo Machiavelli, but lately returned to Florence witli the IMedici ; two Luigi Alamanni (one Luigi di Piero, * Passerini, Ctiriosita storico-artistiche fioren- tine. Begli Orti Oricellari, prima serie, pag. 14. 32 THE OKTI ORICELLAEI. a soldier in the guard of the Arch- bishop of Siena, who was afterwards a conspirator against the life of Car- dinal Giulio de' Medici; the other his cousin Luigi, a poet, who in later life became an ambassador of note, and effected a reconciliation between Charles V and the Florentines) ; Piero del Eiccio, named Crinito, who wrote a treatise " De honesta disciplma/ in which he speaks very enthusiastically of the delights of the Eucellai gar- den ; Antonio Brucioli, Giovanni Corsi, Francesco Vittori, Pietro del Nero, Giovanni Corsini, Cristoforo Bandino, the commentator of Dante ; Piero and Niccolo Martelli, Giovanni Caval- cante, Verino^ two of the Pazzi ; and last but not least, two cousins, both THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 33 named Francesco da Diacceto. To distinguish between the namesakes the Platonists nicknamed one " il paonazzo ' (the purple one) from the colour of his doublet and hose, the other " il nero " from his dark com- plexion. One of these, Francesco Cat- tani da Diacceto, was a very learned young man, who had succeeded Mar- silio Ficino as Professor of Plato- nic Philosophy. There was a third Diacceto in tlie Academy, a certain Jacopo, who caused its ignominious downfall. His contemporary, Luigi Alamanni the writer, gives the fol- lowing account of him. ''In 1522," he says {Istor. Fior,, parte II, anno 1522), ''the chair of the " Humanities " in the University of 34 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. Florence was filled by Jacopo da Diac- ceto, a young man who formed a great friendship with Luigi Alamanni (cou- sin of the writer), and Zanobi Buon- delmonte. He, finding that these two were like himself so ill satisfied with the government, that they were ready for any emprise, incited them by force of classic example, and the tempta- tion of being called Liberators of their country, to attempt the murder of the Cardinal Giulio de' Medici, who was at this time head of the Republic. " This is all the information Ala- manni affords us as to the enmity his cousin and Buondelmonte bore to the Cardinal; probably he shrank from exposing the not too honour- THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 35 able cause of quarrel, and no other historian seems better informed. There is however the old Mss. Prio- rista, that of Giovanni del Nero and Stefano di Alessandro Cambi/ which we have quoted before, and which carries the doings of the Priors and events of the city up to the year 1534. This gives a full account of the cause of the quarrel between the two youths and the Cardinal. The book being inedited, the portion may be found interesting enough to quote. Under the date of " May 1522 " Cambi gives an account of the Duke of Milan's departure for Genoa with the Spaniards, Italians and lanzichi- * Now in the possession of S. T. Baxter Esq. Florence. ' 36 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. netti (lanzknechts) " to recapture the State of Genoa, " and then continues : " A few days before this, a plot was discovered, made by two young men who wanted to murder Car- dinal de' Medici, Archbishop of Flo- rence. The two citizens were Za- nobi di Bart. Buondelmonte, and Luigi di Maestro Piero Alamanni, and they were friends of the Cardinal often visiting at his house, especially Zanobi Buondelmonte, who, being re- lated to him, was often a guest at the Cardinal's table. " The reason of this foolish spite is said to have been that the youths had taken offence against the Car- dinal for the following trifling cause : Zanobi Buondelmonte had a lawsuit ^C^...- THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 37 with Messer Filippo Buondelmonte, who, being old and infirm, sent his son Benedetto to the " Vescovado^ " to oppose Zanobi. Now both these said Buondelmonti being padroni (heads of houses) had their parti- zans; and one side held with Mes- ser Filippo, the other with Zanobi, so that every man wished his own friend to win the cause. It hap- pened one day that a fierce war of words was waged in the " Vescovado, ' ^ The Archbisliop's Palace, where there seems to have been a civil Court, as the Cardinal was ruling Florence at the time. Del Migliore, in his Firenze lllustrata (1G84, page 136), says that from the time of Pope Eu- gene I, the Bishops of Florence not only held a Court for the judgment of criminal and civic causes, but that a prison was attached to the Archbishop's Palace. 38 THE ORTI ORICELLAEI. for Benedetto — who plumed him- self on his friendship with the Me- dici, his father having been made a cavaliere by Pope Leo X — thought he was not treated with proper re- spect by Zanobi, who used hasty words against himself and his friends ; and Zanobi's partizans sided with him against Benedetto. Another day they again came to hot words in the "Vescovado/' and Benedetto Buondel- monte gave a blow to another Bene- detto, his namesake and partizan, an insult which so angered him that he broke his allegiance. Three fourths of the house of Buondelmonte were now on Zanobi's side, for he was a plea- sant youth, rich and learned, while Be- nedetto was overbearingly proud and THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 39 arrogant. It was only a few years since that he had given a similar insult to Amigiotto Bardi who had married his sister, for when Ami- giotto merely demanded his rights, Benedetto smote him on the face. Now the Cardinal being in au- thority set himself to heal these breaches, but not being able to make peace, he patched up a truce by sending Benedetto out of Florence for a certain time. The time was not kept: he returned prematurely by permission of the same Cardinal, and again showed his arrogance by using violence against Luigi, son of Messer Piero Alamanni, a young man of 28. In this case the Car- dinal begged the " Otto " (Council of 40 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. eight) to make a decree that young men should not carry arms either by day or night, on account of the many scandals they caused, by kill- ing and wounding each other, and he pleaded especially on his own account, as they were in his guard. Now this Luigi being the son of Messer Piero, who was one of the first citizens after the Cardinal, felt that this law was not made for him, and one night being found armed he was taken^ and compelled to pay the fine, which made him very irate; and being often with Zanobi Buon- delmonte, for they attended the lite- rary meetings together, they con- spired with other young men to kill the Cardinal under semblance of THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 41 wishing to liberate the country . They swore that the land should be freed from these insolent and wicked men who for their private feuds would ruin the country with bloodshed and plun- der; saying that wheat had risen to 50 soldi the staio; that the Arte della seta no longer flourished, as they could not send their merchandise to France, and had not sale enough to reimburse the money extorted for the war with the Emperor and the Duke of Milan, friends of this same Cardinal; and that they would not scruple to commit the same excesses and terrors on the Florentines as they had on the Genoese, and with less resistance too. " This is verbatim the con tempo- 42 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. rary official account the old Prior- ista gives of the animus of Zanobi and Luigi in the affair; it is pro- bable that their instigator Jacopo da Diacceto was actuated by really patriotic views, and the young men fell in with them to further their private revenge. In any case the plot was hatched. Some say that the group of young fellows would leave their elders talking classics in the Academy, and steal off to a darksome grotto in the garden where the shadows were deepest, and here form their schemes, binding them- selves by solemn oaths to perpetrate the deed. Alas ! like many other con- spirators or patriots (for the words often seem interchangeable accord- THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 43 ing to success) they counted on neither accident nor betrayal, both of which occurred. Another ancient Priorista quoted by Signor Cav. An- giolo Maria Bandini in his " Spe- cimen Literaturce " shall tell us this part of the story: "In May 1522 a French courier was taken, who carried letters against the Medici, and not being able to make him confess their authorship, they (the authorities) resorted to cunning to obtain the coveted information. They gave him to understand that his last hour was come, and when the poor man asked for a confessor, a spy was sent, in the robes and place of the Holy Father, who told him that if he did not confess, his soul would 44 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. be lost for ever. So he owned that he had a letter sewn in the belt of his doublet, which being found re- vealed everything, and Jacopo da Diacceto and Luigi Alamanni, leaders of the plot, had their heads cut off." For the conclusion of the story we will again quote from the for- mer Priorista " del Cambi. ' He writes : " Now when this treaty was disco- vered and they arrested Jacopo di Gio. Battista da Ghiacceto, a youth of 25, who read works of " huma- nism " in the schools, and was the teacher of these said Zanobi and Luigi, and when they understood that this Jacopo was taken, with whom they had conferred about the thing, Zanobi and Luigi immedia- ffic^ ^ THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 45 tely went to Ferrara. The Floren- tine State, in their cleUberations, decreed that on the fete of the Holy Ghost, which was this year on June 8*^, the picture of the Madonna of Impruneta should be brought, and preaching made in the Church of (name unreadable) and prayers offered to God for the governors of the city and their safety in future." On another page we read : " On the vigil of Pentecost, June 7*^', the heads of two young men of 24 were cut off, for the above plot, that is Luigi di Tommaso Alamanni — who was brought from Siena where he was in the guard of the Cardinal who ruled Siena as the Cardinal Medici did Florence, and they helped each 46 THE OETI ORICELLAEI. other — and Jacopo di Gio. B. di Lapo di Ghiacceto/ who had the professorship of humanities in Flo- rence. And the others nominated above escaped to Venice, i. e. Za- nobi di B. Buondelmonte and Luigi di Piero Alamanni, and as the Car- dinal, being also Archbishop, did not want to spill blood, he ordered a pratica (special council) of 60 citi- zens, together with the " Otto " of war, which made the report as given above." The consequence of this was the entire dissolution of the Plato Aca- ^ It is a significant sign of the independence of patriotic sentiment in Italy, that these con- spirators are now looked on as heroes, and new Florence has named two of her streets in their honor. THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 47 demy; several other members who were perhaps not involved, but were afraid of being thought so, fled to avoid a like fate, and the whole club dispersed; for even those who were above suspicion were afraid to meet together in such troublous times. Thus the Academy was dis- solved in 1522, after 60 years of existence. Some otliers of the Alamanni fa- mily went to the Garfagnana, where the d'Estes had a villa and where Ariosto was governor of Brucioli ; and the Buondelmonti family dispersed in different places. Luigi di Piero Ala- manni was spared for better things : he went into France, and when in 1530 the plague and famine deso- f 48 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. lated Florence he collected from Florentine exiles in Lyons the sum of 20,000 scudi for his poor and starving compatriots, which he sent home to Florence. He was recalled and became ambassador, in which capacity he fnlfilled more than one onerous mission. During this time the Rucellai, who had come scathless out of the plot which had been hatched in their own garden, had fallen on evil days. Palla was now head of the house, Bernardo his father being dead, and Giovanni his brother having died in Eome just as his cousin Pope Clement VII had promised him the purple. Palla Rucellai, though by connection a Pallesco, was a brave THE ORTI OmCELLARI. 49 upholder of liberty. When he went as ambassador to Charles V to offer the Dukedom to Alessandro de' Me- dici, his whole oration, which was in latin, was a protest against either Emperor or Duke assuming supreme power, or interfering with the an- cient liberty of the city. His protest was in vain, for though Alessandro was still a minor, the Pope's legate. Cardinal Passerini, as his regent, so oppressed the Florentines that they revolted, and in 1527 drove out the Cardinal with his ward and all the other Palleschi; poor Palla, the champion for liberty, being exiled among them. He hastily packed up a few jewels and some money, and with his family crept out of the 50 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. Orti Oricellari at night by a secret gate in the wood, which opened out- side the Porta a Prato; and took refuge in the house of his friend Buonviso, after which they got off safely to Lucca. Then the populace broke into the Orti, and his gardens were sacked, the trees mutilated, statues broken, obelisks and cippi thrown down. The doors of the Casino were broken open, and all the Rucellai artistic collections ran- sacked and plundered. The plight of the Orti must have been even worse in the time of the siege of Florence by the Prince of Orange, when the populace did what they chose with the property of the exiles. But in 1530, the siege be- THE ORTl ORICELLAKI. 51 ing over, the Florentines having ca- pitulated, Palla liiicellai was sent to Florence as the envoy of Pope Cle- ment VII with the mission of reform- ing the civic government and in- stituting a princely rule, and he then succeeded in regaining possession of his property. His mission was but imperfectly fulfilled: in fact, it once more happened that a liberty loving Kucellai was made the means of imposing on his country a tyran- nical rule. The reform consisted in the establishment of a government which at first sight was not very different from the Republic. There was to be a Senate of 48 nobles and a Council of 200 citizens Avith tlie Duke at the head of all, in the 52 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. place of the Gonfaloniere. This much Palla Rucellai was able to obtain, hoping thus to prevent the reigning Duke from the possibility of tyranny. He was disappointed in this hope, the new Prince became daily more encroaching, and Palla, remorseful for his work as king- maker, was at Alessandro's death in 1537 urgent in his proposals to restore the Republic. He was, how- ever, in a minority, Cosimo was elected as Duke, and Palla had to suffer the indignity of cold neglect, if not active enmity, on the part of this Prince. During this period the gardens had not been without interesting events ; and when the Emperor THE OKTI OmCELLAKI. 53 Charles V came to Florence, Palla received him in his garden, where a sumptuous lunch was served to the Emperor in a gigantic elm, in whose spreading branches Palla liad made a room. In 1573 one of Palla's sons sold the Villa and the Orti Oriccl- hiri to Rianca Cappcllo, formerly the wife of Piero Buonaventuri of Ve- nice, now notorious as tlie favorite of the Duke Francesco dei ^ledici. The deed registering the sale of tlie property for fiOOO ducats, was drawn up by ser Francesco Giordani on July 23^^^ 1573. And now very different scenes took place in the gardens, which lost their classic severity, and became a stage 54 THE OKTI ORICELLARl. for burlesque entertainments. Bianca has left the mark of her personality in a mural fresco of a room on the ground floor, as she sat to the artist for the sleeping figure of Quietude, beneath which are the lines : Larve importune e sogni spaventosi, Non turbate alia Quiete i siioi riposi. The similitude smacks of satire, for her life here was anything but quiet or reposeful. The woman who had sold herself on the temptation of a wardrobe of rich and beautiful dresseS; was not likely to keep herself in retirement. She gave her princely visitor many sumptuous feasts, and having a courtier named Cammillo, whose mind was fertile in design- ing new festive attractions, they THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 55 were always varied by some fresh surprise. Malespini (Novella XXT, vol. II) narrates at great length a very weird entertainment which was pre- pared for the reception of Bianca's brother in 1 5 7 8 . As the Grand Duch- ess died suddenly at the time, the fete was postponed ; but every thing being already prepared, the Duke Francesco with his courtiers were treated to a private rehearsal of it, for it seems that his public mourning did not interfere with his private amusements. While the ducal ])arty were walk- ing in the garden in the cool of the evening, a Necromancer dressed in mystic garb, with a mitre inscribed in unknown tongues, met them and 56 THE OKTI ORICELLARI. conducted them to a green glade. Here, signing out a circle with a huge knife, he drew a cord round it, leaving only a small entrance where a bell was hung, and on each side placed a brazier of fire, with vases of drugs for fumigations. The Grand Duke and his friends were now re- quired to allow one of their number to assist the wizard, who on his side swore that no harm should touch the per- son who promised obedience to him. On this, Sansonetto Bardi, Count of Vernio, offered his services, and was bidden to take off his shoes and lay down his arms ; after which he was placed before the flaming braziers in a menacing position with a drawn scimitar in his hand. With his red THE ORTI ORICELLAKI. 57 face made redder by the glare he looked so like a substantial Bacchus that the Grand Duke laughed aloud. All the others were next commanded to seat themselves outside the mystic circle. Then imposing silence the Necromancer whistled to the East, to the West, the North, and South, rang a bell^ and with a deal of rodomon- tade invoked the spirits Bardicul, Stul- flogor, Solsibec, Graifaril, Tarmidar, Zampir and Borgamur. Count San- sonetto was then ordered to throw spices into the fire. The spices however being noxious drugs sucli as assafoetida, sulphur etc., tlie fumes nearly stifled the spectators, and even reached the olfactory nerves of Bianca herself, wlio was looking out into the 58 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. darkness from an upper window. The Necromancer then clapped his hands and forthwith groans and sighs and fearful cries seemed to fill the dark air, whilst with flames of vagrant fire, and awful glare, frightful demons is- sued from numerous holes hidden in the earth. They flew around and dragged the courtiers into the caves with them, and so terrified the spec- tators, that the scene became a veri- table foretaste of the infernal regions. When the wizard judged that this had gone far enough, sweet and fragrant spices were thrown on the fires, and beautiful nymphs appeared, who re- leased the Grand Duke and his friends from the demons, and led them to a garden loggia illuminated by a golden THE OETI ORICELLARI. 59 lamp. The nymphs were extremely lightly dressed, chiefly with pearls and precious gems, and golden mantles. And now a concert of musical in- struments was heard ; angelic voices sang in madrigals, golden plates with fruits were placed before the guests, and lovely nymphs invited them to refresh themselves, so that they seemed to be in the Elysian Fields. Then it was found that the two brothers Strozzi, young Altoviti and others were not in the company, and, search being made, they were found in tlie magic circle, where they liad fallen into the dens of the de- mons, and were too bruised and ter- rified to get out again. So they were brought in, placed on couches and 60 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. nymphs attended to their braises, while a beautiful voice, from some hidden source, sang to the accom- paniment of the lute a laudatory ode to the Grand Duke. Then came a chorus of children's voices from be- neath singing: Partite, o grande Eroe, etc. On hearing this the guests rose and bowed themselves out, but were no sooner in the darkness of the wood than the demons came and rudely expelled them from the garden. If this were the kind of entertain- ment fashionable in the 1 6*^ century, it was truly more original than refined ; but when one considers the charac- ters of the principal actors, our wonder THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 61 ceases. Here was Bianca, a widow, whose husband Pietro Buonaventuri had, only a short time since, been found dead in a little street near the Via Maggio with 25 wounds in his body, inflicted by the friends of a lady he had injured by his attentions ; and here was the Grand Duke, whose wife Giovanna of Austria was scarcely cold in her tomb, entering together into such equivocal gaieties as these. But such a fascination liad this gay Venetian for him, that within two months of his wife's death he had con- tracted a secret marriage with Bianca. At the end of liis year of mourn- ing this marriage was made public with great pomp and ceremony. Count Mario Sforza was sent as 62 THE ORTI OKICELLARI. Ambassador to Venice, and that Re- public displayed its leaning to tem- poralities, by the magnificence of the reception given to the Embassy. Forty of the chief Senators went out to meet the cavalcade headed by the Patriarch of Aquileja. The Doge and the Grand Council received the Ambassador on 16*^ June 1579, and the Doge, amid various compliments, declared that " Bianca was a true and especial daughter of the Repu- blic, in virtue of those singular and pure qualities which rendered her worthy of every good fortune. " He moreover sent 90 Venetian gentlemen to attend the wedding. Fie on the Doge! it was not many years since he and his Republic had exiled THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 63 Bianca Cappello for the very sins which had now made a Grand Duch- ess of her. Bianca now lived in the Medici Palace, and at a later date the Grand Duke gave the Casino to Don An- tonio dei Medici, a child Avhom Bianca attempted to pass off as her own, and as heir to the Medici throne, but who was an impostor, she having had him brought through the Oricellari gar- dens at night hidden in a tiorba, a kind of lute. This event took place before tlie public marriage, and Bianca hoped by means of it to secure her position as Duchess. The decree giv- ing the Orti to Don Antonio was dated March 6*^^ 1587 Avhen the boy was about nine years old. He never 64 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. lived there however, for he remained in his putative mother's first abode, the Casino di San Marco, and the Oricellari Villa was let to the resi- dent Venetian Ambassador. In October of the same year (15 8 7) both the Grand Duke and Bianca died suddenly at Poggio a Caiano, where they had gone for the vintage. There were suspicions of poison, but it was established that they died of pernicious ague. The Grand Duke's brother the Car- dinal Ferdinand came to the throne of Florence ; and in his hatred of Bianca, he had her coat of arms taken down from every place in which she had lived, and her likeness was turned out from the Medici galleries. They THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 65 were only replaced after the extinc- tion of the Medici family, and still hold a place in the Uffizi. Between 1608 and 1640 we find the gardens in possession of the Or- sini family, but after that time, Cardinal Giovan Carlo de' Medici, brother of the Grand Duke Ferdi- nand II, lived there. It was he, who reduced them to their present form, and from the classical gloom of the thick woods, brought forth the ele- gance of the Italian garden. He had a great quantity of water brought in by conduits from the Arno, and set his architect Antonio Novelli to make fountains for it. He idealized a veritable Titan's cave, at the southern end he raised 66 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. an artificial mountain of stones be- neath which is an immense dome, with an inner cavern of a square form. The door- way to the cavern is of huge rough hewn blocks, which imitate the natural entrance to a quarry. The large grotto is incrusted with stalagmites ; here and there are large basins for water, and above these are giant figures of Titans roughly modelled in sponge stone, who pour water into the tanks be- neath. The floor is artistically inlaid with pebbles of different colours. This is styled the cave of Poly- phemus, and within it is another grotto, with a black statue of Flora. Here was the Cardinal's favorite re- treat, wherein he used to play chess THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 67 and " clama " (backgammon) on hot summer days. From here a dark stair-way leads to the tower, on which was the reservoir of water for the fountains. In the midst of the open lawn in front of the Villa, this same No- velli " built ' a great statue of Poly- phemus drinking out of a goat skin, which statue still stands in the centre of a large fountain. A more hideous work of manufacture was seldom seen. The monster bestrides the tank, but his legs not being of sufficient support for the immense body, " the builder " put a huge brickwork scarf round his waist, the ends of which hanging to the earth conceal iron supports, and the pipes which carry up the water 68 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. that continually falls from the ' leath- ern bottle. " This is the Polyphemus to whom the grotto is dedicated, but the ogre is not worthy of his abode. The scenes which took place in the gardens in Cardinal de' Me- dici's time were said to have par- taken more of the nature of orgies than anything even in the days of Bianca Cappello. In 1 663 he died im- mersed in debt, and the Grand Duke Ferdinand, his heir, had the rare grace to sell his brother's property to pay his creditors. He moreover pre- served the precious statues, and rare objects of art which were in the gardens from being dispersed, and collocated them in the public gal- leries. THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 69 The Marchese Ferdinando Eidolfi, one of the Duke's favorite courtiers, became the purchaser of the pro- perty for the price of 6000 scudi, by act of notary dated G*^ June 1670. He immediately began to enlarge the Villa into a palace, but was not able to carry out his designs, for he was stabbed by a private enemy in Via dell'Albero on February 2"*^ 1675. His brothers and successors Alessandro and Francesco continued the work, spending another 18,000 scudi on it. On the death of Niccolo, nephew of these two, the property passed in 1 7 2 7 through the female line to the family of Niccolo 's brother-in-law Paride Ca- nonici of Ferrara ; which family being extinct, it was, in 1736, consigned 70 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. with other Ridolfi heritages to Giu- seppe Bartolommeo Stiozzi, son of another sister. It was a grandson of this last inheritor a second Giuseppe Stiozzi, who gave the Orti Oricellari the precise form they have held to this day. He purchased the adjoining orchard from the nuns of Sant' Anna, and the archi- tect Count Luigi de Cambray-Digny designed the plans. It is probable that the kind of mausoleum to the Plato Academy, which now adjoins the grotto, was built at this time, and that the following Latin inscrip- tion was placed on the right of the entrance from the Prato. THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 71 HAC ITVR AD OCIVM OCIO VTI SI SCIAS NESCIAS ABVTI NEGOCIO LAETARI ADVEXIENTEM JYBET LOCI GENIVS ABESSE PROCVL TMSTEM ASTAT NEMESIS SVCCINCTA FVRIIS EN TIBI QVISQVIS ES PRATA OLERA POMA NEMVS VIVARIVM HOSPITES FLORA POMONA SILVANVS DRIADES COMES VOLVPTAS PVELLAS FVRACES MANET CVSTOS HORTORVM. It is certain that the decorations of the gardens by Stiozzi and Cambray- Digny awoke great disapproval among their contemporaries, who complained that too many emblems of sadness (possibly the cypress avenues and mausoleum) were out of place in a garden, which should be all gaiety and amenity. An anonymous writer published a pamphlet in 1819, en- titled " Considerazioni sulla conve- 72 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. nienza degli ornamenti dei giardini italiani, rapporto a quelli delle altre nazioni." (Considerations on the suit- ability of the adornments of Italian gardens as compared to those of other nations.) The writer accused Stiozzi of having brought his melancholy ideas from England, but he must have spoken with slight knowledge of the country, for long cypress avenues and ilex groves, with grotesque stat- ues and a mausoleum on the plan of a Eoman colmnhavimn, are certainly not common in English gardens. Some say the book was written in jealous spite against Giuseppe Stiozzi who had enjoyed the favour of the Emperor of the French. And now let us look at the later- THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 73 day tomb of the Plato Academy, which the custode^ by the bye, would have one believe to be the very place in which that famous society met. Eighteenth century building and or- namentation however confute him. A winding path in the shrubbery brings you to an open space, on one side of which is a Doric facade of two solid pillars and an architrave, in the style of an ancient tomb. Over the door in Roman letters is the inscrip- tion DIVINI ORIS NVMINI DEVOTI. Entering this portico, some steps descend into a small atrium, above the entrance of which is the Italian dedication to Plato : 74 THE ORTI ORICELLAEI. MENTRE ATENE NOVELLA PERIPATO E ACCADEMIA AVEVA FIORENZA QUI DALLE STEELE DISCESA QUASI IN SUA PATRIA RISORSE L'ANIMA DEL DIVINO PLATONE. Descending the steps you enter an imitation columbarium with plaster vases in the niches, inscribed with the names of Luigi Pulci, Leon Bat- tista Alberti, etc., while Giovanni Ru- cellai, Marsilio Ficino, and Giorgius Pletho have larger arched niches. Tall Roman candelabra^ also imita- tion bronze, stand before the in- scriptions on the cippi dedicated to them. Then comes a circular domed cham- ber with imitation Roman altars in it, while antique little bronze altars THE ORTI OKICELLARI. 75 stand on a ledge beneath the dome, alternated with cippiy on which are depicted the heads of the members of the Plato Academy ; all being inter- spersed with scrolls frescoed in mo- nochrome to imitate sculpture. Alto- gether the monument to the Academy is flimsy and lugubrious enough to warrant any contemporary complaint of tristezza. Among other things the Marchese Stiozzi-Ridolfi preserved in the garden the very interesting colossal statue of Pope Boniface VIII, which formed part of the ancient fa9ade of the Flo- rentine Duomo, designed and partly executed by Arnolfo da Cambio. A fa- 9ade barbarously torn down in 1588 by order of the Grand Duke Ferdi- 76 THE OETI ORICELLARL nando I, when he wanted a Renais- sance front put up to celebrate his wedding. The statues of Prophets and Saints, the pretty carved colon- nettes of the Lombard-Gothic deco- rations, were ruthlessly cast down into the piazza piecemeal. Arnolfo's portrait-statue of Pope Boniface VIII got its arms and features broken, and the four Prophets that now guard the entrance to the avenue on the Poggio Imperiale, show equal signs of ill-usage. The statue of Boniface, which until now has found an asy- lum in the Stiozzi Oricellari garden, shews the Pope robed in ecclesiastical vestments and wearing the single tiara usual at his time. It stood in an architectural niche THE ORTI ORICELLAEI. 77 in the wall in front of the chapel belonging the Villa, and was flanked by two large marble statues of an- gels of the early Pisan school, which had evidently also formed a part of the decorations of Arnolfo's facade of the Duomo. The two angels are standing still on guard beside the empty niche with their hands patiently crossed on their breasts, while neglect and decay are ruining all around them. Antonio Filippo Stiozzi having lost his only son, the last of his race, he adopted Girolamo da Cepparello, to whom at his death, in 1824, he left the Orti Oricellari, with the proviso that he was to take the name of Stiozzi. This proprietor again enlarged the 78 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. Palazzo in 1831 when he added the northern wing. The first dismem- berment of the Orti Oricellari was perpetrated by this same Girolamo da Cepparello Stiozzi, who trans- ferred to his son-in-law Count Alber- tini the portion of the garden near the iron gate on the Prato, now occu- pied by the Palazzo and small garden belonging to Signor Sonnino. In 1853 Don Antonio Boncompa- gni Ludovisi, the Prince of Piombino, became the purchaser of the garden, and left the mark of his additions to the house, after which in 1863 it passed into the possession of the Con- tessa OrlofF. After her death the estate passed to her son Count Orloff, who, after THE ORTI OEICELLARI. 79 having removed to Paris the furni- ture and pictures, sold the palace and a portion of the garden to the Mar- chese Ippolito Ginori-Venturi. The portion sold included the basin and gigantic statue of Polyphemus. It is to be regretted that the Marchese, whose wife is the youngest of the three beautiful daughters of Giovanni Eucellai, the present head of that old and distinguished family, did not purchase the whole property and thus preserve, in its integrity, this ancient historical and most interesting pos- session of his wife's ancestors. But alas! the Orti Oricellari, being di- vided, had yet a deeper stage of de- cline to reach. The rest of the garden was pur- 80 THE OETI OEICELLARI. chased by Signor Cesaroni, a con- tractor for public works in the Port of Genoa, and in Sicily. The statues, busts etc., some of which had adorned the garden from the time of Gio- vanni and Bernardo Rucellai^ were disposed of by Count Orloff by private contract. It was in the early part of 1891 that this last spoliation took place. Most of the relics were bought by the possessor of a well-known garden, one of the show places in England, but the Plato worship of the Italian renaissance had not pe- netrated so far into English minds as to create a respect for the time-worn objects connected with it. Away from the " entourage " which gave them interest and historical value, the an- THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 81 cient adornments of the Orti Oricel- lari met with little appreciation, and not being judged worthy a place in the English garden, they were resold for what they had cost in Florence to an English dealer in antiquities and curiosities. The porphyry mask with its Ro- man fountain^ two marzocchi, a mar- ble sculpture of the Medici arms, to- gether with the bust of Plato and a terracotta bust of Nicolo Machiavelli, which had been turned out into the cold and placed among some laurels opposite the mausoleum, enjoyed a happier fate. They were purchased by Mr. Leader and are now worthily enshrined at Vincigliata. The statue of Pope Boniface fell 82 THE ORTI ORICELLAEI. into the hands of an antiquarian dealer in Florence where it has surely reached its lowest degradation. One or two interesting relics are however still left. In what used to be called " the wilderness ' where Bianca Cappello wove her mystic spells is an inscrip- tion partly illegible let into the wall beneath her arms carved in stone : BLANCA CAPPELL. VENET HVNC FAB... CONSTRVENDV CVR. . . . ANNO MDLXXXIIII. Beneath this is a punning inscrip- tion in Latin : THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 83 TXT TT/^'Dm/^ OAJiiOlDii JrKiMVo ADAM ET NATA EST MORS SECVNDVS T "XT XX /A X> m Ci "IT T~> T> XI XT X fXI IN HORTO SVRREXIT ET ORTA EST VITA TV PECCATO MORERE VT VIVAS IN DEO. This part of the o:arden shows, by its conformation, and the remains of grassy glades, hillocks and hollows. caves and fountains, how well adapted it was to that weird feast given by Bianca. A pretty little circular tem- pie is still standing amidst the briars and debris. And now the diminished gardens are being cut up into building lots ; a new road is to traverse the ground from the Prato to the Via della Scala, J I 84 THE ORTI ORICELLARI. and even the very trees are on sale if not actually sold. In fact, like the ancient walls of the city and its old market, this historical and classical site is fast becoming a mere tra- dition. Florence, January 1892. A TURN OF FORTUNE. Florence, July 1892. The vicissitudes of the Orti Ori- cellari are not yet complete; even since this slight chronicle has gone to press, their fortunes have im- proved. A markworthy feature of the prac- tical wisdom of the existing govern- ment has been the creation of a THE ORTI OKICELLARI. 85 Permanent Commission for the pro- tection of the Fine Arts; ' and by aid of its intelligent offices, under the Ministry of Public Instruction, many a classic monument and artistic trea- sure has been preserved to Italy. The Syndic of Florence had not failed to plead with the owners of the gar- dens, and even to petition the govern- ment that the vandalic destruction of a site which enshrined so many historical memories might be pre- vented ; and the Commission, having at lengtli waked up to tlie already advanced destruction, proposed that the Orti should be preserved as a national monument. In May a spe- cial Council Avas held to consider the question, and the joint proprietors 86 THE OKTI ORICELLARI. were induced to cede to the nation the right of preservation. 340 of the official roll of laws and decrees contains the following royal mandate : Yisto il rapporto deirUfiicio regionale per la conservazione del monumenti della Toscana ; Sentito il parere della Commissione per- manente di Belle Arti, la quale, nell'adu- nanza del 22 maggio 1892, giudico die i celebri Orti Oricellari, consacrati nel pe- riodo piu splendido della storia fiorentina, meritano di essere inscritti nel? elenco dei monumenti d' importanza nazionale, e di essere quindi con ogni cura conser- vati ; Sulla proposta del Nostro Ministro Se- gretario di Stato per la Pubblica Istru- zione ; Abbiamo decretato e decretiamo: THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 87 Gli Orti Oricellari di Firenze sono di- chiarati monumento nazionale. Ordiniamo che il presente decreto, mu- nito del sigillo dello Stato, sia inserto nella Eaccolta ufficiale delle leggi e dei decreti del Regno d' Italia, mandando a cliiunque spetti di osservarlo e di farlo osservare. Dato a Roma, addi 12 giugno 1892. UMBERTO. Martini. Freely translated it runs thus: We have duly inspected the report of the local officials for the preservation of the monuments of Tuscany. Considering the opinion of the Perma- nent Commission of Fine Arts, which in a meeting held May 22"' 1892 judged that the celebrated Orti Oricellari, consecrated to the most splendid period of Florentine history, merit to be inscribed on the roll 88 THE ORTI ORICELLAEI. of monuments of national importance, and therefore to be preserved with every care; On the proposal of our Minister, the Secretary of State for Public Instruction, we have decreed and decree : That the Orti Oricellari of Florence are henceforth declared to be a national Mo- nument. We ordain that the present decree, fur- nished with the State Seal, shall be placed in the Of&cial Collection of laws and de- crees of the Kingdom of Italy, and desire all whom it may concern to observe it, and cause it to be observed. Given from Rome, this 12"' day of June 1892. UMBERTO. Martini. Salvation has come too late — too late ! The dim and grand avenue of se- THE ORTI ORICELLARI. 89 cular ilex and cypress trees is already ruthlessly cut down, and the garish light of day glares on the bare walks erst so shaded: the sculptures, stat- ues, and inscriptions are scattered among private collections, and bric- a-brac shops, in Italy and England, ere the nation decrees that the haunt of the Plato Academy shall be res- pected. The gardens have been ir- reparably despoiled, but even so it is a matter of thankfulness that they are saved the imminent disgrace of being let in building lots. The Commission of Fine Arts has done something after all. DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE CASTLE OF YINCIGLUTA. DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OP THE CASTLE OF YINCIGLIATA. THE OUTEE BALLIUM. The situation of Vincigliata is an ideal one for a feudal fortress, it stands on an elevated rocky plateau down the side of which the Mensola and Trassinara leap over the crags, while a deep valley lies between it and the sandstone rocks and quarries of the Fiesole hill, where the rugged cliffs rise strata above strata, bored with dark quarries. The outer walls form an irregular square whose circumference is 370 metres ; the North side measuring 40 metres, the South 60, the East 120 metres, and the West 150. 94 THE OUTER BALLIUM. The barbican tower, which contains the principal entrance, stands at the N. W. cor- ner, and a smaller tower is placed at the N. E. angle: on the other sides machicola- tions are thrown out, and at the corners are turrets supported on stone brackets. Within this the hallium, or bailey, in the form of a little rough garden surrounds the massive keep, which in true feudal style is furnished with tower and inner bailey, with gallery and court. It may be said of the present owner of the Castle that he found a wilderness, and made it a garden. The ruins of the old Castle (Castellaccio, as it was called) were a heap of stones on a bare and barren hill, neither tree nor shrub grew there to break the wild monotony of the rocks and stones, except a few pollard oaks and broom,'' with here and there a patch of burnt up grass. ' The Spanisli broom was called Vinci, and was used to bind faggots. It is possible that this was the origin of the name Yincigliata. THE OUTER BALLIUM. 95 Now, the whole hill is clad in a green ves- ture of pines, cypresses and ilex, which clothe it in beauty alike in winter and summer ; the seasons being only marked by the flowers beneath them. Through this vast plantation the road winds in many turns, which the pedestrian shortens by plunging into the forest paths, and following the vagrant tracks, some- times coming across traces of the ancient mule road which the dwellers and besiegers must alike have trodden, in the days gone by, when Vincigliata was a feudal strong- hold. In the old tracks beneath the pines we are straying one morning in September. The Castle which has been as a beacon to us, during the drive from the city, when we saw it standing out firm and strong on its eminence in the blue distance, now disappears from view and we feel lost in the mazes of the pines. Now and then a few battlements emerge above the trees 96 THE OUTER BALLIUM. in some more open space, but it is not till the last turn, that we perceive its outer walls, over which vines and olives are visible in the terraced enclosure, and far above them rises the Castle with its bastions and battlements. So square and massive is it that we can describe it in no other words than those old Napier used for the medieval fortress of Semifonte in Val d'Elsa. " The Bocca (citadel)," he says, was quadrangular, magnificent, beauti- ful and inconceivably strong, its walls studded with towers and battlements, beet- ling out from their summits, and with turrets hanging from every corner of the bulwark." In fact Yincigliata appears to our eyes in the sombre light of a clouded grey morning, the very embodiment of the feudal architecture of the middle ages. There is an iron postern gate in the outer wall ; we do not however enter, but pass round the circuit till we reach the barbican, whose THE OUTER BALLIUM. 97 inacliicolated towers rise behind tlie bridge. In these peaceful days the simulated moat^ is dry, and its banks fringed with iris and Virginia creeper, while cypresses and ilex trees sway peacefully above it. The bridge too is no longer the exclusive drawbridge, but a solid structure which does not suggest the necessity of shutting out a foe. The first gate admits us to an open space, with coach-house and stables and servants' rooms of solid stone masonry on the left. In the centre the great iron- bound gate of the barbican confronts us with the Leader arms surmounting it, and above them a shrine carved in stone, with a relief of St. Lawrence, by the late David Giustini, for many years keeper of the Castle. Entering the gate we may admire from within the architecture of the barbican, which is perfectly medieval, with its project- * The position does not admit of a real moat. 98 THE OUTER BALLIUM. ing machicolations supported on brackets. The gallery which encircles it is a con- tinuation of the rampart on the walls and is supported on Lombard pillars resting on grotesque animals. Our steps now lead us through the hallium, or bailey, which in these peaceful days is rather a garden than a warlike quadrangle, as it contains great Lebanon cedars, tall cypresses, oaks, and bay trees. All this is bounded by the wall with its high rampart and battle- ments, but our glances fall on many a work of ancient art, enshrined in the wall, for having no military use for his Castle, Mr. Leader has made it historical by placing here a collection of memorials of past ages in Tuscany etc. We begin with the earliest inhabitants, the Etruscans, whose tombs form the most eloquent pages of ancient history. Leaving the barbican gate, there is a niche to the right con- taining : 1. An Etruscan funereal urn, in terra- THE OUTER BALLIUM. 99 cotta, with the inscription, which in Roman letters would read : ARNZ A CAPSNA SETHRNAL. On the front is a relief, representing Jason or Cadmus, fighting the warriors who sprang from the Dragon's teeth. Near this is 2. Another urn, without inscription, on the front of which is the combat between Eteocles and Polynices sons of Oedipus and Jocasta ; behind each of the brothers is a winged genius bearing a torch. One of the most beautiful myths in the Etruscan religion was the belief in guardian angels or genii. 3. On the third sarcophagus lies the re- cumbent figure of an " obese Etruscan," seeming sublimely indifferent to the scene of sorrow represented in the relief beneath him — a parting scene between a dying hus- band and his wife; a winged genius (death) stands behind the husband. The next is 100 THE OUTER BALLIUM. 4. A much restored Etruscan urn in tufo — no inscription. The relief is the combat between Eteocles and Polynices, on the left stands a nude winged female genius bearing a torch. 5. This is a child's funereal urn in ter- racotta. It has on the front a winged head of the Gorgon between two pilasters, with a cypress on each side. 6. A heart-shaped shield with the arms of the Republic and the motto Libert as. 7. Shield with Medici arms and other quarterings. 8 . A small terracotta Etruscan urn without inscription. Subject : Jason with the plough- share. 9. Armorial bearings in majolica. De- vice : a star and lion's jaw, — signed y. B. 1507. 10. Archaic stone cist. 11. A large stone Madonna and Child in a niche, with a border of coloured fruit in Delia Robbia style ; beneath it a coat THE OUTER BALLIUM. 101 of arms — lion rampant, bearing a staff. The Madonna is of much older date than the cornice, and in its sweetness of expres- sion, quaint but pleasing attitude, its want of modelling combined with feeling for beauty, it recalls the manner of the Pisan school. 12. A Ciborium sculptured in stone with ornate scrolls in quattrocento style. 13. The Strozzi arms in marble. 14. Opposite the gate of the keep is a large arched recess in the wall with a fre- sco of St. Christopher carrying the Child Jesus. The giant Saint is a favourite em- blem in Italian medieval art, and finds a prominent place in nearly every feudal building in Italy ; appropriately so, as he is the emblem of strength that bows down to no earthly power, but only to the powers above. He was usually depicted opposite the entrance door, for a belief existed that any one whose gaze on going out of the Castle first fell on St. Christopher, would 102 THE OUTER BALLIUM. not die a violent death on that day. Be- neath the fresco are the following Latin lines expressive of this superstition: Christophori faciem die quacumque tueris Ilia nempe die morte mala non morieris. In this fresco Cav. Bianchi has happily re- produced the naivete and quaint style of the trecento artists, and so rendered it quite in keeping with its surroundings. 15. Shield carved in marble with the de- vice of an eagle and lion rampant. 16. Arms in majolica, much injured by time. Device : two deer. 17. The arms of the Scala family with quarterings. Here the wall ends, or rather takes a turn, a wide flight of steps leading to a lower level : we will however not descend them now, but turn towards the keep, which rises solidly before us. Here we see a veritable portion of the original Castle. This fine arched door-way with the Ales- THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 103 sandri arms in the key-stone and those of the Leaders above, is the door which was described as being " half under ground half above it." Now the whole arch is free and has moreover a great nail-stud- ded door. At the corners of the keep are two ancient iron lamps, and on the left the watch tower rises up showing its rag- ged edges against the blue sky contrasted with the dark cypresses behind it. The Custode opens a small portion of the gate, we step over it and enter the inner b allium or quadrangle. THE QUADEANGLE OF THE KEEP. A Court, medieval and artistic such as Arnolfo himself would have built, strong and massive, yet with such a touch of art on every key-stone and arch, that the strength is merged in beauty. On one side 104 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. the tower of the keep rises up, with, its massive stone-bound windows, its machico- lations, and Guelphic battlements ; below it, at right angles, runs the jagged outline of the rampart on the summit of the solid walls. The square architecture of the Castle is enriched by a double row of projecting galleries. The upper one is of brick with stone pillars and brackets ; the lower — which forms a terrace to the apartments on the upper floor — is supported on brick arches springing from stone brackets ; its balustrade is finished by a dog-tooth mould- ing, while in the spring of each arch is a projecting head of grey stone. Here are a sphinx, a female head, a lion, ram, bull, and several monsters serving as gargoyles.^ This gallery is reached by an outer stair- ^ The gargoyles were sculptured by Angiolo Maru- celli, called Canapino, who afterwards earned renown by the admirable execution of the ornamental marble work on the fagade of Santa Maria del Fiore, that is, the Cathedral of Florence. THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 105 case of stone, the base of which is guarded in Florentine fashion by a Marzocco or lion, carrying the Leader arms, and placed on an octagonal column, with the armorial bearings of former Lords of Vincigliata on the base. In the corner opposite the steps stands the traditional well, and on the right as we enter, there is a " loggia " (arcade) of two wide arches supported on an octago- nal column, and two pilasters ; all with fo- liated capitals. The vaulted roof is of brick with stone ribs, and the stone bracket which supports the rib of the central arch, is one of the veritable remains of the old Castle. The tone of the whole quadrangle, though on a smaller scale, recalls the court of the Bargello (which, however, was only restored some years after Vincigliata), but there is a feeling of calm repose about this, which gives one a very different and more do- mestic impression, than the reminiscences of cruel justice, and more cruel injustice 106 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. recalled by the Florentine Palace. As in the Bargello, the walls here are full of sculptured armorial bearings, but for the most part they are suggestive of peaceful Lordship, rather than fierce party strife, and a stern Podesta. We seat ourselves on the fine old wooden sediU which are placed round three sides of the loggia, and even these have soothing reminiscences, for in olden times they have been the seats of meditative Dominican friars, in the convent of Santa Maria No- vella, whence they were brought. Resting here, our eyes fall on numberless specimens of medieval and ancient art, and archaeology. Here are Roman amphorae and Etruscan urns, emblems of the life and death of the races which peopled this hill before Florence was even imagined ; there are medieval saints that tell us of the early Christians who lived here long after the last Etruscan was closed in his tomb, with his Gods and his Lares about him ; and there THE QUADEANGLE OF THE KEEP. 107 are modern inscriptions speaking of the present, but we will take a more systematic inspection and begin from tlie great door by which we have entered. It is a fine door of Spanish chestnut adorned with scrolls in iron work, and large headed nails. The arms of the Alessandri and Leader fa- milies (the ancient and modern possessors) are sculptured in the arch,^ and on each side within the court are 1. Large torch holders and extinguishers in massive iron work. It was here that page and squire placed their torches to illume the court, or put them out when their Lord came home at night from some emprise. 2. Over the door is a species of frieze in the form of an architrave, on which are sculptured the arms of the Pazzi di Val d' Arno, and two other Florentine families who have been connected with Vincigliata. ^ The Alessandri without, and Leader within the gate ; the former are the original ones in their ori- ginal place. 108 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. It came from the old Villa of the Pazzi di Val d'Arno at Maiano (now Villa Leader). High over the door, in the wall is 3. A medallion in glazed terracotta, — the Madonna and Child surrounded by a garland of fruit, a copy of Delia Robbia by Ginori. 4. A bas-relief in marble, representing the Eternal Father in the act of blessing. 5. The Christian monogram IHS, placed in a double circlet with the motto " Tibi Soli" above, the date 1633 below, and the initial T and G on the two sides. The let- ters refer to its former owner Tommaso Guadagni of Piazza Santo Spirito. These three objects seem a benediction on those who enter, and give the strong gate of the Castle a sentiment very opposite to that gate of " Dis " where the wayfarer who entered was enjoined to " leave every hope behind him." On the ground at the left of the entrance is 6. A square block of old masonry, a part THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 109 of the third circuit of the ancient walls of Florence, which were destroyed in 1868, when the city was enlarged with the fal- lacious hope of its remaining the capital of the new united kingdom of Italy. 7. On the wall is a stone with the fol- lowing inscription : Giovanni Temple- Leader, gentiluomo inglese, a d% 5 marzo 1855 acquistb i ruderi del casteUo di Vincigliata colle rispet- tive attinenzey dai fratelli Ferdinando, Anto- nio, FierOy Bartolommeo e Giuseppe Fasquale del fu Vincenzo Galli da Rovezzano, pei ro- giti di ser Ferdinando Cartonl notaro puhhlico fiorentino.^ 8. A white marble column with Ionic ca- pital, on it a Marzocco in macigno, holding a shield with the impresa of a " leg ^ on * Translation: John Temple-Leader, English gen- tleman, on the 5*^ of March 1855 bought the ruins of the Castle of Vincigliata, with the respective appurte- nances, of the brothers Ferdinando, Antonio, Piero, Bartolommeo and Giuseppe Pasquale sons of the late Vincenzo Galli of Rovezzano, the deeds being drawn up by ser Ferdinando Cartoni public notary of Flo- rence. 110 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. it — probably the speaking arms of the Gamba family. Beneath the loggia : 9. Roman amphora from Aquileia. 10. A pretty little colonnette of macigno, supporting a lion playing with a cub. This was brought from the Orti Oricellari, and was no doubt a sculpture commemorative of the birth of lion cubs in the Serragli of Florence. From the 10"' to the 17"' century lions were kept there, and the Florentines connected them with the well-being of the city. The birth of new cubs was held a public festival. The Serragli in ancient times were near the Zecca (Mint) at the end of Lung'Arno, afterwards they were in a street behind the Palazzo Yecchio. In 1550 Duke Cosimo moved them to the Piazza San Marco, where the last lion died in 1777. 11. Eleven lamps in iron work of the style of Nicolo Caparra, af&xed to the wall. They are all of different designs, as are the foliated brackets which suspend them, THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. Ill and are beautiful copies of cinquecento metal work, from tlie forge of Contri of Settignano. 12. In a strong wooden frame on tlie ground is a fine bronze bell (dated 1256) of very rich pure tone, with two lines of inscription in Gothic letters. The upper line runs Mente Sancta Spontaneum Honorem Dio et Patrie Liberationis, and the second line Gianni mi fecit Anno Domini MCCLVl. Here the good Gianni's learning and ideas seem to have failed, for he has filled up the remainder of the circlet with the alphabet arranged in the following eccentric man- ner : LMMNOP (two forms of the letter M) ABCDEFGHIJK. This interesting old bell came from Bucine. The Prior of the parish had, on obtaining money for new bells, given this to a bronze founder at Pistoia, to be melted down, but it was saved from such an ignominious fate, and bought by Mr. Leader. The inscription is one which has been used on other old bells (one in the 112 THE QUADBANGLE OF THE KEEP. Bargello having a similar sentence). In Mr. Leader's opinion it is a proof that the bell was a thank-offering after a victory, while Signor Del Badia believes the sentence to be a quotation from an antiphon in the office of St. Agatha, before the liturgy was reformed by the Council of Trent. On the wall the three principal figures are 13. A Madonna and Child, in the Delia Robbia style. The head shows signs of res- toration. 14. St. Francis of Assisi, and 15. St. Clare. Three beautiful statues or rather high reliefs of the Delia Robbia school. St. Francis and his disciple St. Clara — also a native of Assisi, and founder of the order of the poor Clares — are in grey robes, the folds of which aro simple and artistic. The attitude of both is very de- votional, as they kneel in adoration on each side of the Madonna, who, clad in a blue robe and purple bodice with white veil and wimple, holds the divine Child at THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 113 the breast, half kneeling on her lap. The three figures, now detached, once formed part of a lunette in the suppressed convent of Monte Domini, which is now a Floren- tine almshouse (Pia Casa di Lavoro) for the poor and aged. The statuettes are pro- bably the work of Andrea Delia Robbia or one of his sons, as the colouring points to a later artist than Luca himself, in whose works the figures were nearly always white on a blue ground. 16. A marble statuette of a female Saint and Martyr, with a vase in one hand, and holding a sword before her. Style quat- trocento. 17. Small ciborium in Delia Robbia ware. Subject: the Annunciation, the Virgin stands on one side of the arch, the angel on the other. At the sides are wreaths of fruit. 18 and 19. An " Epiphany " and " Re- surrection." Two small reliefs in terra- cotta, with remains of glazing, proving them to be by a follower of Delia Robbia. 114 THE QUADEANGLE OF THE KEEP. One has evidently been restored in old times, as a portion of it is reproduced in wood, so enamelled that it is only recog- nisable by the dull sound, and the worm holes in the wooden part. 20 and 21. Two amphorae also from Aqui- leia are in the corner. 22. A bracket supporting a terracotta copy, by Carmelo Destefanis, of the bust of Machiavelli which was cast for the Orti Oricellari, and replaced the one which the Medici had removed from the garden du- ring Palla's exile at the time of the siege of Florence. The marble original is now in the Pitti Gallery. 23. A statuette of St. Bernard, on a stone bracket. 24. Life size terracotta bust of Andrea Doria, the great Genoese Admiral of the 15^^ century (1468-1560). Though first an opponent, he became an ally of the Empe- ror Charles Y, and liberated Genoa from the French tyranny. He is represented THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 115 with a long beard, and has a very astute, intelHgent face. 25. An Etruscan funereal chest in ter- racotta, the relief in the front represents the strife between Eteocles and Polynices. This, and " Jason killing with his plough- share the teeth-sprung warriors " are the most common subjects for the smaller and less important Etruscan urn ; they were a kind of stock tomb which the sculptor kept on hand for those who could not afford to have an original design executed. 26. An oval relief in Carrara marble, representing the profile head of Antonio Buonvisi. This is especially interesting to English people, from the fact of his being such a true friend to Sir Thomas More. At that time Buonvisi, a rich merchant of Lucca, had a large branch house in Lon- don, and another at Antwerp ; so rich was the family that in 1606 their patrimony was estimated at 1,357,900 scudi. During More's imprisonment the Italian merchant 116 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. was one of the kindest supporters of his family, and he even found means to send delicacies to Sir Thomas More in his prison. Padre Regi, in his Life of More published at Bologna in 1881, gives a letter written by the Chancellor to Buonvisi, a short time before his execution. It ends thus : " 0 most faithful of friends, and, as I am proud to style you, sweet pupil of mine eyes, may you live in happy health, and may your family, to whom I render homage, follow always from good fortune to better." The signature which is very significant runs thus : " Thomas More. " It is superfluous to add " yours, ' as you already know that I am yours, you having bought me with so many benefits, besides, I am this day in such a condition that there is little to show to whom I belong." The Ex-High Chancellor's wish was granted, the Buonvisi continued to prosper THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 117 and rise, for among Antonio's descendants were Cardinals of Rome, and Bishops of Lucca. The family is now extinct, though one of its members was immortalized in a sonnet by Milton who had visited him at liucca. On the wall above this portrait is 27. A statue of Christ seated, with one hand uplifted in benediction, the date is probably about 1400. It appears to have come from the fagade of some church. 28. Is another oval relief — pendant to n. 26 — a portrait of " Castruccio degli An- telmini " also a famous Luccliese, he is better known as Castruccio Castracane. Capponi (Storia di Firenze, lib. Ill, cap. I) calls him " Castruccio degli Inter minelli.'' He was a great captain and fought much against the Florentines early in the 14*^ century. He had before this been a soldier in En- gland. Over Castruccio is 29. A sitting statue of an Evangelist with Gospel ill hand, of the same style of art as the Christ above mentioned. 118 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 30. A group in marble, in the style of the Pisani. Evidently a fragment of a large piece of sculpture — it represents a bishop in full canonicals, kneeling in sup- plication, and a youth or angel standing beside him, gazing eagerly forward as if seeing a vision. 31. Bust of Pier Capponi in terracotta. The sturdy old Florentine burgher, who in the 15^^' century was so manful in defending the liberty of the Eepublic, has an honest good face, and wears the long hair cus- tomary at the time. The dignified folds of the " lucco " give majesty to the bust. 32. The ornate capital of a stone pilas- ter carved in cornucopiae and cherubic heads. On it an antique group of sculpture in white marble. A classic male figure, probably Jove, reclining, with his arm resting on a crouching bull. A child stands behind him. 33. Above this on a Corinthian capital, a curious antique bust in three different THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 119 kinds of stone, the head being in white marble, the bust " bardiglio " (grey), and the base Porto Venere. 34. The central object on this side of the loggia is a statue of St. Stephen, in white marble. The short proportions of the figure would point to the 13"' or 14"' century as its date ; the face is exceedingly soft, ahnost womanly, but very devotional, the robes are full and graceful. In his hand he holds a stone. The early sculptor must have taken his inspiration from the Aurea leggenda, by Jacopo da Voragine, of which an Italian translation was one of the first works printed at Venice in 1475. A part of the story runs thus : The Jews having envy and hatred towards Stephen, and desiring to overcome him, undertook to confound him in three ways — by disputation, by witnesses, and by torture. But he overcame the disputants, declared the witnesses false, and triumphed over his torments, for heaven helped him 120 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. in each trial. In the first, the holy spirit was given him that he should speak well ; in the second, a heavenly face which ter- rified the false witnesses, and all who were seated in council saw his countenance as it had been the face of an angel." This is evidently the moment the sculptor has tried to represent. The pedestal to this first soldier of the Church militant is formed by • 35. A cippus of white marble in comme- moration of a more worldly warrior, a Roman soldier, native of Florence. The inscription runs thus : Q. TERSINA Q. F. SCAP. LVPVS FLOREN. MILES COH. XIL VRB. ET DEX TRI GENIVM CENTVRIAE CVM BASE MARMOREA TESTAMENTO PONI IVSSIT THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 121 And on the right side : POSITA IDIB. APRIL. MAMERTINO ET RVFO COSS. This dppus is illustrated in Gori's Etruscan Inscriptions printed in Florence in 1726, from which we learn that it was found in the gardens of the Duca di Salviati at Rome in 1573 ; that the brave Florentine Tersina was a soldier of the Legion Scaptia, which contained many Florentines, and to which Julius Caesar himself had belonged. He fought in A. D. 182, in the 3'"^^ year of the reign of Commodus, for that is the year marked by the consulship of Caius P. Ma- mertinus, and Cornelius Rufus. Above this military record is 36. A fine bracket bearing the arms of the Zati, the ancestors of the Duca di San Clemente, and former owners of a Villa at San Martino a Mensola. The device is two chains crossed at honor point ; it supports a group of sculpture, a 122 THE QUADEANGLE OF THE KEEP. Madonna crowned and seated on a Gothic throne, with the Child Jesus in her arms. St. Peter with his keys on one side, and St. Paul holds his sword on the other, two angels kneel in adoration in front. 37. A curious antique "stiacciato" relief of Madonna and Child with very round faces, in the style of A. I). 1300. 38. Parallel with this are two busts of cinquecento Florentines, similar in style to that of Capponi ; and still higher above these is 39. A fine antique Corinthian capital, supporting a square Eoman funereal urn, with tragic masks at the corners and gar- lands wreathed across above the inscrip- tion. 40. Similar capital and Koman urn with genii at the corners. 41. An Etruscan tomb, with a male figure recumbent on the lid, and holding the patera, a shallow drinking cup. It is a small urn in terracotta, colored, and was THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 123 in the great collection of the late Gia- como Servadio M. P. for Montepulciano. 42. A similar urn with the inscription which in Roman letters would read : THANA • APIA • ATAMAL • THANSISA • and proves that this urn contained the ashes of a certain Etruscan lady " Fannia Appia." This was a well known family in Roman times, and belonged to the gens Claudia, among whose members were the Patrician Appius Claudius the Decemvir, and Appius Claudius Caecus the Censor, who commenced the Via Appia B. C. 312. The subject of the sculpture on the front of the urn represents Jason or Cadmus, vanquishing with a ploughshare the teeth- sprung warriors. The lid at present on this tomb cannot be the original, as it is a male figure and in a different clay. 43. Two medieval figures holding shields. 44. Marble figure of a Roman in co- thurnus and armour, enveloped in a long 124 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. toga, more medieval than classical in style and in its writhing pose. 45. Another Etruscan urn in tufo, with the inscription, which in Roman letters would be : LTH • TITI • PRANA • ATAINALISA • Lars Titius Atainal (filius) whose ashes were enclosed in this urn was probably an an- cestor of the Roman family of Titia, whose coins we find, struck in the time of the Republic, about 100 years B. C. 46 and 47. Two amphorae from Aquileia fill the corner. One is a peculiarly grace- ful shape with long curves. Near these on the third side of the loggia are 48 and 49. Two very interesting speci- mens of antique sculpture ; the busts in relief of " Flora " and " Pomona." They are carved in a beautiful rose-tinted an- tique marble, and the eyes are in coloured glass, which would point to the deca- dence after Hadrian as their probable THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 125 date. Flora wears flowers in her hair and long braids hanging on the shoulders, in the style of some Etruscan statues. Po- mona has fruit and long ribbons in place of plaited tresses. 50. Bust of Countess Matilda in terra- cotta. The Countess Matilda, daughter of Duke Boniface, was ruler of Tuscany in the 11*^ century. She is represented here as wearing a little embroidered cap over her loose tresses which are further confined by a fillet round her forehead. On her breast she wears a kind of shield bearing the de- vice of a cross. 51. A part of an ancient frieze in white marble representing " a group of Cupids or genii around the forge of Vulcan," while he is making the arms of Achilles (Iliad, chap. XVIII). The figures of the " loves " are exquisitely modelled, one plays with the crested helmet, another with the shield. Minerva with her aegis stands on one side, and Neptune on the other. 126 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 52. Pretty little marble ciborium, with ornate lintels to the door, over which is a sculptured architrave, a winged genius with two cornucopise on his shoulders pouring out leaves and fruit. From ancient art we now come to modern. 53. A niche, beautifully sculptured in grey stone by David Giustini, contains the bust in white marble of Giuseppe Fancelli, the architect who superintended the resto- ration of the Castle. It is a faithful por- trait by the late sculptor Bastianini, and shows well the broad massive head. Be- neath it is this inscription in gilt letters : A GIUSEPPE FANCELLI DA S. MARTINO A MENSOLA ARCHITETTO DIRETTORE DEI RESTAURI DEL CASTELLO DI VINCIGLIATA QUESTA MEMORIA GIOVANNI TEMPLE-LEADER PONEVA. THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 127 54. A quaint realistic old relief in grey marble, representing Count Ugolino in the Pisan Tower of Famine. The artist has certainly read his Dante, and represents the famished Count, in the midst of his appalled family, biting his hands, le mani per dolor mi raorsi while little Gaddo " throws himself at his father's feet in terror and anguish. This relief, which has all the force of expression that frequently marks a low st^do of art, was presented to Mr. Leader by the Prez- ziner family. 55. A bust in terracotta representing a girl of the Alessandri family. She must have been young, as her hair is flowing loosely, which was at that time only per- mitted to maidens. 56. A small capital of an antique colon- nette, the acanthus leaves are curiously curled inwards. On it a Roman marble bust of Janus. 128 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 57. Similar capital with a small female bust on it, rather Etruscan in style. 58. A white marble ciborium of simple square form. Subject : the Annunciation, two very graceful figures in bas-relief. 59. A small pillar supporting a crouching lion in dark stone ; on the side of the pillar is a shield with armorial bearings. 60. Another amphora hangs beside the door leading to the apartments on the lower floor of the Castle. The lunette of the arch of the door is enriched by a rose " with the Christian monogram in perfo- rated sculpture, and around it the inscrip- tion " NOMiNi jest; omne genuflectatur celestium TERRESTRIUM ET INFERNORUM." We are now outside the loggia again, and in the corner of the court where the Castle well is placed, but there are several things to be seen in the few yards of wall before we reach the well, such as 61. The Papal arms (cross keys) in stone. 62. A slab of Egyptian hieroglyphics THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 129 about a foot in diameter, containing se- veral rows of small figures ; and 63. Over this a slab of white marble with winged head, beneath which is the inscription : ANT: CAMPANA • CIVI • Z ' NOT: SENEN: VIRO. INTEGERR: AC • RARAE • BONITAT: MONTIS. OLIVETI • FAMILIA • VIVENTI • Z ' POSTERIS: EX DEBITO Z AMORI • HOC POSVIT MONVMEN. 64. A beautiful Gothic fountain in the form of an arch resting on two twisted marble columns, inlaid with mosaics in the style of those of San Faolo fuori le mura at Rome. Above the arch rises a gable richly sculptured, and with crouching lions on each side. The back of the niche is filled in with open sculpture, and the base shows the arms of the Usimbardi and Ales- sandri. The antique portion probably dates back to the 12*'' or 13*^' century when the Saracenic art of inlaid sculp- 130 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. ture was imported from the East. Near this is 65. A stone with the following Latin inscription : SILVANO-AVG-SACRVM CRESCENS • ALYPIANVS IMP • CAESARIS • NERVAE TRAIANI • AVO • OERM DACICI • DISP • FISCI • F • R • It is a votive offering to the God Sylva- nus the wood-land deity, by Crescens Aly- pianus, a civil officer under the Emperor Trajan. 66. A medallion of grey marble, the pro- file head of a young Florentine, recalling the style of Masaccio, in very low relief (rilievo stiacciato). Under this 67. A fine ancient arabesque capital. On it is the date 1690 cut upside down. 68. The well, which was found filled up with stones, is now, once more, one of the most characteristic objects in the Castle. Its ancient octagonal form is retained, and THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 131 the native sculptor Marucelli has enriched it with all kinds of medieval work ; the panels forming the parapet, contain the arms of the Usimbardi, Alessandri, and Leader. The pulley for the bucket is of massive wrought iron of antique form, and it is held in the mouth of a winged dragon crouched on a pillar covered with the li- lies of Anjou. On the left 69. Another small pila or basin, with a relief in marble above it, representing St. Paul. It was taken from a sepulchral monument of the 14*^ century, and bears the date 1333, with the inscription in Gothic letters : Cujus corpus reqiiiescat in pace. 70. A shield of white marble; device, the lion rampant and the three stones, of the Monte de pieta, in the corners are the let- ters L. and D. 71. A female mask in white marble re- lief, a large impassive Roman face with a diadem. 72. There is still another basin or foun- 132 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. tain in the wall close by, with a fine gro- tesque head as spout. Over it 73. An inscription in Gothic letters and two shields, one bearing the arms of the Piccolomini, the other the Scala. Over this again 74. An Etruscan tomb, in tufo, with a relief representing a temple, with six figures in togse. The recumbent figure is of a lady with a fan and veil. 75. Square cinerary urn of pinkish mar- ble. No inscription. 76. Fragment of pilaster in marble re- lief — vases of flowers and arabesques. The shield of the Acciajuoli, a lion ram- pant. 77. A Latin inscription: THE QUADKANGLE OF THE KEEP. 133 D- M- L • IVLIVS • APOLLONIVS • ET L • IVLIVS • KARICVS FECERVNT SIBI • ET • SVIS • ET • LI BERT IS LIBERTABVSQVE • POSTERISQVE EORVM ET • NEQVIS • ALIENIGERVM CORPVS • INFERRE • VELLIT • ITEM NE • DE • NOMEN • IVLIORVM • EXIAT HVIC • MONVMENTO • DOLVS MALVS- ABESTO Probably it was placed over a tomb of the Julian family, to record that the sepulchre was for their exclusive use. And above this is another 78. Shield in white marble with the de- vice — a lion rampant, surrounded with a ribbon. 79. A statue, life size, of St. John Baptist in grey stone, an emaciated figure in the realistic style of the 14*'' century. It came from an old house in Borgo Santa Croce, Florence. Over this is 134 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 80. A small majolica inscription : BACCIO • DI • MANE NTE • BVON DEL MONTE VICHARIO • Lo • 1617 • EP • SECONDA • L ANo • 1618. With this we may mention 81. Another inscription which is placed at the meeting of the two arches of the loggia, and records a certain " Rosso dei BuoNDELMONTi/' as Captain and commissario of the Florentine Republic in 1528 and 1529. With the tragical love story of the first Buondelmonte, spoken of in Dante, began all the wars of Guelphs and Ghibellines, and it would seem the family had kept up its power in Florence for many centuries after that time, as one is here recorded as bishop, and another as captain of the Re- public. Over the Vicar's tablet is a 82. Latin inscription of rather an awe inspiring character, being an anathema of that terrible Pope Gregory XL It runs: THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 135 t ANATHEMA • GREGORII • PAPE • XI • IN • IVDICIO • NON • RESVRGAT • DAMNATVS • MALE • PEREAT • CVM • IVDA • INIQVO • PARTEM • HABEAT • SI • QVIS • HVNC • LOCVM • QVOVIS • MODO • SIVE • INGENIO • VIOLARE • PRESVMPSERIT • As a kind of antidote to this the next space is occupied by 83. A charming Madonna and Child with two angels, in the style of Delia Robbia. The round is encircled by the usual garland of flowers and fruit, en- riched by a circle of little cherubs' heads within them. 84. A square Roman urn with garlands sculptured above the inscription d . m . ot- TUJAE . CONIUGl CtC. 85. A square white marble urn, of archi- tectural form, with pilasters and archi- trave, encloses the inscription : D • M • TI • CLAVDI • HERMA • ISCI • TI • CLAVDIVS • ARPOCRATIANV LB BE ME. 136 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 86. A relief in white marble, a cherub holding a shield bearing the lion rampant of the Acciajuoli ; and next to it 87. Another shield bearing the same de- vice with a paly of three under the lion, in dark stone. 88. A mock Latin inscription purporting to be the votum of Sextus Publicius, but which is only a catch in modern Italian. 89. Etruscan urn in tufo, in front of the tomb a vase and two marine monsters em- blematic of the Etruscan worship of Ty- phon, the dual fish god. On the lid is the reclining figure of a man with a large torque on his neck. 90. Square plain urn with simple cornice enclosing the following inscription : DIIS MANIBVS OOVLNIAE PROBIAE FECIT N. OGVLNIVS • HERMES. CONLIBERTVS • CONIVGI. CARISSIMAE ET SIBL THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 137 An Etruscan lid has been placed on this urn. 91. Shield, — goat rampant with a Go- thic inscription. 92. An interesting piece of medieval sculpture which was brought from Lucca. It is in two parts, on the right a seated figure of St. Bartholomew, with a young priest, possibly Gherardo, kneeling before him. The figures are rude in proportion and modelling, and are crowded very un- comfortably into a niche too small for them. The left side of the slab in occupied with the following inscription : QVISQVIS ADES SCITO DNVM LAVDABIS ET ITO QVOD DOM ISTA DEI SCI QVOQ BARTOLOMEI TPE FVNDATA FVIT ET PARITER RENOVATA XPI MILLENO QVINQVAGENO Q. NOVENO CVM BIS CENTENO NVMERO SIQVIDEM BENE PLENO SACRA RECOLEBAT HIC ET PARITER RESIDEBAT NOMINE GERARD NEC AD HEC NOVA MENIA TARD EX STVDIO CVJVS TEMPLI STAT CVXM ET HVJVS PERSPICVA CVRA MOSTRAT QVEM SCVLPTA FIGVRA. 138 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 93. Above this an inscription on majolica: GIOVANNI • J) I ' TOMMASO • LA PI • V" • ECOMo 1502 E • 1503. Probably this John Lapi was vicar of the same church as the Baccio Buondelmonte (n. 80) though he lived a century before him. 94. Is a rather coarse painting, on brick representing Saint Barbara. 95. The corner of the court is occupied by the arms of the Monte dei Paschi, — a Pyramid of stones. 96. An amphora from Aquileia. 97. Lamb in ornate " tondo " in stone. This is one of the signs of the possessions of the Arte della Lana and is found on all Florentine houses and buildings which belonged to that guild during the Re- public. 98. Ancient white marble bust, the head of a girl with smiling face, hair in a tuft THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 139 on her forehead, with a lock hanging over her shoulder. The nose has been re- stored. 99. Handsome square cinerary urn with Ionic columns at the corners. There are tragic masks above the inscription. Infant fauns and goats below. On the sides are winged chimerae. The urn is inscribed to a young girl : DM-VMMIDIJ3 GALE. FELICIO PATER. GALE MATER. MVRTILVS TATA. ET EROS GONIVNX FEGER. VIX A XVI M Villi DIEB XII. 100. A marble round, with a skull in relief, and above it the words respice finem. 101. Heraldic shield of the " DegU Agli," — a lion rampant of the field, charged with aglio (a plant of garlic). The ancient pa- lace of this family is still to be seen in 140 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. Florence on the Piazza degli Agli near Santa Maria Maggiore. 102. Armorial bearings in grey stone, — a lion's iiead with a helmet and shield be- neath, which bears the device of a lion rampant. 103. A very quaint fragment of sculp- ture in marble representing a potter's shop. One man is blowing a fire, another is pulling a vase out of the baking pot on it ; while two others are carrying clay. The figures are of the short medieval type. 104. Medici arms in white marble, the balls in full relief. These came from the Orti Oricellari, and are a reminiscence of their occupation by either the Duke Fer- dinando, or the Cardinal Gian Carlo dei Medici. 105. The arms — (a Bear and Ragged Staff) — from the monument of Anna Dud- ley daughter of Robert Dudley, who claimed to be Earl of Warwick and Lei- THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 141 cester, and was created Duke of Northum- berland in 1620 by the Emperor Ferdi- nand II. Kobert Dudley, son of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and of the Lady Douglas Sheffield, was born in 1573 and came to Florence where he was well re- ceived at the Tuscan court. He bought several small houses from the Rucellai fa- mily, and on their site built a palazzo from his own designs in the style then more prevalent in England than in Italy. This house is in the Via della Vigna Nuova at the corner of the street, looking into Via Tornabuoni. Here he lived many years. He was a great naval architect and de- signed the mole and the new port at Leg- horn for the Grand Duke. 106. A tablet which is interesting in the history of the Castle, being a record of its purchase in 1827 : " Lorenzo di Barto- lommeo Galli da Rovezzano, addi 21 apri- le 1827, compro i ruderi del Castello di Vincigliata, coi suoi resedi, da Gaetano del 142 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. Cav. Simone degli Alessandri, pei rogiti di Ser Liiigi di Francesco Gavini, notaro pub- blico Fiorentino.^ " 107. Now we come to the finest bit of art in the court. A fine bas-rehef of ve- ritable Eoman sculpture, in Greek marble, representing a sacrifice, which seems to refer to the worship of Mithras. The fire is burning on an altar adorned with ram's heads and garlands, and the high priest in full robes is throwing into it the vo- tive corn, while the other priests stand behind, all crowned with laurels. One holds the vase of corn, another sounds the curved horn. The victim, a fine bull garlanded with roses, is led forward by the " carnifex " who is nude to the waist and brandishes his sacrificial knife. The * Translation: On the 21^* day of april 1827, Lorenzo son of Bartolommeo Galli of Rovezzano purchased the ruins of the Castle of Yincigliata, with its appurten- ances, from Gaetano son of Cav. Simone of the Ales- sandri, the deeds being drawn up by Ser Luigi son of Francesco Gavini, pubKc notary of Florence. THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 143 whole is in a fine state of preservation. Above this is a very different subject. 108. A terracotta statue of the Magdalen in hair, robe and girdle, not of the best era of art. 109. The arms of the Buonvisi family (to which belonged that friend of Sir Thomas More, whose bust we have men- tioned) — a star and circle — with a helmet above and a half figure holding a scroll inscribed in old French: Tout jour jc pense, an abbreviation of their full motto: Tons les jours je pense a Men faire. Above this is 110. A large head of Hadrian, of Roman sculpture in marble. On the side of the door 111. The bust in wliite marble of David Giustini, the late faithful and much la- mented custode of the Castle of Vinci- gliata; he was an artistic stone cutter, and to his chisel with that of Marucelli we are indebted for nearly all the sculptural 144 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. stone adornments of the Castle. Both, this bust and that of MarucelH (n. 119) are the work of Dante Sodini, a distinguished Flo- rentine sculptor, who executed many of the marble statues for the fagade of the Duomo of Florence. Among these is a " San Callisto," the head of which was mo- delled from Mr. Leader, and is indeed a very good likeness. In the year 1889 So- dini received a gold medal at the Paris Exhibition for his statue of Fides (Faith). 112. Under this is a little angel's head in marble, roughly sculptured. 113. A slab covered with Egyptian hiero- glyphics, and a figure in flat relief of a man holding up his hands. 114. A shield with the device — a star and a circle. Above the door leading into the principal apartments is 115. A round in the style of Luca Delia Robbia — a Madonna in white, on a blue ground, with a border of varicoloured fruits. THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 145 116. The Pandolfini arms; argent, three dolphins naiant, purpure. 117. Shield in marble, arms, a lion car- rying a bar. 118. Arms inscribed Guccio Johannis" — two lion's paws. 119. Bust in white marble, of Angiolo Marucelli, known as Canapino," an arti- stic worker in stone and marble, who as- sisted in the sculptural restorations. 120. Two ornate circles " traforati " in marble. 121. A marble tabernacle with two figu- res of the Madonna and St. John the Evan- gelist in trecento art. Round the frame is the inscription : Sit cum prole pia lux nobis virgo Maria. Apocal (C. V.) a v I. sunt nobis verba johanis. Underneath is Virgum conqiie sep FUS, Near here are several armorial bearings in marble such as 122. A marble slab with a coat of arms — a barry of three — it was an emblazon- ment that Hugh, the Duke of Tuscany who 146 THE QUADEANGLE OF THE KEEP. reigned before the famous Countess Ma- tilda, gave to six of his barons. 123. A shield sculptured on a floral back- ground, bearing the emblazon — a chevron and three scallop shells of the field. Be- neath this 124. A shield. Device: a lion's paw. 125. The lion rampant of the Acciajuoli, forming part of an old frieze with acanthus leaves on the ground-work. 126. Shield, a bend charged with three crescents, with Gothic inscription: 8. He- rodi olim Cristofori di Jacohi pM. Probably from the tomb of one of the Manetti fa- mily, whose arms bore the same device. 127. A funereal inscription in Roman letters to a little child of eight years old : DM • TI • CL • CLAVDIANI • QVI • VIXIT • ANN • VIII • MENS • II • D • V • TI • CLABASCANTVS • ET CANTILIA • PANTHIA PAKEN TES • FILIO • DVLCISSIMO • THE QUADKANGLE OF THE KEEP. 147 128. Armorial bearings in marble, quar- terings, Dexter lion rampant, Sinister a barry of four. 129. Large bas-relief in white marble, an heraldic composition, a dog with a hel- meted head, over it a half figure of justice with the scales. An inscribed scroll en- circles the figure, and underneath is the date: 1335, 9 Kalend Janmrius in Gothic letters. 130. A fragment of a sepulchral mo- nument dated 1317, — bas-relief showing several figures weeping around a deathbed. 131. Portion of a marble commemora- tive inscription, a segment of a circle on a square block ; at the corners are half- moons. In the centre the words : 132. The capital of a small column; on it stands a foot in white marble. S • RESTAVRATV • A • FI • LII • Q • FABII • DE • SAPVTI • CIVIS • SENENS • 148 THE QUADKANGLE OF THE KEEP. 133. Fragment of a fine classical bas- relief. Subject : Hercules and the hydra. 134. Part of a door lintel, in macigno, angels' heads, and scrolls. 135. Part of a white marble architrave in relief, the design is curious, sails, swelled out with a fair wind {Vele della fortuna), are alternated with coils of ropes and the inscription fi qui, vi a foi. In the centre, three feathers in a ring with the word SEMPER. It was the device and motto of the Medici family, also of the Rucellai after they became connected with the Medici. 136. An armorial shield in relief on mar- ble. Device: a Castle with sculptured cor- nice ; in the corners, and at the sides are single Gothic letters distributed thus : R. E. 0. L. 7 (?) E. T. E. 137. Latin inscription from the tomb of the Olivetan monk the blessed Bernardo Ptolemseo, who was buried in the chapel of a hermitage, which he himself had founded. THE QUADKANGLE OF THE KEEP. 1^9 VBI • COENOBIVM • ET • TEMPLVM • DI VO • BENEDICTO • ANTEA • DICATVM • ORDINIS • MONTIS • OLIVETI • A • B° BERNARDO • PTOLEM^O • FVNDATORE • ERECTVM • ET • CORPVS • EIVS • FERTVR • SEPVLCRO • CONDITVM • OMNE • FVNDITVS • EVERSVM • BENEDICTVS • TRIBBIANI . PRO • ILLIVS • MEMORIA • HOC • SACELLVM EREXIT • 138. Marzocco or Florentine lion, on an octagonal column, and bearing the Leader arms. There are armorial bearings also on the base of the column: 1. Leader, 2. Ales- sandri, 3. Albizi, 4. Ceffini. On the wall of the staircase we find the following sculp- ture : 139. A dog with a snipe under his paw. On the opposite side of the door is a si- milar little sketch in stone of a cat with a mouse. 140. A Roman commemorative inscrip- tion to the consul Julius, prar'tor of Aqui- taine. It begins : L. Julio L. Pal. Ju- Uano etc. 150 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 141. A square of red granite with Egyp- tian sculptures representing a king seated on his throne, and rows of bowmen on their knees before him — no doubt a me- morial of a victory of one of the Pharoahs. 142. Monumental shield — an eagle with the motto S. Marci. 143. A shield with the devices, a dagger, a halberd and a fleur-de-lys, with the Go- thic letters M. R. 0. L. P. I. 144. Coat of arms in marble ; a bull rampant surrounded by fleur-de-lys. Over it the inscription : Piero di Francesco heccaio et suo, probably from the tomb of a butcher named Piero. 145. On the top of the stairs, the Albizi arms with the motto : Hoc etiam non sufficit. 146. An inscription noting the restora- tion of a monument to a family Scotti, re- stored by members of the same race in 1612. THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 151 SCOTTORVM • MONVMENTVM • VETVSTATE • DESTRVCTVM- GENTILES • INSTA VRARVNT • M • D • C • XII • 147. Small antique column in grey mar- ble with white capital, supporting a Mar- zocco in grey stone. 148. Close by this stands the antique white marble bust of Plato, with porphyry toga. This is a most interesting object, as it came from the Orti Oricellari, where of late years it stood opposite the Mausoleum of the Plato Academy. Whether it be the veritable bust whicli was placed in tlie midst of the members at their meetings is a question which it would be difficult to prove. We read in Roscoe's Life of Lo- renzo il Magnifico that Lorenzo, liaving long desired to possess the resemblance of Plato, he was rejoiced beyond measure when Girolamo Roscio (Roscius) of Pistoia presented to him a figure in marble of 152 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. his favorite philosopher which was said to have been found among the classic ruins of the Academy. In a note to this pas- sage Eoscoe adds : In the diligent re- searches made at the instance of Lorenzo for the discovery of ancient manuscripts his agents frequently met with curious specimens of art. The inventory of the books purchased by Johannes Lascaris, from one Nicolo di Jacopo da Siena, con- cludes with particularizing a marble sta- tue " (Archives Pal. Yecchio, filz. LXXXI, N"" 26). Mr. Leader's bust of Plato is quite antique enough to warrant the hypothesis that it was one of the many discovered in the excavations at Rome in the time when Raphael and San Gallo were directors of the works, and when Rucellai obtained all the fine old Roman busts now in the Uf&zi. The style of putting porphyry drapery on a white marble bust is very suggestive of the time of Hadrian. The face of the sta- tue is however pure Greek, the profile is THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 153 delicate and intellectual, the nose straight and Grecian, the mouth is concealed by a beard of antique form, in conventional wavy locks, and the head is long rather than square. 149. On the parapet of the stairs just in front of " il divino Platone, ' is a Lion of St. Mark in Istrian marble. It formerly stood on the gate of Mestre and was the work of the Venetian sculptor Vittoria. 150. Following the first gallery from here we find on the wall a square in Ve- netian mosaic, a geometrical design en- riched with large bosses of onyx glass. Above this 151. A Madonna on gold ground in Ve- netian mosaic, from the manufactory of Salviati of Murano. The Madonna of By- zantine style is clad in blue, with a green mantle. 152. Near this is a most interesting sculp- tural work attributed to Giovanni Pisani. 154 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. As the work stands now, it lias the ap- pearance of having formed the architrave of a door, but it is doubtful whether the saints on the side panels are of the same antiquity. The centre represents a Ma- donna and Child, with angels holding up her mantle behind her, and has all the signs of the work of the Pisani, the sweet and simple feeling, the noble drapery, the thickness of modelling about the neck, and the solid form of the set limbs. The side panels, enclosed in sculptural cornices of the geometrical shape Ghiberti chose for the panels of his first gates for the Bap- tistery, have reliefs of St. Louis of France, and St. Bernard, and shew the artistic style of the 15*^ century. On the ground of the court are several objects of interest such as 153. A fragment of a pillar etc., from the ancient Castle of Yincigliata. 154. The debtor's stone. A wheel of six spokes in grey marble inlaid on white. THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 155 This is the veritable stone which from the 15*^' century was placed in the centre of the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo in Florence, for the shame and punishment of debtors, and merchants who had failed dishono- rably. The culprits were doomed to be " bumped " uncovered on this stone in the sight of all the market — a kind of moral punishment of the w^heel which no doubt was as wholesome in its way as the torment of Ixion. Lippi {MalmantUe, chap. YI, v. 73) alludes to this original custom in the fol- lowing lines : Donne, che feron gia per ambizione I)' apparir gioiellate e luccicanti Dare il cul al marito in sul lastrone. (The Florentine satirists were generally very hard on ladies' extravagance in dress.) The debtor's stone was replaced by a fac- simile when the pavement of the loggia was repaired, while the original preserved here was rejected as too much damaged for use. i 156 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 155. Three square terracotta vases, in Roman style, adorned with moulded gar- lands and masks. 156. Two circular funereal ash chests in archaic workmanship in rough stone, with round covers. 157. Two similar ash chests, narrowing at the bottom, in the form of truncated inverted cones. All the four came from Aquileia. 158. The basin of a fountain in white marble ; the design of its sculptural adorn- ments is a mixture of Christian and Pagan suggestions. The basin is octagonal, the sides are alternations of Medusa's heads with open mouths for pouring out water, and the letter 0. P. E. 159. The base of a four-sided tufo column. Each side bears a relief of Ca- stor and Pollux on horseback dos a dos. The modelling is very classical, almost Greek. We have still some inscriptions to exa- THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. 157 mine in the quadrangle, but they are modern ones placed over the scdia of the loggia, where they form a kind of Lihro cVorOy consisting of gilt lettered ta- blets recording the names of the Royal- ties who have visited and taken an interest in Vincigliata. They are in chronological order : April 25*^ 1864. Prince Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta. November 16*^ 1872. Her Imperial High- ness the Grand Duchess Elena Paulovna of Russia. June 18*^ 1874. Her Majesty Josephine, dowager Queen of Sweden and Norway. November 7"^ 1874. Their Royal High- nesses Charles Alexander, reigning Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar, and the Grand Duchess Sophia, with their daughters the Princesses Maria Alexandrina, and Eli- zabeth. April 30*^' 1875. Prince Frederick Wil- liam the hereditary Prince of the German 158 THE QUADRANGLE OF THE KEEP. Empire and his consort Victoria Princess Royal of Great Britain; with Humbert hereditary Prince of Italy, and his consort Margherita Princess of Savoy. A very interesting quartette who little foresaw, when all together here, what different fates awaited them as future reigning sovereigns. March 31^^ 1876. His Royal Highness Prince Leopold of England. March 2"*^ 1877. Their Majesties Don Pe- dro of Alcantara and Teresa Cristine Ma- ria of Bourbon, Emperor and Empress of Brazil. April 6*^ 1877. The Empress Eugenie and her son Prince Napoleon. May 2^*^ 1880. Their Royal Highnesses the Count and Countess of Flanders. May 5*^^ 1881. H.R.H. Princess Victoria of Germany. Crossing the court again, we enter the Castle, by an iron door — the handles or knockers of which are works of art, and THE CHAPEL. 159 take the form of finely-cast grotesque figures, — and find ourselves in the guard- room. Before glancing at the arms however, we give way to our love of seeking after the unknown, and enter a tempting little lobby on the left of the entrance ; here we find we have very properly taken the ecclesiastical portion before the military, for this leads us to the chapel. THE CHAPEL is very devotional both in tone and co- louring. In the entrance is a relief in the style of Luca Delia llobbia, — the subject, "Christ in the desert: " it is an upright figure hold- ing a cross, the modelling has all Luca's own grace and simplicity, the figure is in white on a blue ground. The altar of the chapel is of Fiesole stone 160 THE CHAPEL. carved in early style, almost Lombardic in effect. It is a faithful copy of the altar beneath Cimabue's famous Madonna in the Eucellai chapel of Santa Maria Novella, and is supported on four fluted columns at the corners, and a cluster of four in the centre. They have carved capitals, on one of which are some angels' heads with the legend Ave Maria gratia plena. The altar is dedicated to the Annunciation," and above it is a beautiful glazed sculpture of the " Annunciation," of the Delia Robbia school, which was brought from the church of Monte Domini, where it was once placed behind the high altar. The Madonna robed in blue and red is seated, with a vase of lilies at her feet ; the lily-bearing angel in white robes is kneeling before her, and the Holy Dove flying down from above where the Eternal Father is seen in a cloud. The vase which holds the lilies has the arms of the Da Somaia family, the altar- piece was therefore a votive offering from THE CHAPEL. 161 one of the family in the 15*^ century, pro- bably that Guccio Andrea Da Somaia, one of the Arte Calimala, who, together with Piero Rucellai, was Master of the Mint for six months, from November 28*^' 1429 to May 1430. The window is also very interesting, being partly of painted glass of the Renaissance era. The modern part is by De Matteis of Florence, and with its ornate scrolls and shields, forms a most harmonious setting to the really beautiful antique portions, viz : the four centre panes in medallion form, which are veritable cinquecento work. The upper one is a " St. Sebastian said to have been designed by Pollaiuoli ; the second re- presents the parable of the Prodigal Son ; " the third the Marriage of the Virgin,'' — this pane has a little half circle with figures of Adam and Eve painted beneath the prin- cipal subject, and forming the keynote to it ; — the fourth is " Christ disputing with the Doctors." 162 THE CHAPEL. All these four subjects are in the same style and evidently of the same date as the windows of the Certosa and Laurentian Library in Florence, and like those were probably the work of the monks of the con- vent of San Giusto alle Mura, which once stood outside the Porta a Pinti. The art of enamel painting on glass windows, instead of the older art of mosaicing together bits of stained glass to form the figures, ori- ginated in this convent, where the monks had a regular laboratory with furnaces to melt the enamel colours. A document in the Archives mentions two monks Goro and Bernard as painting some windows in the " Popolo " of Santa Eeparata. The best artists of Florence drew designs for them. We will now turn to the smaller adorn- ments of the chapel and beginning on the right of the door, note : 1. A holy water font in Urbino ware ; under a canopy held up by angels, all in very high relief; there is a painting of the THE CHAPEL. 163 " Salutation," and beneath it the heraldic device of the first possessor. 2. A triangular relief in bronze, — a copy in smaller size of Passaglia's white-marble sculpture in the tympanum of the arch of the central door of the Duomo. It repre- sents " the Madonna enthroned," with the lamb beneath, and emblematical figures on each side. This copy was made by Ros- signoli in 1887. 3. A beautiful ciboritim sculptured in white marble by Stagio Stagi of Pietra- santa, in the 16"' century. It is in the form of a deeply vaulted arch with rich cornice, and two angels kneeling beneath it. 4. A large painting of the 15*^' century Sienese school, representing San Bernar- dino of Siena, a full length figure in white robes, holding in one hand a book open at the words Manifestavi nomen timm Jwmimhus et ecce nunc ad te veniam. With the other hand he shows a tablet bearing the sa- cred monogram I. H. S. surrounded by rays 164 THE CHAPEL. of light. St. Bernardino always preached with one of these tablets in his hand, and it is said that a man who made dice and playing cards complained to the Saint that his preaching had mined his trade. " Make tablets like mine instead of yonr dice and they shall be bought by many," said the Saint ; the man did so, and as the worship of the monogram was much in vogue, the tablets were looked on as amulets, possess- ing a peculiar sanctity. In most of the houses of this time a stone sculptured with the monogram and rays was inserted in the building. 5. A Madonna sculptured in stone, a long proportioned figure in not the best style of art. It was found in a well in Borgo alia Croce. In the corner by the altar is 6. A pastoral staff in metal, a copy of the famous one by Benvenuto Cellini; the handle is covered with reliefs in scenes from the life of San Lorenzo. Enamelled on the THE CHAPEL. 165 staff are the arms of the Medici family, who restored the church of San Lorenzo in the 16*^' century when Pope Leo X gave the staff. On the altar are 7. A Crucifix in brass of the epoch of the 16*^' century and 8. Fourteen candlesticks, of which two are antiques from the convent of Vallom- brosa, two others have the letters S M T F on them. The other ten are modern copies of an ancient shape, with the Leader arms in coloured enamel on the stand. On the right of the altar stand 9. A finely forged iron candelabrum five feet high, and two ancient torcieri, in the form of deep plates on a stand, with a torch-holder of four leaves in the centre. 10. On the wall near the window is a me- dallion in majolica representing Sant'An- tonio, and on the other side another round representing 11. Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi. 12. Near St. Antonio, a statuette of a 166 THE CHAPEL. Bishop in terracotta, in the style of the 14^^ century ; the hand has been restored. 13. A fine facsimile in bronze, admirably executed by Emilio Ercolani, of the " Mi- racle of San Zenobio restoring a dead child to life " from the tomb of the Saint in the Duomo by Ghiberti. Over this 14. A Madonna and Child — early Flo- rentine school — with gold background. 15. An octagonal holy water font of tre- cento sculpture, placed on a sculptured column. In one panel of the antique basin are the arms of the "Arte della Lana," in another an angel playing a very wide round-shaped viol, on one is a seraph, and in another an angel plays the bagpipes or rather the ancient ' sampogna " which is said to have been the father of the organ. 16. Over the door a painting of the Ve- netian school, representing the decapita- ted head of St. John Baptist on a charger. 17. There is a fine hanging lamp in open brass work ; over this and in the centre GUARD-ROOM. 167 18. A chandelier in beaten iron, partly gilded, a copy of the old style by Contri da Settignano. On emerging from the chapel we find ourselves in the GUAED-EOOM. The juxtaposition of the two different places is very suggestive, not only of the Church militant, but of medieval life and customs. A knight in olden times rarely undertook an emprise without appealing to the aid of either the Virgin of miracles, or of his Patron Saint ; just as his very knighthood began by baptism, and a vigil in the church ; so every deed of arms was begun by prayer in the Castle chapel, after which he stepped into the armoury to arm for the fray. The guard-room is a large two vaulted room, serious and sombre as befits its war- like uses. The two small square windows 168 GUARD-EOOM. are placed high, in the wall. In the vanlt are the arms of many good old Florentine knights. Among them are the Alberti, the Soderini, — to which family the Gonfalo- niere Piero Soderini belonged; — the Buon- delmonte, those ancient " brigands of the mountains," one of whom was the faith- less lover who caused all the Guelph and Ghibelline wars ; — the Buoni, their rela- tions who lived in the plain ; — the Caval- canti, one of whom, Guido, was Dante's friend ; — the dei Vinci, dei Cambi, and the dei Tanaglie, all families connected by marriage with the Alessandri who for so many centuries possessed the Castle. The guard-room is surrounded with 1 . Sedili in dark wood ; and here we can imagine the squires and pages seated and talking of the coming strife, and boasting of victory before-hand, while waiting till their Lords enter to be armed. Some would probably cluster round the fire in the 2. Large brazier in Venetian brass work GUARD-ROOM. 1G9 which came from Constantinople, while the light from the 3. Two iron candelabra suspended from the roof would fall in glinting rays on their steel corselets. The candelabra of olden days have been faithfully reproduced in these iron hoops, with their hooks and bran- ches by Contri of Settignano. There are also 4. Six chairs in the style of the 15*^ cen- tury in carved wood, with the Leader arms, and 5. Two antique black arm-chairs with leathern backs embossed in gilding. 6. A table of black wood on lyre-shaped tressels, — a favourite shape in Italy in the 15*^' and 16"' centuries. 7. An octagonal table beautifully inlaid in coloured wood. The weapons are arranged on rests round the walls above the sedili. On the left side beginning from the door are 8. Seven halberds of the shape known in the 13"' century as guisarme or gisarme, 170 GUAED-ROOM. which is distinguished from the ordinary halberd by a spike on the back of the blade. There were glaive-gisarmes with sabre-like blades, and bill-gisarmes with a bill-hook blade. 9. Two javelins or spears, one with a flat blade about a foot and a half in length on a long handle, the other one is smaller. 10. A light cross-bow, with iron mount- ings. 11. A laccio or forked weapon, on a long pole. These leashes were, in the wars of the Italian mercenaries, used to take pri- soners, by catching their neck in the fork, and then binding them with cords. This simple method explains the immense num- ber of prisoners that were taken in those battles ; we read that Hawkwood's men sometimes made as many as a thousand prisoners in an engagement. N. 33 is a more complete instrument of the same kind. 12. An iron army-lantern mounted on a long pole, for use in night marches. GUARD-ROOM. 171 13. A two-edged sword. 14. A flint-lock gun of the date of the 17*^' century. On the long side of the room the arms in the rack are 15. Thirteen halberds of various shapes. 16. Four halberds of the same form, with blades in open worked steel. 17. Five javelins, one with spurs beneath the blade. 18. A curiously shaped hill-gisarme, or bill -hook shaped halberd with various spurs. 19. A long iron weapon, like a plain mace, which, with a shake, sends out three four- edged blades, — a sort of surprise javelin. 20. A massive iron sword to fasten on a pole to cut the ropes of the scaling lad- ders in a siege. 21. Seven rapiers, some with beautifully worked hilts in perforated steel, others with more primitive guards of twisted wires. 22. Nine swords with iron hilts. 23. Two battle axes, one very small. 172 GUARD -ROOM. 24. Two maces with plain, iron blades. 25. A curious mace with eight crescent shaped blades, cut in the form of faces. It is a formidable weapon. 26. A pair of hollow-headed pincers with which to mould cannon balls. 27. Long arbalist to fix into a loop-hole. 28. Hand cross-bow, in light wood. Al- though cross-bows are quite remnants of antiquity as weapons, they are still used at the feste at Borgo San Sepolcro. 29. On the wall above the arms, there hangs a very interesting tournament shield in carved wood, painted and gilded, which bears the Albizi arms, and may have been used in one of the many " Giostre " or tournaments held in Florence in the days of the Republic. On the third side, the rack contains : 30. Three rapiers, one of which has no guard to the hilt. 31. A large sword single edged, with iron handle. GUARD-ROOM. 173 32. Five halberds of different kinds. 33. A leash, or fork to take prisoners of war (see n. 11); this one is furnished with springs on each prong of the fork which so close in the neck that the pri- soner, once caught, cannot release him- self without strangulation. This was one of the weapons used by the soldiers of the hated Duke of Athens. In one corner is 34. A pair of stocks for confining the feet and arms, and in the other 35. A similar punishment which might be called a collar for choleric shrews, for the blocks of wood are made to confine the neck and arms of two quarrelsome women who would thus be compelled to sit opposite each other with hands uplifted against each other yet powerless to strike. Verily our forefathers were adepts in the art on which an ancient treatise was writ- ten : " Ye Arte of Ingeniouslie Tormen- tynge." On the wall above these is 36. A Florentine painting of the quat- 174 GUARD-ROOM. trocento school. A Madonna and Child with St. Catherine and angels, on a gilt back- ground. The fourth side of the guard-room is oc- cupied with body armour, such as 37. A page's suit of armour for a boy, consisting of a corselet with gorget and thigh-pieces, gauntlets, and greaves all in beautifully chased plate mail, style of 15*^ century; in the centre of the cuirass is the Guelph eagle, and on the gauntlets a lion. 38. Knight's armour complete, of the same style as the last, finely chased all over. There is a circular shield with the Biscia or Viper of the Yisconti of Milan engraved on it. 39. A suit of tegulated " armour formed of narrow plates of iron riveted together. It has a helmet with a visor in form of a grating ; the style would mark it as of the 13*^ century. It was made for a man of gigantic proportions, considerably more than six feet high. GUARD-ROOM. 175 On some shelves in the centre is a col- lection of pieces of armour. 40. A Spanish morion of heavy iron with engraved embellishment. It is raised to a point in front. 41. Two helmets with ear pieces in the ancient Roman form. 42. A steel morion of the shape called " a pot " in the time of Charles I. 43. A huge plain steel helmet, for a gi- gantic warrior. 44. Medieval helmet — Saxon form. 45. Helm with closed visor and neck piece, possibly used for tournaments. 46. Trecento helmet with grated visor. Below these on two shelves are 47. Eight breast plates of black steel such as were worn by the corps of " Gio- vanni delle Bande Nere " in the time of the Medici. 48. Two cuirasses formed of steel plates. 49. Several chains and manacles for pri- soners of war. 176 GUARD-ROOM. 50. A very heavy iron collar for a cri- minal. 51. Near here are two ancient spin- gardes of great length, one of which has on it the arms in wrought iron of the Del Bufalo family. 52. Two old iron torcieri, on stands about four feet in height. Near the door is 53. A suit of " tegulated " armour, of iron plates overlapping one another, si- milar to n. 39, and close by it are 54. Two old lances, one of which is more than eight feet long and yet extremely light. In the middle ages such lances were used in warfare and in knightly combats, but in the Florentine Giostre of the 14*^ or 15*^' centuries they were only used in the " Jousts of the Ring " or the " Saracen's head." These tournaments were generally held at Peretola near Florence on the Prato road, and no expense was spared to make them magnificent. The Florentine cava- liers spent unheard-of sums in the gold em- THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. 177 broidered velvet housings for their steeds, and in artistic armour for themselves. With these Giostre ended the last revival of chi- valry in Florence, so we may here fitly leave the guard-room and pass on into one of the most interesting rooms in the Castle. THE COUNCIL CHAMBEE. This should rather be called the shrine of the Florentine St. Bernard, for the walls are covered with those beautiful frescoes illustrating the life of San Bernardo degli Uberti, which were painted by Spinello Aretino for the nuns of Santa Maria della Scala in 1398. On the roof are portraits of the Countess Matilda of Tuscany ; San Giovanni Gualberto, the knightly founder of the order of Vallombrosa ; and the Popes Urban II, and Pascal II, all of whom were connected with the life of the Saint. Sedili of carved Spanish chesnut wood 178 THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. surround the room on three sides, and be- fore them is a richly carved and massive table from a convent in Siena and some chairs with the Leader arms. How did the frescoes come to be in Yin- cigliata? The window will, literally speak- ing, throw a light on the subject, for be- hind its cliesnut shutter is an inscription which being translated tells us : " These scenes representing the deeds of St. Bernard of the Uberti were painted in the 14*^ century upon the walls of a chapel formerly existing in the ancient hospital of Santa Maria della Scala, now the monastery of San Martino, in the city of Florence ; and were, by a new artistic method, brought hither to adorn this Castle at the charge of the English gentleman John Temple-Leader, who wished to pre- serve in this abode of the ancient Lords of Tuscany the memory of a man who held authority in the courts of Pope Urban II, Pascal II, and the Countess Matilda. " THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. 179 Another and more ancient inscription, reproduced from the church for which the frescoes were painted, gives us the history of their origin. It is to this effect : " In this chapel is painted all the history of St. Bernard of the (Jberti of Florence, from the beo:inninQ: of his conversion to the many miracles which he performed after his life was ended. The which St. Ber- nard was a monk and Abbot of San Salvi, and then Father and Abbot of Valembrosa (Vallombrosa) and of all the order; and then was made cardinal, and then bishop of Parma, and was canonized by the Holy Church ; and his fHe is the fourth day of December, and the said cliapel was caused to be made by Messer Bernardo de in MCCCI.XXXXVIII. " Messer Bernardo of tlie illegible name could certainly not have chosen a better artist to illustrate the life of his saintly namesake, than Spinello Aretino, whose pure outline and delicate harmonious col- 180 THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. oring are to be recognized in every figure. Tliis Saint must not be confounded with St. Bernard of Clairvaux, whose hfe this same Spinello Aretino painted in the Pieve of his native town Arezzo. He was a me- dieval Florentine ecclesiastic, of the family to which Farinata degli Uberti belonged, — that stern old Ghibelline who even dared to stand against his own party to save Flo- rence from destruction in 1260. Bernard was born early in the 11^^' century and was son of Bruno and Aldobranda of the Aldobrandi, herself, the sister of a heato Pietro Igneo. He took monastic vows at Yallombrosa, rose in the order till he was by Pope Urban H created Cardinal in 1097 under the title of San Crisogono. He next became Legate not only to this Pope, but to Pascal H who sent him to Lombardy against the heretics and schismatics. Hav- ing reduced the northern cities to obe- dience, he was in 1106 elected Bishop of Parma, and an extremely zealous prelate THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. 181 he made, for he excommunicated King Conrad, took Brescello, drew Parma away from her alliance with the Emperor Hen- ry IV, and went to meet Lothair at Venice. All this energy and power brought him the favour of Countess Matilda, who seems to have placed him next to Pope Hildebrand in her esteem, for she largely endowed the monasteries of his order, and obtained pri- vileges for him from the Emperor Henry V. A document exists recording a donation of the Countess to the Abbey of Nonantola in 1102, where beneath her seal he has written: Efjo Bernardus dichis Cardinalis presbyter S. B, E. et B. Pape Paschalis II P. P. Longohardie partibus legatus atque Vi- cariiis dictante jtcstitia e idraqiie parte. After his death he was canonized, and his successor Lanfranc had his body placed in a leaden coffin, and buried under the confessional in Parma cathedral, whence in 1548 it was removed to its present po- sition under the altar. 182 THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. The Florentines so venerated his memory that they consecrated a chapel to him in the Palazzo Yecchio, but in the civil wars, the Guelphs being in power, exiled the Ghibelline Saint as well as the other Uberti, and dedicated the chapel to the more widely known St. Bernard of Clairvaux. So much for the Saint; the frescoes in the Council Chamber which illustrate his life, are in two rows of ' scenes " filling the three walls above the sedili. Beginning from the left as we enter the room from the guard-room we have in the short wall by the door: 1. Bernardo degli Uberti re-inforces the people of Parma when the Cremonese army occupy their fortress. 2. Bernard consecrated Bishop of Parma by Pope Pascal II. The drapery in this is extremely dignified. 3. His entrance into Parma as Pope's Legate. 4. Two miracles : a) A priest, released THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. 183 from prison on the intercession of the Saint, presents his offering on the tomb of St. Ber- nard ; h) A man saved in a dangerous fall. 5. This is only a part of a scene repre- senting horses and some people in suppli- cation. It probably refers to the legend that St. Bernard had once driven back the river Po which had overflowed. In the whole length wall: 6. St. Bernard preaching against the heretics. 7. The heretics arrest St. Bernard in the Cathedral of Parma and throw him into prison. 8. A young man released from the pos- session of a demon at the tomb of the Saint. 9. A girl healed of a mortal disease. 10. a) A man praying at the tomb of St. Bernard, and h) a woman who opens a door which is badly guarded by two sleep- ing soldiers ; it possibly refers to the liberation of the Saint when imprisoned 184 THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. by Conrad's soldiers, in revenge for having excommunicated that king. 11. Figures of four Apostles. Third wall as far as the window : 12 and 13. Fragments of frescoes in which the figure of San Giovanni Gualberto (foun- der of his order) appears. It may refer to the legend that when Cardinal Bernard was in want of money San Giovanni Gual- berto appeared in a vision promising him assistance, and in a short time two youths brought him money from an anonymous donor. 14. St. Bernard dispensing charity. 15. The Emperor Lothair kneeling to do homage to Bernard as Papal Legate at Verona. The fourth wall between two doors : 16. Five figures of Apostles and the arms of the Uberti. There are many interesting objects in the room : 17. Large carved table resting on very THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. 185 solid tressels formed by grotesque heads and claws; it was brought from a monas- tery at Siena. 18. On this table are several interesting objects, such as a very small spinet of the 16*^ century, in ebony inlaid with ivory. On the cover are small Dutch figures in ancient costumes, and inside it is the inscription Joannes Maggius Bomamis Li- ventor, a signature rather puzzling in con- nection with the evident Flemish work- manship. It may have been a Dutch copy of one of Maggi's spinets, and the honest Fleming gave the Itahan the credit of his invention. 19. A large casket in scorched work. Subject: scrolls and mythological figures. 20. Another casket also large, in cinque- cento intarsia as fine as Indian mosaic, in three colours : ebony, walnut wood, and ivory. 21. Large cassa in wood, carved and gilded; one side is in perforated carving, 186 THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. the front bears the Medici arms; at tlie corners are cherubs. 22. Upright casket with outer drawers at top and bottom : it is of rosewood in- laid with geometrical figures in ivory. 23. Another casket beautifully inlaid with coloured wood and mother of pearl ; the design is composed of scrolls, mingled with tulips and other flowers, and the Me- dici arms are in the centre. 24. A curious old Dutch casket with se- veral drawers of wood, covered with red leather, inlaid with figures of different col- ored leathers, the outlines being gilded and the faces painted. It gives the story of Joseph, with that naive ignoring of local coloring and chronology, which in- duced the Dutch artists to use their native costumes in all their religious paintings. Here Egyptians, Ishmaelites and Hebrews, are all in the wide hose and broad hats of the Fleming of the 15^^' century. This unique casket once belonged to Galileo THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. 187 himself, it having been given to him by a friend in Holland. It was bought by Mr. Leader at the Villa Galileo. 25. Two noble arm-chairs stand near the table; they were also brought from the house of Galileo, and are of his time ; they are covered in red leather richly embossed with gold, and ornamented by large nails. Against the wall between two doors there is 26. A large wedding chest of gilded wood, the front composed of three panels finely painted in the style of the 14*'* cen- tury. The subjects are scenes from the life of a royal knight, probably taken from the legends of Charlemagne and the Paladins. In the first scene, a king and queen are going out on horseback, the queen with a falcon on her hand. A Imntsman with a dog is following them out from a castle much too small for him. There is another fortress on a neighbouring hill which strongly suggests the situation of 188 THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. Yincigliata in regard to its hereditary foe, the neighbouring stronghold of Castel di Poggio. The second panel represents the same royal couple : the lady has drawn up her steed and waits in the distance, the king has dismounted and appears to be re- leasing three distressed damsels from a cave. The same two castles are in the background. The third panel shows the regal pair look- ing on at a combat between two knights, who fight on foot with long spears. The queen is still holding her falcon on her wrist. The paintings are as finely finished as the works of Pier di Cosimo, but shew a much earlier style of drawing. 27. A fine carved cassapanca (long seat with a back), in 15*^ century style ; the seat lifts and discloses a collection of in- struments of torture. Here are thumb and wrist screws, collars with nails inside, ankle pressers, etc. RECEPTION ROOM. 189 28. Over this a large Crucifix painted on wood, in the style of Cimabue or Mar- garitone. From here a beautiful door carved in wood by Vincenzo Morelli leads us to the EECEPTION EOOM. The arch of the door-way is sculptured by Giustini; the subject of the relief in the lunette is the Lord of ►Vincigliata de- dicating the Castle to the Virgin. The windows are large, and glazed in lead- bound circlets, alternated with heral- dic devices in coloured glass. The walls are diapered in fresco, the diamonds alternately filled with crosses, lions, and stags. Tlie vaulted roof is blue with golden stars, and in the spaces are the armorial bearings of the famiUes who have intermarried with the Alessandri, such as the Riccardi, the Rucellai, the Usimbardi, 190 RECEPTION ROOM. — former possessors of Yincigliata ; — and the Tosinghi, a family who once possessed a wondrous palace in the old market of Flo- rence, the fagade of which was covered with little Lombard arches like the tower of Pisa. The great arm-chairs are gilded, and covered with crimson brocade ; all the other furniture would come under the head of works of art — for instance the very first thing to the left of the door is an old armoire of the 16*'' century carved and glazed. In it a perfect museum. 1. On the half shelf on the top, six an- cient Pharmacy jars : one lettered, the others painted. 2. A jug in antique Faience. 3. Curious square inkstand with the Me- dici arms. 4. A salt cellar of majolica — rococo style — a queen carrying a dish. 5. Another salt cellar, same style — a woman seated at a table, which is hol- lowed to hold the salt. RECEPTION ROOM. 191 6. A curious vase with grotesque head beneath the lip ; it is painted in scrolls, and shaped like an inverted cone. 7. Salt cellar — female figure in 17*^ century costume, and turned up hat — holding a deep bowl. On the upper shelf: 8. A square inkstand in majolica, at one end a female bust with a yellow scarf. 9. White majolica bottle with armorial bearings painted on it — three fleurs-de- lys and a crown. 10. Tall Delft vase with cover, blue and white. 11 and 12. Two fragments of Roman sculpture — women's heads both veiled. 13. Fluted china coffee pot (style, French, of the 17^^ century), the handle and bowl painted with flowers and butterflies, a head forms the spout. 14. Large Etrusco-Greek amphora with two handles and cover, painted with red figures on black ground, later Yulci style. 192 RECEPTION ROOM. Subject: two tall male figures, one of wliom carries a sling, and a small figure in the middle ; they all have the very long limbs and the proportions which mark the transition from Etruscan to Greek style. 15. Small Etruscan patera in black Chiusi ware. 16. Small Etruscan " aryballos " or per- fume vase, with one handle and small neck. 17. Porcelain coffee pot (French style of 17*^' century) painted with flowers on a white ground. 18. Small coppa with two handles, red Etruscan ware from Nola. 19. Archaic ointment vase, of red clay, bottle shaped. 20. Two tall vases of Delft ware, differ- ent shapes. 21. Wine goblet of old Murano glass. On the half shelf below these : 22. Early christian casket of wood in RECEPTION EOOM. 193 form of a house, painted with saints on a red ground. 23. Mother of pearl scallop-shell such as pilgrims used. It is engraved in early 14*^ century style. Subject : the death of the Madonna." 24. An ancient cylindrical padlock. 25. Small triptych, early style of paint- ing, about A. D. 1400. In the centre panel are the Madonna and child Jesus, on the left Anna and Joachim, on the right St. Paul and St. Barbara, — the background is gold. 2G. Two small Egyptian idols. 27. Ancient model of a mummy. 28. Six Etruscan idols or Lares. Lares were generally hung up around the inner hearth of an Etruscan dwelHng and were supposed to be its guardians. 29. Nine small Etruscan bronze vases for domestic use, two little gold Etruscan circlets for ladies' ringlets, also several fragments of bronze utensils, which were found on Mr. Leader's estate at the Doccia, 194 RECEPTION ROOM. on the Fiesole hill, and are memorials of the Etruscan city which was the mother of Florence. On the second large shelf we find 30. A casket, dating from the 14*^' cen- tury ; it is of wood inlaid in Byzantine mosaic, and round the sides is a frieze of figures representing a marriage. 31. A beautifully shaped Etruscan vase (Prochous) in Chiusi ware, the bowl is adorned with a pattern in sgraffito (scratch- ed into the wet clay), the high neck is narrow at the base and widens out into a cup shape. The handle and rim have little raised projections. 32. Another Chiusi vase (Stamnos) in form of a melon, on a stand. It has two handles. 33. Two pairs of ancient scissors beau- tifully chased and ornamented. 34. Fine relief in ivory, Herodias with the head of St. John the Baptist. 35. Cinquecento ivory triptych; in the centre is a relief of the Resurrection, on RECEPTION ROOM. 195 the sides are the four Evangelists, two in each wing. 36. A little Etruscan drinking cup in black ware from Chiusi ; the form is that of the Cyatlius, a flat cup with a tall handle raised much above it. 37. An octagon formed of panels of carved ivory mounted on ebonj. In the centre a prophet and two biblical figures, all round them are Roman pagan subjects ; seemingly fragments of different caskets. 38. " Theseus and the Minotaur " in the very finest carved ivory, on an ebony base (a miniature gem of 15^'' century work). 30. Beautiful relief in ivory (14*^ century) of the Madonna and Child, with St. Ca- therine and three other saints, most grace- ful in figure and drapery. 40. Small triptych in ivory, set in a framework of pointed gables in wood inlaid with ivory. 41. Ivory relief, Madonna enthroned in clouds, with an angel worshipping her. 196 RECEPTION ROOM. 42. Charming ivory statuette of the Ma- donna and Child, 15*^^' century. 43. Ivory statuette of St. Sebastian ; the modelling is curiously heavy and expres- sionless. 44. Ancient casket of wood with metal plates, on which are some minute figures in stucco. Subject: a Eonian triumph. 45. A Greek triptych. In the centre, on a gold ground, is a richly painted Madonna and Child of Byzantine style but later work. The inner sides of the folding doors have figures of St. Francis and St. Je- rome; on the outside St. Bernardino of Siena, and a bishop. The legends are in ancient Greek. 46. Small brass clock dated 1512. It is in form of a square turret surmounted with pinnacles, the face and keydial at the back are beautifully worked in silver oxydized by time. 47. A quattrocento rosary formed of roses carved in ivory with silver mountings. RECEPTION ROOM. 197 At the end a quadruple head in fine work- manship representing the three persons of the Trinity, with the Madonna as the fourth. 48. Ivory powder-fiask, on whicli, in rich relief, are carved men with guns, a hare and a dog, mingled with thick scrolls and foliage. It has the Medici arms and crown, with another heraldic device, a bend and star in chief. 49. Two small Etruscan lamps in ter- racotta. One has a handle. 50. A perforated majolica bowl con- taining fragments of Etruscan and lioman objects in bone found in the Fiesole tombs. Here are hairpins, styli, whorls, portions of a " subulo " or d()iibl(> tlute, etc. 51. Large iron key, antique and solid. 52. Splendid ivory powder-flask or hunt- ing horn : 1 Vo feet long, richly carved in geometrical designs in Indian style. 53. Etruscan two-handled cup {caniharus) with figures painted in black, on a whitish ground. 198 RECEPTION ROOM. 54. Little Etruscan " aryballos " or oint- ment vase in Chiusi ware. 55. T wo pairs of ancient snuffers mount- ed on stands. 56. Walking stick witli tke head won- derfully carved into a representation of a Baron seated in an arm-chair, with the Guelpic arms on the base. It looks like amber, but is of the same wood as the stick. We now reach the lower shelf on which are 57. A large majolica vase with three handles and cover. It has three medallions with heads, on a blue ground; the body of the vase is painted with scrolls and foliage, in yellow, white, and blue. The coloring and metallic lustre would seem to mark it as a specimen of early Cafag- giolo manufacture. 58. Fragment of a Roman statue. A hand holding the " discus." 59. A shield and crown in bronze gilt. RECEPTION ROOM. 199 It appears to have been a bracket for holding a lainp attached to the wall. 60. One of the stone cannon balls which were fired against the tower of San Mi- niato, when Michael Angelo defended it, in the siege of Florence by the Prince of Orange in 1530. It was brought from San Miniato by Signor Liverati, a painter, and by him given to Seymour Kirkup Esq., the Englishman who discovered Giot- to's portrait of Dante in the Bargello. lie presented it to Mr. Leader on March 17*^' 1871. Gl. Head of Olympian Jove. Roman sculpture in marble. 62. Two Etruscan bronze specclii or mir- rors ; they are too much oxydized for tlie inscriptions, if tliere wore any, to l^e per- ceived. 63. An Etruscan bronze bowl, much broken. 64. Some armille and other fragments of Etruscan bronze objects. 200 EEGEPTION EOOM. 65. A most interesting jewel casket in Gothic style. It is carved with figures in relief in wood, the figures painted, the box gilded. The figures which form the frieze round the side of the box represent the ceremonies of conferring knighthood as they were performed in the middle ages. The new cavalier is seen entering the font as in baptism, next he is being armed, then he goes on his first emprise, and lastly comes home to kneel at his lady's feet. On the cover in carved Gothic letters are the words : lo sono chon- tento, da poclt amore wi a ptmto e vinto. And round the key hole : Non aprire se d' amore non Jiai sentire. 66. Three dome-shaped reliquary boxes covered with embossed leather minutely worked, with the sacred monogram I. H. S. on the covers. 67. A larger box similarly shaped with the Acciajuoli lion on the cover. 68. Long box in compartments for cray- RECEPTION ROOM. 201 ons and pencils, covered with the same fine work in leather. 69. Very rich and large casket, rococo style, in ebony, covered with raised foliage in ormolu, and fruit of all kinds cut in precious stones, such as lapislazuh, corne- lian, onyx, jasper, sardonyx, etc. 70. Profile head in mixed ivory and wax (the face being modelled in wax). Pos- sibly one of the Grand Dukes, as he wears a long wig, lace lappets and cufts, and the cross of the order of St. Stephen. 71. Here is a little geology, to vary the art and archaeology, — some fine crystals of white Arragonite (very liard carbonate of lime) from the Vincigliata hill, and 72. Some crystals of Barytes. 73. Three Etruscan glass lachrymatories beautifully oxydized. 74. An etui " in fine red leather. 75. A long shaped ancient casket cov- ered with gilded red leather, and bound with clamps of iron, which has been gilt. 202 RECEPTION ROOM. It bears the armorial device of a goat rampant. 76. A very small casket, silvered and with gilt clamps. 77. Curious old quadrant with four mag- nets in the flat dial. Near this cabinet stands 78. A grand wedding chest of wood, carved and gilt. The diaper pattern which covers the front and side panels has the Acciajuoli lion rampant in relief in each diamond. On the sides the Ac- ciajuoli and Alessandri arms are embla- zoned in color. 79. A massive " credenza " of carved black wood. The columns at the sides are twisted, they support a frieze of gro- tesque heads and scrolls across the top. The centre column is composed of several statuettes one over the other. On the upper shelf of this are 80. Four fruit dishes in perforated majo- lica with raised heads at the ends. RECEPTION ROOM. 203 81. Four similar dishes, but of a flatter form. 82. Salt cellar of majolica. Three syrens holding up a bowl. 83. On the second shelf are two fruit dishes on stands, with plates beneath them, similar to the ones above. 84. A flower vase, same style. 85. Two vegetable dishes in majolica painted with flowers ; in appearance they have a French style. 86. Two vases of Urbino ware, one of which has a snake-shaped handle. On the third shelf are 87. Half a dozen cups and saucers in red and white china, red cocks on a wliite ground. One of them has a maker's mark A. J. cut in the clay before glazing. 88. A milk jug, style of the French pottery of the 18"' century. 89. A two-handled glass bowl, engraved. 90. Two bottles, similar work, in pyram- idal form with screw stoppers. 204 RECEPTION ROOM. 91. Four smaller bottles with gilt rims. The fourth shelf contains 92. A beautiful two-handled mug of Wedgwood's " cameo " porcelain ; white figures on blue ground, a copy of the famous Portland Vase in the British Mu- seum. The subject is " Theseus and Ariadne, " the modelling of the figures and purity of design are exquisite. 93. Two old Murano vases with double handles. 94. Two fine old Venetian glasses, " light as air." 95. A blue glass goblet, anciently in the Salviati family, bought from their heir Ugo Ricasoli. 96. A two-handled bottle, old Murano. 97. A small two-handled bowl on a stand, in antique cut glass. 98. Six tallYenetiam goblets which came from Palazzo Pitti. The Medici balls are engraved on them. On the under shelf: RECEPTION ROOM. 205 99. A wine jug with metal cover of old Bohemian glass, moulded and en- graved. 100. Bottle with stopper, similar work. 101. A bowl. 102. A bowl in perforated majolica with a shield painted in the centre — embla- zoned with a cross, charged with nine crescents. 103. A plate of white majolica with painted arms; quarterings a lion, and a crescent. 104. Unique goblet in ancient glass, a foot high. It was found in fragments in some excavations at Vada in the Maremma district, Mr. Leader being present on the occasion. It is extremely interesting as one of the very few specimens of Etrusco- Greek engraved glass. The intagli, which are roughly cut, represent tlio Bcrotian Atalanta running the race witli llipi)0- menes, and in the rim are incised in Greek letters ATLANTE IIIIIOMEN^ The now 206 EECEPTION ROOM. decaying town of Yada was once the site of Yada Volaterrse, — an eminent Etruscan port connected with Yolterra. 105. Beautiful old Yenetian coppa in enamelled white glass with foot of yel- low colour. The bowl is ornamented with a rich scroll enamelled in various colours. The spiral glass border and base of the cup are gilt. 106. A white majolica dish with a flut- ed edge, and the Acciajuoli arms in the centre. 107. Plain white plate, emblazoned, — shield OTy a barry of six, azure. 108. Large crystal goblet without stand, it has a gilt edge and is engraved with a dragon, the arms of the Arnaldi, an ancient noble Yenetian family connected by marriage with the present possessor of the Castle. One of the Arnaldi family, which originally came from Yicenza, was beheaded by the tyrant Ezzelino. 109. Two plain glass bottles with handles. RECEPTION ROOM. 207 110. Two cut glass bottles with long necks and flattened bowls. 111. A bottle in fluted glass. 112. Eighteenth century cruet stand, cut glass and gilding. 113. On the other side of the cabinet is another of the Albizi family wedding chests, similar in style to number 78. The front panel is covered with fleurs-de- lys, carved in relief on the surface, and gilt. The Albizi arms are emblazoned on one side. 114. At the end of the room is a fine seclia, with raised dais, and high carved back. It came from the convent of Santa Maria Novella, and al)ove this thronelike seat is hung 115. A medallion portrait of Queen Vic- toria, in white marble, by tlie sculptor Dante Sodini. It is a memorial of the visit of her Majesty to Yincigliata during her stay in Florence in 1888. 116. Between the windows is another 208 RECEPTION ROOM. wedding cassone, or large chest, in gilded wood with painted panels, representing in very mediocre art the story of Lucretia — and " false Sextus " the artist not hav- ing confidence in his art has written over it, Eoma-Lucretia : a very interesting antique. Above this is 117. A mask of Brunellesco, cast from his featm^es after death. 118. A terracotta bust of Machiavelli. 119. The room contains also a bronze copy of the bust of Sir William Molesworth, formerly secretary of State for the Colo- nies. It is a copy from a small white marble bust in the possession of his friend Mr. Leader. We will pass now by another sculptured door with the Anjou arms on the archi- trave, and a figure of St. George in the lunette, into the 209 BED-CHAMBER, where we find Renaissance Art in a more domestic form. Here is 1. A very interesting antique wedding chest of wood, partly covered with leather and furnished with curious flat iron clamps fastened with ornamental nails. Size 1 me- tre 33 cent, long, 55 centimetres wide, and 50 deep. The sides are painted on leather, the figures being raised from the surface by some stucco preparation be- neath the colour. There are two rows of figures. On the right of the upper row are the arms of the bridegroom, a member of the Capponi family, with two portraits of him, precisely identical, one on each side of the shield. He is repre- sented as a cavalier on horseback, dressed in a long loose buff jerkin. He carries in his hand a formidable whi}) with four 210 BED-CHAMBER. thongs, a suggestion of cat-'o-nine-tails, which must have been sHghtly alarming to the expectant bride. Opposite this is a duplicate representation of the bride, one on each side of her family arms. She was named Larioni (a branch of the Bardi family), and is clad in a yellow zimarra, with long red sleeves lined with white, of the form worn in the 12*^ and 13*^ centu- ries; and is standing beneath a conven- tional tree with either daisies or sunflowers on it, one of which she has plucked, and is offering it to her spouse, who is here dressed in vernal green. The lower row of panels, and those at the ends repeat alternately these two subjects, but the cavalier is no longer shewn as carrying the terrible scourge, he now bears a fal- con on his wrist. The chest contains some inlaid caskets of certosina work, in ivory and walnut wood ; an ancient gilt Pax with a painting of the Madonna, on her lap reclines the BED-CHAMBER. 211 dead Christ supported beneath the arms by angels ; two gilded candlesticks, of solid form ; and eight ecclesiastical figures of carved and gilt wood — probably altar or- naments from some ancient church or pri- vate chapel. 2. A chest of drawers in carved wood; the side columns are caryatides supporting statues of nude male figures. Projecting heads, beautifully carved, form the handles, and on the lock are little genii surrounding a head. On this is placed 3. A flower vase with three tiers of spouts in majolica behind which hangs 4. A large mirror with carved ebony frame, cinquecento work. 5. A painting of the school of Filippo Lippi : the Kings of the East worshipping the infant Saviour ; the Madonna is one of the most graceful figures. On each side of this 6. Two very old tempera paintings which seem to have once formed part of some 212 BED-CHAMBER, mural decoration in the Villa del Salvia- tino, whence they were brought. They each represent an archway. In one are the armorial bearings of the Salviati fa- mily, and in the other the portrait of Salviati Due a di San Giuliano, a peculiarly dark face. I do not know if this be the Jacopo Salviati on whom his wife Veronica Cibo perpetrated such an awful revenge in the last night of the year 1638, when she caused the beautiful Catarina Canacci to be murdered by three brigands from Massa, and sent her head in a casket of linen to the Duke. It is a gruesome story and worthy of Boccaccio. 7. On the same wall is a portrait by Subterman. It represents one of the Man- nelli family, dating from the 17*^^ century. He is drawn with a lace collar and cuffs, and a full crimson robe, — the hair and beard are in the style of Vandyke. 8. Chest of drawers in the same style as n. 2. The corner columns are formed BED-CHAMBER. 213 of seated figures and Cupids, the handles are children riding dolphins, the locks are of worked brass. 9. A Madonna and Child in La Robbia style (modern), with the Leader Arms at the base. The frame is of fruit and flowers, and is a fine copy of ancient work by Signor Carmelo de Stefani of Florence. The room contains besides 10. Four gilded arm-chairs, covered with yellow satin, with a rich scroll pat- tern appUqiw in crimson velvet. The needle-work is of the IT^^'or 18*'' century, and with the chairs belonged to the family d'Elci of Siena. Before the window stands 11. A toilette table and mirror, finely carved in walnut wood by Frullini of Flo- rence. In tlie tympanum of the door leading to the dressing-room is 12. A relief of triangular form in marble representing St. John Baptist carrying a lamb. 13. By the side of the bed is a beau- 214 BED-CHAMBER. tiful Madonna and Child, a bas-relief in white marble by Bastianini; his last and unfinished work. The frame is richly carved in wood. 14. A priedieu, oi cinquecento style, carved in wood by FruUini, stands by the bed; and above it 15. An exquisite painting of the school of Francia ; a Madonna, with the holy In- fant at her breast, is seated with the young St. John dressed in skins, leaning on her knee, while St. Lawrence and St. Ste- phen in deacon's robes, stand on each side. The painting is extremely rich in colouring and finished like a miniature, the limbs of the children beautifully rounded. The antique " rococo " frame is carved and gilt. 16. The bedstead, carved in wood by FruUini, is a magnificent imitation of cin- quecento style. The Ricasoli arms are sculptured on the back and two stat- uettes of angels guard the foot. The " bal- dacchino " (tester), cornice, and claw^s are BED-CHAMBER. 215 all rich in carving. The coverlet is of the same antique needle-work as the chairs: a crimson velvet scroll on a yellow satin ground. 17. A cushion in red satin with raised needle-work in gold, and the Albizi arms in the centre. 18. Another carved jmeclieu by FralHni, and above it on the wall near the door by which we have entered hangs 19. An ivory carving in a frame: " Christ's entry into Jerusalem, " and 20. A holy water pila " in majolica. Subject: Madonna and angels. 21. In the corridor leading to the court, and in the lavatory which is parallel to it are several framed parchments, the genealogical trees of famous Tuscan fa- milies. Here is the combined genealogy of Count Ugo or 11 ugh, and his descend- ant the Countess Matilda of Canossa, the ruler of Tuscany in the 11^'' century. She was the successful opposer of the Emperor 216 BED-CHAMBER. Henry V wlio twice invaded Italy, the friend of Pope Gregory YII, and the builder of many churclies. She made a vow to build 1000 churches, and in reality founded several hundred, some of which are still left in the country and mountain villages. 22. Genealogical trees of the Albizi, two different branches. 23. Tree of the Albizi-Alessandri, the branch who were possessors of Yincigliata. 24. Tree of the Fioravanti of Pistoia. 25. Also one of the Capponi of Avignon. 26. Five carved chairs with high backs. From this passage we find ourselves again on the loggia having made the round of the Castle, but instead of re-entering the quadrangle we will descend the inner staircase, which leads to the rooms below. In a niche in the staircase is the stone statuette of a nun, and a beautiful iron lamp on a bracket covered with foliage in beaten iron. The first room we enter is 217 THE EEFECTOEY. A room, 37 feet in length, with vaulted roof and two large windows barred without, and shuttered within, in true fortress style ; they are glazed with the lead-bound circlets of medieval times, — not perhaps conducive to light, but withal very characteristic, and when in the afternoon hours the warm sunlight penetrates them, it sombrely illu- mines a very noble room. The walls and ceiling are frescoed in panelling with the armorial bearings of many of the historical Florentine families who have been con- nected with Yincigliata. On the wall by the entrance, the double red Eagle of the Guelpliic party spreads its wings victo- riously over the Ghibelline dragon ; with the following inscription: Purpnreceqnc aquiJcc vidricia signa snccrdos Donavit Clemens guclphis, riridcmque draconcm Quern rostro et pcdihus victrix cvisccret aces. 218 THE REFECTOEY. On the opposite wall are the Papal Cross-keys, and the golden lilies of Anjou, while the lunettes of the vaulting contain a whole heraldic history of Florence. A female figure supports the Peruzzi arms with the family motto Desuper datum est, which, however well it might have fitted them in the 14*^ century, before they were involved in the great Bardi failure, has since been slightly ironical. The arms of the Bardi themselves are very significant with their motto : Non seller zare con for so — se non vuoi esser morso (Do not play with the bear unless you wish to be bitten). There are the Nasi and Acciajuoli arms, with religious mottos, and the lion and tower of the Ricasoli with their expressive Cum honis bonus — Cum perversis perversus, which, if not exactly Christian, is very natural. The refectory is furnished in baronial style with a great table which fills the length of the room in the centre, and is THE REFECTORY. 219 supported on a series of massive tressels of carved and polished wood, with gro- tesque and heavy claws. On this are three branched candlesticks of medieval style, in beaten iron and gilding; they are all of different foliated designs, and are from the forge of that artistic metal-smith Contri of Settignano. The two great candelabra with hoops and garlands which hang from the ceiling are by the same artist, who is in his way quite a modern Nicolo Caparra. The room is furnished witli four great cinquecento arm-chairs in carved wood and red leather, such as were reserved for the use of the Lord and Lady of the Castle in ancient times, and two bhack oak chairs of trecento era with high carved backs, besides twenty-four cross-legged chairs, covered with buft* leather embossed in the back with the Leader arms. There are also two other tables of cinquecento style on scroll tressels, and the artistic adornments 220 THE EEFECTOEY. of the room are as follows. Over the door is placed 1. The head of a stag, the royal gift of King Victor Emmanuel, by whom it was shot at San Hossore. By the wall 2. A wedding chest of carved wood standing on claws. The corners are adorned with grotesque figures, the centre panel in front has the Alessandri arms, a two-headed lamb, and the two other panels have reliefs of sea monsters. 3. A beautifully illuminated parchment, in the fine style of the 15*^ century, en- titled in Latin " Seven laws of health (Septem leges sanitatis),'' all very good old maxims. 4. Bust of Ugo degli Alessandri (1400), a work in painted terracotta by Cartel. This was Ugo son of Bartolommeo degli Alessan- dri who enlarged the estate of Yincigliata by purchasing the Castel di Poggio, for- merly an enemy's stronghold. He was the father of that Alessandro on whom the Em- peror Frederick conferred the golden spurs. THE REFECTORY. 221 5. Similar bust of Gemma degli Ales- sandri, wife of Ugo. She is a fine florid- looking woman. 6. A bronze medallion in a carved " rococo " frame. Profile head of John Temple-Leader, the present possessor of Yincigliata, executed in 1838 by David d'Angers, a celebrated French sculptor, who was also an ardent republican, and represented Paris in the Assemblee Con- stituante of 1848. 7. A carved wood cassa or chest, da- ted 1500, once belonging to tlie Kicasoli family, whose arms, a lion, tower, and fleur-de-lys, are carved on the centre panel. The other two panels have grotesques and foliage, with a comic mask at each corner. 8. A large painting (5 yards, 12 inches in length) of the last Supper, by Santi di Tito, which we learn from the inscription was painted by him for the refectory of the monastery of Monte Domini, whence Mr. Leader purchased it. It is a picture 222 THE REFECTOEY. mellow in colouring, full of expression, and interesting from the arrangement of the figures, which differs from other " Cena- coli," in two of the disciples being placed on the outer side of the table, a distinction usually given to Judas alone. He is here only marked by the absence of the sacred nimbus which encircles all the other heads. 9. A Byzantine painting in form of a Gothic arch. It is on a gold background, and represents St. Nicholas of Myra (or Bari) in episcopal robes, with the three golden balls in his hand. These balls are emblematical of the purses he gave to a nobleman of Panthea, for his three desti- tute daughters. In the lunette above is St. Elizabeth of Hungary with her apron full of roses. 10. At the end of the room opposite the door stands a richly carved " credenza; " the columns at the corner are composed of three full-length statues, one over the other, with grotesque heads below. THE REFECTORY. 223 On the top of the credenza " are 11. Two kneeling angels, of the school of Delia Robbia, holding candlesticks. 12. Four cylindrical vases of yellow Faience. On the upper shelf: 13. A large ewer, in blue and yellow majolica, early Pesaro style (about 1400), covered with painted leaves, and with several heads projecting from the surface. 14. Two modern vases by Cantagalli. 15. Three antique metal salvers embossed. IG. Fine ewer shaped painted vase {vaso alia Eehecca) of Urbino majolica, cinquecento era. Subject: a bishop and two saints. On the second shelf: 17. Four ancient vases from the Phar- macy of the order of St. Stephen, bearing the cross of the order. 18. Interesting and curious group in majolica of the 16^^' century. A lady, dressed in Medici style, is wooing Apollo (a nude male figure seated beside her) 224 THE REFECTORY. and has taken away his lyre. Probably a compliment to some poetess of the pe- riod. It may have been Laura Amman- nati, wife of the Sculptor, who was Court poetess to Cosimo, First Grand Duke of Tuscany. 19. Cantagalli vase. Copy of one from the ancient Pharmacy at the Certosa near Florence. 20. Two plates, French, of the 18*^' cen- tury; flowers and red scrolls on white por- celain. 21. A fluted bowl. Pesaro, 15*^ century, — design in blue and yellow. 22. Antique Pharmacy vase for holding " scabious." 23. Group in antique white porcelain. Two young fauns holding the Guelphic arms, a double eagle. On the lower shelf: 24. Modern Cantagalli plate, with comic head painted on it. 25. Similar one, head of Garibaldi. THE REFECTORY. 225 26. Similar one, head of Dante. 27. Beautiful antique Faience plate, with a head of the Madonna and the inscrip- tion S. Maria ora pro nobis. 28. Very large circular dish, 2 feet in diameter, of green and gold Faience, or early Pesaro ware, coarse and curious. 29. Plate on which is painted the head of a girl with long yellow braids of hair crossed on her chest. 30. Two perforated dishes of white an- tique majolica, with the Alessandri arms painted in the centre. 31. Fluted bowl on a stand, blue and white majolica, with the armorial bearings of a Cardinal. 32. Dish of fruit imitated in majolica. 33. Antique ewer, a design in blue and white. 34. A German beer jug in brown ware with silver rim and cover. The ware is enameled in silvery colour witli scrolls and armorial bearings. 226 THE EEFECTOEY. 35. A plate of majolica with a glaze imitating antique marble; the ware of which it is composed is curiously light. 36. An arch-shaped Byzantine picture, similar to the St. Nicholas (n. 9), repre- senting the " Ecce Homo," with a Madonna enthroned above. 37. Ancient mirror with carved ebony frame touched with gilding. 38. Large chest slightly carved. 39. The room also contains a cassa which once belonged to the Medici family ; it is carved in walnut wood to represent basket work ; with the Medici arms in relief on the front. In the passage leading out of the re- fectory is 40. A head of a boy in marble, and 41. A brass lamp of Moorish form. We now enter the ante-room. 227 ANTE-EOOM. A square room vaulted with brick, the vaults painted with escutcheons ; it is furnished with a large cupboard and se- veral carved chairs with the Leader arms, and two tables on tressels in form of a lyre, style of 15*^ century. The room is full of interesting objects such as: 1. A very curious casket finely inlaid in coloured wood and ivory mosaic, in the style of the 16*'' century. It is furnished with many inner drawers and shelves, all covered with " intarsia," and inside the lid are sculptured the emblems of the crucifixion. It probably belonged to an abbess. 2. Large " Ali Baba ' jar (orcio) in coarse Faience with two handles ; the whole surface is covered with a design of vine-leaves in green. 3. On a table near the window stands 228 ANTE-ROOM. a large oval basin on claws^ with a beau- tiful Etruscan-shaped brass pitcher. 4. A curious round metal box with four inner compartments, on the covers of which are the respective letters N. P. G. R. On the outer cover of the box are enamelled the arms of the city of Pistoia, with the inscription Doganieri beneath them. It was probably the money box used by the custom-house officers at the city gates in a past century. 5. Ancient horn lantern; the top has a shield with the Salviati arms. 6. On the wall is a 14*^ century painting of St. Paul with his sword and book, and 7 . A similar one representing St. Chris- tine with the arrows in her neck. Over the window are 8. Two embossed brass plates. 9. By the door leading into the kitchen stands a magnificent escritoir in carved walnut wood. The corner columns have full-length figures of warriors, placed above ANTE-ROOM. 229 grotesque caryatides. The panels are adorned with heads of Medusa in relief. On this are 10. Five old lanterns of the 15*^ century, in iron work with fluted moveable tops, and 11. Another lantern of the date A. D. 1400, ornamented with little raised disks bearing the emblematical dolphins of the Pandolfini family. 12. In the corner is a fine majolica oil jar with the Medici arms painted in front. 13. A clock, date 1600. The works are beautifully made in chased brass, set in a tall wooden case. 14. On the wall is a Madonna and Child with two saints of the Byzantine school of about A. I). 1200, and on the table beneath it 15. A fine oval brass basin with the Medici arms. 16. An Etruscan-shaped brass pitcher with a dragon for spout ; both these last objects came from the Palazzo Pitti. 230 THE KITCHEN. From the ceiling hangs 17. An hexagon lantern in blue and white glass framed in polished iron work. Copy of antique. THE KITCHEN is large and vaulted with brick. The fireplace, which is copied from the one in the Castle of the Strozza-Volpe, is raised, and has recessed chimney-corners on each side. It is built of brick and stone; the front of it is of castellated form, with a brick turret on each side; the central arch is supported on two sculptured heads, and the Leader arms are carved in front. The large iron dogs and accessories are quite in medieval style. If the fireplace is like a castle, the sink is suggestive of a Gothic church; the back of the immense stone trough being a recess, in the form THE KITCHEN. 231 of a Gothic arch, picked out with sculp- tured grey stone. The kitchen is furnished with dark wooden shelves running round the walls on all sides, and richly filled with antique majolica plates and dishes, besides many interesting works in metal. We can count forty-two plates in quaint old Montelupo ware. On consulting the work on majo- lica by Drury Fortnum F. S. A. we learn that the pottery of Montelupo — a little town near Empoli — is distinguished (or we should rather say notorious) for having produced the ugliest and most inferior painted pieces that bear the signature of their maker, and the place where they were made." Tlie kitchen plates at Vin- cigliata i)erfectly answer to this, and their signature proves their identity. Yet though the men in armour and horse- men etc. on them are not fine works of art, they are with their yellow background very effective on the dark shelves, and 232 THE KITCHEN. emphasize the chronology of the room very perfectly. Besides these characteristic plates we have 1. An ancient brass well-bucket (seccJiia), with lions' claws for feet, and a finely wrought handle, trefoil shape. 2. Two blue and white pharmacy vases are on the shelf near the window, and beneath them 3. A curious old pepper-mill, of the 13*^' century, formed of one circular fluted stone turning within another. On the sides are grotesque heads ; hanging near is 4. An iron hand-lamp in shape of a flat iron, with a handle at the wide end. 5. Iron hook for hanging meat, in form of two circles with hooks depending from them. On the upper shelf between the windows are 6. Seven antique drug vases of different shapes, and in the centre of the wall 7. A splendid plate of Castel Durante THE KITCHEN. 233 ware, probably dating from about 1525, when the famous manufactury was at its best period. The subject is a Crucifixion, with two angels above. The rim is floriated. Above the second window is 8. An embossed brass plate, and hang- ing on the wall near 9. A large copper warming pan; on the cover is a perforated design of leaves encircling a grotesque head. 10. A German warming pan with a quaint inscription punched on it, giving instructions how to use it, and a warning not to burn the hands in the effort. The old German legend runs thus : " Das ist ein wermpfan genant werspravchen wil der nims in die rechte hant und tve nur wager hin und her far unso wert das pet- schan werden warm aber ir mistspravchen mit verstant damit ir evch nicht prent in die hant. Anno 1734.' The late la- mented Emperor Frederick of Prussia was so amused with this that he copied the 234 THE KITCHEN. inscription with his own hand, when he visited Vinci gliata in 1875. 11. Four vases are on the shelf above this, and in the corner hangs 12. A finely wrought copper secchia " beneath which is 13. A bronze mortar, embossed with lions' heads and foliage. The handles are in the form of dolphins; on the side are the arms of the Orsini — three bears ; — it was brought from the Palazzo Pitti. 14. Pair of bellows in carved wood, Ve- netian style. Subject : a warrior in the centre, and satyrs and nymphs around. The nozzle is of wrought bronze, ending in a dog's head. 15. Ancient chopping table on four legs, with the old knives stuck into a cleft at one end of it. Above this 16. A brass ewer of graceful shape. 17. A bowl, of blue and white ware. 18. Another bowl of majolica, with flowers painted on it. THE KITCHEN. 235 19. A fine circular majolica dish, moulded and painted. 20. Three small jars. On the pillar above the fireplace are 21. Two large two-handled vases; one of them has a spout. In the front of the fireplace: 22. A large ancient lamp in iron and horn, which was used in processions. It was copied in 1889 for H. R. H. Charles Alexander Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar. 23. A spit of the ancient model, with all its appurtenances, is placed outside the left wall of the hearth, which the bar passes through. It was an ancient posses- sion of the Salviati family in jNIugello, and was bought from their heir Ugo Ricasoli. On the shelves over the washing trough are the following ol)jects: On the upper shelf: 24. A fine painted majolica drug vase, of Urbino ware, with dragon handles. Sub- ject : St. John Baptist in the wilderness. 236 THE KITCHEN. 25. Another pharmacy vase, with the Durante arms in front, — a pale and three hogs of the field. The spout is formed of a head, and the inscription on it is Syro di Lupoli (Syrup of Hops). 26. A Raphaelesque plate, with fluted edge, and a cherub in the centre. 27. A plate, — mythological subject. Lion chasing some nymphs round a fountain. On the middle shelf: 28. Brass urn with spout and three legs. 29. A white marble mortar, square out- side, carved in relief ; on three sides are acanthus leaves, on the fourth a castle. On the under shelf: 30. Ancient iron box with two iron com- partments, for coffee or tea. 31. Two bronze mortars, ornamented with lions' heads in relief. In the corner hangs 32. A curious ancient conglomeration of iron hooks with which to grapple a bucket when it had fallen into a well. THE BREAKFAST ROOM. 237 33. A large majolica plate with the Sal- viati arms. 34. Three drug vases of divers shapes, and 35. A bread bin, such as was used in the Romagna. THE BEEAKFAST EOOM. Is a square apartment next to the kitch- en. The arms emblazoned on the arched roof are those of the Alessandri, Usimbardi and Leader. It is furnished in cinquecento style, with an octagonal table finely carved in wood, two consoles and several chairs with sloping backs, covered with buff leather, on which the Leader arms are embossed. There are several interesting objects here. On the left of the door near the window is 1. An ecclesiastical chair in carved walnut, and over it 238 THE BREAKFAST ROOM. 2. A mirror framed in carved ebony, — style of A. D. 1600. 3. On the console, a curious Roman sculpture — a double head in white mar- ble: Pomona on one side, and Bacchus on the other. 4. An ancient strong box, in red leather and iron, the handle is in the form of two dogs face to face. 5. Table-linen press, of the 15*^ century; it is a screw press the frame of which has Corinthian columns at the corners. The base is covered with reliefs representing rural scenes, with lions' heads at the cor- ners. On the cross-bar that supports the screws is a frieze of male and female heads. 6. Two carved chairs with leather seats, — date 14*^ century. 7. Two similar chairs with gilded leather, — style rather later. 8. Sideboard carved with caryatides and grotesque heads. On it are THE BREAKFAST ROOM. 239 9. Five vases for flowers, one of which is antique, and the others copies ; they are of blue and white majolica with many spouts. In the corner of the room is 10. A large oil jar painted with the Medici arms, which formerly belonged to that family. 11. A chest of drawers, 17*^' century style, in finely carved wood, with brass mountings. On it stands 12. A very beautiful statuette, the work of Luca Delia Robbia, representing liim- self in the costume of a peasant. Tlie pose is simple and graceful, and the modeling pure enough to suggest Luca's own hand. The face is certainly the same type which we see in the portraits of the Robbia family painted hj Andrea Del Sarto in the cloister of the SS. An- nunziata, and is precisely the same face as the head of Luca sculptured by him- self on the door of the Sacristy of the Duomo. 240 THE BEEAKFAST ROOM. 13 Ancient 2 "braccia" measure (1 yard, 10 inches), dated 1779. 14. Antique seal, in the form of a vice, strongly made in iron. The impression is the arms of the Alessandri of Vinci- gliata. 15. An ancient lantern, the iron work covered with raised figures of flies and shells. 16. Another lantern, taller than this last, ornamented with female heads, and the Florentine gigli; this once belonged to the Bargello, and may have illuminated the footsteps of many a stern Podesta on his way to and from the Hall of Judg- ment. 17. On the wall above the table is a roundel with the device of a Cock and a Cross — the united arms of the Bigallo and Misericordia. It must have formed part of the decoration of the Loggia del Bigallo, in Florence, between the years 1425 and 1475, while the union of the THE BREAKFAST ROOM. 241 two charitable companies was enforced by the Signoria; an union which did not last long, as the objects of the companies were different, the Bigallo having hospices for Pilgrims, the Misericordia succour- ing the sick and dying. It was not till Cosimo the First's time that the Bigallo became exclusively a foundling hospital. 18. A clock in a tall case which strikes 24 hours in the day, according to the old Italian reckoning. The face is beautifully worked in brass with the night hours inlaid in darker metal. Date 15^'' cen- tury. In the corner is 19. A large bronze mortar. The outside is adorned with the relief of a man spear- ing a bear, and the armorial bearing of a dog rampant ; the handles are formed of women's heads and the rim has an inscription in raised Gothic letters : Pietro DOISEMENT, FrANCESE A PeRUGIA MI FECE. AnNO DoM. MDCXXII, E R D R S Angioli. 20. On an 18*'' century writing table 242 THE BEEAKFAST ROOM. are two bronze models of mortars for bombs. 21. Model of a long thin cannon of the 17*^' century. On the wall between the two doors: 22. A relief in marble of a Madonna and Child, a good copy of the school of Mino da Fiesole, in a stone niche. 23. A Byzantine painting of a bishop with his crozier. 24. The Bardi arm in a roundel, with the three Leopards of England added to them which were granted to the Bardi by Edward III ; a very small consolation for the money lent (and lost) to that fa- mous warrior and impecunious King. This completes the round of apartments on this floor, so we will again return to the quad- rangle which is the starting point for everywhere. 243 GALLERY. Ascending the lion-guarded open stair- case, we reach the private apartments of Mr. Leader, which give on the balcony formed by the lower of the two Lombard galleries round the keep. On the third side of the quadrangle over the loggia, this becomes a wide terrace with two windows in the outer wall, from which is obtained a glorious view of the rock- bound liill of Monte Ceceri, and of the Val d'Arno Fiorentino in all its richness and glory, with its villa-studded green slopes, its olive plantations and vineyards, and the blue mountains which bound it. On the first side of the gallery are the two Ve- netian mosaics and the rare Madonna of the Pisani school which have been de- scribed on pages 153-154. On the second side is the front of the marble sepulchre of Pietro Strozzi. The / 244 GALLERY. inscription in the centre with the Strozzi and Pitti arms on either side is inlaid in marble mosaic. The former is as follows : D. 0. M. PETRVS STEOZZA CAROLI F. SENATOR FLORENTINVS SEPVL CHRVM HOC SIBI POSTE RISQ. DECREVIT FILII PIENTISS. POS. ANNO SAL. MDCVIL On the end of the terrace are the Pic- colomini arms in marble, a cross charged with six crescents. And over the southern window the Leader arms in majolica. The private apartments of the owner are similar in plan to those on the other floors. In the first room is a fine bust in terracotta, of the Countess Matilda of Tuscany. She wears a little embroidered cap, of a smaller form than that which Petrarch's Laura is represented as wear- ing, and also a fillet, placed low round the forehead binding her hair; on her THE STUDY. 245 breast is a kind of shield with the device of a cross. The second room has a large chimney- piece in stone, on which are sculptured amid ornate foliage the arms of the Pe- ruzzi family who once possessed it, — a lion rampant bearing a pear. It came from an old palace in Via della Vigna Vecchia, Florence. The back of the hearth is formed of a curious old relief in iron representing Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. In the lobby leading to the study is a beautiful stained glass window by Matteis. Subject: St. George; over the door is a lion rampant, and a Venetian glass chan- delier hangs from the ceiling. THE STUDY forms quite a little museum of medieval objects. The window has ancient circular panes of glass; and here, in a' great arm- 246 THE STUDY. chair of gilded red leather, one might sit looking down on Florence, lying in its valley far beneath, its domes and towers touched with sunshine, its sheltering hills clad in blue mist, and feel that one is transferred to the centuries that have gone by. The peasants ploughing with their white oxen beneath the faint shadows of the olives might be the selfsame figures which Giotto saw ; the soldiers whose arms flash in the light as they march up the hill, might be the troops of John Hawkwood or Baglioni. Even within the room there is nothing to bring us back to the pres- ent. We see 1. Four arm-chairs with gilded leather backs, which came from Galileo's house. 2. A beautiful fireplace sculptured in stone, with foliage and armorial bearings ; such a chimney-piece as Benedetto di Ma- iano made for the bride of Borghini, in the 15*^' century. It is lined with dark wood and on its shelf are THE STUDY. 247 3. Several grotesques carved from gnarled knots of wood, turning the eccentricities of nature into eccentricities of art with great ingenuity. If one looks closer however, the present century is hinted at in 4. A fragment of wood which was part of a beam of York Cathedral, and inserted in it are a crucifix and medal made from the metal of one of its bells, which was melted at the time of the fire there in 1840. Beside the fireplace hangs 5. A rusty old coat of mail which again breaks the illusion by reminding us how long ago was the time when the knight of Vincigliata went out to fight. It must have been some centuries even since his descendants could have used the 6. Two antique flint-lock pistols, which hang near. They are beautifully chased and adorned with little medallion heads in relief. On the barrel of one is inscribed Lorenzo Comminaso, and on the other Giov. Antonio. 248 THE STUDY. In the corner stands 7. A fine cassone in intarsia, one of the kind which was made for Matthias Cor- vinus King of Hungary by Benedetto da Maiano, before he began to work in stone, and which got spoilt in a disastrous voyage. It is Hned with red velvet and gold bro- cade, and contains some musical treasures, such as 8. An antique zithern, with the sounding- board painted in wreaths of flowers, and a 9. Mandolin, beautifully inlaid with mo- ther of pearl, signed Vincentius Vinaccio fecit, Neapoli, sito nella Calata dello Speda- daletto A. B. 1780. On the cassone stands 10. A very large cabinet carved in dark wood, with columns, grotesques, etc. In it are a collection of ancient books, and rare bindings. There are besides in this case 11. Several old books and some Persian book-covers. 12. An Indian dagger whose hilt is THE STUDY. 249 inlaid with gold. In this handle is a penknife and enclosed again in the handle of the knife a small steel point which was poisoned, and kept for the Rajah's false friends and secret enemies. This be- longed to Mahahwassey, Rajah of Coorg. There is also an Indian weapon of another sort : 13. A skull-cracker carved in wood nearly as hard as iron. 14. Louis XV's purse, embroidered with the arms of both King and Queen ; it was in this that Louis XV kept his louis d'or when he played cards with his courtiers in the evening. It was given to Mr. Lea- der by the Countess Passerini wlio had received it from a French lady, an nnigne. 15. A large carved ar moire whose col- umns are composed of figures and masks ; the panel beneath has a splendid scroll and the armorial device, a lily and a bar. It contains a great many interesting ob- jects, among them we find 250 THE STUDY. On the upper shelf: 16. A pair of very ancient slippers em- broidered in green and gold, together with an old fan, which were given to Mr. Leader by the late Marchesa Riccardi- Strozzi, they having been in the Riccardi- Strozzi family for generations. 17. Statuette of St. Francis in dark stone. 18 and 19. Two angels in very old glazed majolica, seemingly fragments of cande- labra. 20. Another fragment representing Saint Christopher. 21. An etui of the last century, in light blue and silvered metal, given to Mr. Lea- der by the late Robert Liddel at Christ Church coll. Oxford, A. D. 1828. 22. A similar etui in gilt metal in the style of the end of the 18*^ century. On the second shelf: 23. A metal plate with the likeness of the unhappy Isabella Orsini embossed on it. 24. Several antique silver knives, forks. THE STUDY. 251 and spoons, with gilded handles richly repousses. 25. A pistol case and powder bag, in embossed leather. 26. A circular casket in the same style of work. 27. An ancient hour-glass. 28. A metal plate with a relief repre- senting a sacrifice to an idol. 29. A glass plate with the Pucci arms painted on it. 30. An antique bronze inkstand; on the dome shaped cover is a kneeling genius holding a torch. It is an inkstand that suggests " inspiration." 31. An old bell with the Medici arms. On the tliird shelf: 32. A very curious old tankard, carved, — cover and hinge and all, from a single piece of beech-wood. It is the work of a Norwegian peasant, and has twelve archaic coloured figures of the Apostles round it, with a Gothic inscription, and the date 1359. 252 THE STUDY. It is a very interesting specimen of medie- val Scandinavian art, and was bought by Mr. Leader from a peasant in the valley under Gausta Field and the Riuchan Foss (waterfall), in Norway, A. D. 1829. 33. Two gauntlets in steel and bufP. 34. An Etruscan idol. 35. A Roman bronze Hercules. 36. Two Chinese figures. 37. A square plaque of majolica, with portrait of Pope Pius Y. 38. Six ancient knives; the handles are carved figures in ivory. 39. A glass lachrymatory. 40. A fragment of a bronze ring with a scarab in onyx, very much carbonized by the action of fire; found at Aquileia by Mr. Leader on August 30^^ 1879. The lower shelf contains 41. A Venetian brass Gondola lantern, with glass sides. 42. An Egyptian idol. 43. The terrestrial and celestial globes, THE STUDY. 253 in brass, engraved, — very interesting scientific instruments of the century, which are said to have belonged to Robert Dudley Duke of Northumberland A. D. 1621. 44. A gilt-headed bamboo walking cane, which was used by the great uncle of the present owner of Vincigliata. 45. An old dagger finely chased. 46. A brass candelabrum, a page holding a branch. 47. Some battledores in crimson velvet and gold, which belonged to Palazzo Pitti, and with which the ladies of the Court of the Grand Duke Ferdinand III played; the cypher F. Ill is still legible on them. At the side of the armoire stands an ebony cabinet of six drawers, ornamented in rococo style with gold leaves and sprays riveted on, and with fruit of pletre dure. The table which is of carved black wood has on it 48. Two brass candlesticks with gro- tesque figures for claws, and 254 THE STUDY. 49. A statuette in majolica of the Ma- donna of Loreto. Beneath her is written Virgo Lauretana, Opening out from the library is a lav- atory, which contains 50. An ancient marble pila or font, an octagon shaped basin on a column, with an inscription in Gothic letters, and in the entrance which opens on the wide terrace, a Madonna in marble. We now ascend the second flight of stairs in the court to the upper outer gallery, which leads us to another floor of similar plan to the former ones. The rooms are not regularly furnished, but they have a good many treasures in them notwithstanding. Here is a whole col- lection of wedding chests or cassoni, that might have contained the trousseaux of half the 16*^ century brides of Florence. Most of them are inlaid in coloured wood, in Eaphaelesque scrolls; some more ancient ones are carved. One has the name and THE STUDY. 255 armorial bearings of Maria Jacometti Ce- roni, another has the tower of the Tor- rigiani on its shield, and others have various devices. There is a portrait of Lotsius Princeps Card. Estensis and two Madonnas, one in terracotta, the other in marble, in the style of the 14*^ century, besides a paint- ing of a Madonna and Child in a curious half oriental style of dress, such as Jacopo BelUni might have painted when he came back from the East. Also some Byzantine Madonnas with their gold backgrounds and stiff figures. Here is a curious iron arrangement of winch, cogs, and wheels with cannon l)alls hanging about it, that is very suggestive of the age of besieged castles. It is however only a turn-spit. There is now nothing to explore above us but the tower, the narrow spiral of which we begin to ascend. Even here we find works of art. A majolica iilaque 256 THE STUDY. painted in " Gubbio " style, representing tlie miracle of San Gallicano, meets our eyes at one turn ; and at another the arms of Santa Maria Maggiore, and a sculp- tured saint, which formerly held the alms box of a hospital. The first chamber in the tower has on its walls the Leader arms, and an inscrip- tion commemorating the restoration of the Castle by Mr. Leader, in A. D. 1862. The chamber above this is dedicated to the Albizi-Alessandri, and under their arms are Yerino's verses Albitios fama est Arrheti ex urhe profectos Stemmate diviso genus Allexandria proles Traxit, et ex uno profluxit uterque parente: Utraque nobilitas clara est helloqiie togaque. This room contains an interesting bell, with the inscription in Gothic letters Franciscus Pucci Florentinus me fecit a. D. MCCCLII — XPS VINCIT, XPS REGNAT, XPS IMPERAT. The highest room has a window from THE STUDY. 257 which is apj)ended the iron cage in which prisoners were kept. An awful punish- ment, when the Italian sun beat on their heads, or the icy mountain blasts blew cold on winter nights. The cage is copied from the one at Piacenza. The last spiral staircase is a hanging one, of solid stone, suspended from the roof by iron clamps forming the key-stone of the vault. Ascending this we reach the summit of the tower, and see all Val d'Arno spread beneath us; and Florence looks like a crystallization of buildings, the thousands of villas and villages seeming like atoms being attracted towards it, in the basin formed by the many blue hills, which make beautiful undulations on the horizon. Looking over the battlements we trace the ramparts, turrets, and roofs of the Castle, down to the shadowed arches of the cloister, eight stories below us ; and realize not only what a great architectural work has been achieved in the restoration 258 THE GEOUND FLOOR. by Mr. Leader, but also what grand old fortress builders were the men in the me- dieval times who could plan such a mass of masonry, beautiful in all its parts, and as strong as it is beautiful. At once a dwelling place, a weapon of war, and a shrine of art. THE GEOUND FLOOE. "We have now seen all the rooms in the two principal floors, and will descend to the lower apartments, which are at pres- ent occupied by the custode. A flight of steps leads us down to a square ante- chamber, very dark, and with a high barred window, and vaulted roof. Here are 1. Four carved high-backed chairs. 2. A very interesting trecento painting, on gold ground, representing the " Ma- donna enthroned ; " on one side of her THE GROUND FLOOR. 259 stand St. Stephen and St. Dominic, on the other St. George and St. John Evan- gelist. It was evidently a votive picture ; for the donor, in the form of a diminu- tive figure in black, is kneeling before the Madonna. 3. In the wall opposite the window is a fragment of marble with a shield bearing the device : three pyramids in chief, and the giglio of Florence in base, and, above it, a part of a Gothic inscription, in which the word Arnolfi is plainly legible. It is probably a sepulchral memorial of the family of " Arnolfo di Cambio," builder of the Duomo. A long passage leads us to the underground cellars at one end, and at the other to some fine vaulted rooms occupied by the ciistode. A corner of the wall of this passage is formed by a stone from the ancient Castle, with the Alessandri arms on it. The passage conducts us also to tlu^ lower entrance of the Castle, a low pitched and frescoed 260 THE CLOISTER. archway, forming a porch to the entrance hall, in which is a fine lavatory in the 14*^ century style carved in stone ; which together with the magnificent chimney- piece in the kitchen of the custode, was a remnant of the old Castle. Through the quaint porch of which I speak we enter THE CLOISTEE, which in its way is nearly as charming as the quadrangle. It is a portico running round a square piece of green grass like a small Campo Santo of Pisa ; and in true old Florentine style, the wall of every arch is enriched by frescoes. The arches are of the round Lombard form, and are supported on sixteen octa- gonal columns whose base is a low wall running round the square. The capitals, as Lombard capitals should do, show every variety of sculptured ornamentation. One THE CLOISTER. 261 has the evangelists' symbols, one four lions with the Leader arms, another four eagles with the Usimbardi arms. Above these are grotesque gargoyles. In fact the form and meaning of quat- trocento art is perfectly reproduced by the clever chisel of the former custode, the late David Giustini. Shall we examine the frescoes or the archseological specimens first ? — We will take the paintings on the walls, for they give the groundwork of the history of the Castle. They are the work of th(^ lat(; Cav. Gaetano Bianchi, who was one of the best imitators of ancient art in Florence.' These have none of the crudeness and harshness of modern fresco, but are as mellow as if they had been done for ages, and as simple in outline, and naive in ' Cav. Bianchi was the able restorer of the Giotto frescoes in Santa Croce and the Bargello ; he also fres- coed some rooms in the State Archives at Pisa, the Municipal Palace of Udine, the Villa Demidoff at Flo- rence, etc. 262 THE CLOISTER. design as though Giotto himself had drawn them. On the wall to the left of the porch, we see Messer Ugolino di Aldobrandino de' Visdomini, Lord of Yincigliata, before marching with the Florentine army against the Sienese in 1257. He is represented as invoking the aid of the Virgin on the emprise. Messer Ugolino is fully armed, excepting the helmet and shield with the Visdomini device, which lie on the ground beside him. He kneels before the Ma- donna, who is enthroned beneath a Gothic canopy, the steps of which are covered with a rich carpet. The drawing of the Madonna, and the Holy Babe holding a bird in his hand is very true and graceful. To follow the frescoes in chronological order we must now cross over to the oppo- site side of the cloister and begin with the vicissitudes of Vincigliata. In the year 1363, that terrible Englishman Sir John Hawk- wood, who had lately been hired to fight THE CLOISTER, 203 for the Pisans, drew near Florence with his White Company and the Pisans. Of course this meant war with Florence, and on October 3'"'* 1363, Hawkwood surprised the Florentine camp, and obliged the army to fly for refuge to the city. The walls were strong and well-defended, so that the White Company could only skirmish in the vicinity, but they revenged them- selves by ruining the country as much as possible. The Brunelleschi family held Pe- traia against them so well that they re- treated to harass the forts on the Fiesole and Montughi hills; and it was supposed to be in the April of the next year that Hawkwood took the Castle of Vincigliata and partly destroyed it. The fresco re- presents this episode in two scenes ; the legend beneath the first reads: John Hawk- wood with his English Company and the Pi- sans march to attack the Florentines^ and the second fresco represents the Company de- parting from Vincigliata with their spoils 264 THE CLOISTER. in May 1364. The men are carrying away sheep and cattle, prisoners and treasure, down the steep bare rocks on which the Castle stands. And yet this terrible enemy of Florence was destined in a few years from that time to become its valiant champion, and on the whole a faithful one, and to be honoured by a public funeral and by a monument in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The fourth scene represents the resto- ration of the Castle by Alessandro and Bartolommeo Alessandri degli Albizi, some years after its damage by Hawkwood; while the third commemorates their change of name and arms. It was in 1372 that these same Albizi brothers, not agreeing with the family politics, cast off their party the grandi, and became popolani, calling them- selves Alessandri, and taking as their ensign the two-headed lamb, instead of the circlets of the Albizi which are here being trodden under foot. THE CLOISTER. 265 The wall at the lower end of the cloister is occupied by a large fresco representing the marriage of Bartolommeo Alessandri to Agnoletta di Bettino Ricasoli in 1381, — the first bride who was brought to the Castle after its restoration. In this fresco the costumes are very interesting, being perfectly authentic for the time. The bride is clad in a zimarra of royal purple, embroidered with pearls, and a head-dress of gold cloth with pearls, from beneath which falls the short veil of silk gauze which marked a new-made bride. Her attendant wears the high turban which was affected by the fashionables about that time, and which came from the East, together with the fashion of gold embroi- deries and other extravagancies. The 19"' century artist has followed the example of his 15^*" century brethren, and put himself into the fresco ; — he is the spectator with dark complexion and grey moustache wrapped in a lucco. " Be- 266 THE CLOISTER. tween the frescoes are the armorial bear- ings of all the line of the Lords of Vin- cigliata from the curious device of the Usimbardi — a monk holding an hour- glass — to the scallop-shells and lions' heads of the Leaders. Over the door is a beautiful lunette by Luca Delia Robbia, a " Resurrection " (figu- res in white on a blue ground). The Christ is rising from the tomb, only half the figure being visible ; — this conventional repre- sentation of the mystery of the resurrection is especially frequent in the early Floren- tine masters of the 14*^ and 15*^' centuries. The two Maries kneel by the tomb. Their figures, as well as the draping of their mantles, are extremely graceful. This beau- tiful lunette was originally in the " Ritiro Capponi " in Via San Gallo. Sixteen Roman amphorae from Aquileia are placed round the low parapet of the cloister, and in the centre of the grass plot stands a large sarcophagus in marble THE CLOISTER. 207 which is almost unique in interest, having served in different ages as the tomb of both a Pagan and a Christian. It is of the oblong Roman form, and is supported by two lions couched on a base. On the Pagan side the sculptures are slightly injured by time, as they count half a score more centuries than the other. There are figures of tritons and other sea deities and the following inscription: D. M. CASCELLA APOL LONIA C FECIT C MAESTRI EVDOXOM ET ITLIE DVLCISSIME LVCILLE VTRASQVE B ENEMERENTIBVS. (To the Gods' Manes ! Apollonia Ca- scella erected this monument to Eudoxius Maestrio, and liis most gentle daughter Lucilla, both most wortliy.) It appears that in the 14^'' century a certain Da Caprona of Pisa chose this sar- 268 THE CLOISTER. copliagus for his own tomb, hallowing it to its new office by adding a front of Christian sculptures. Here in the centre of a row of Gothic arches is the same conventional resurrection as in La Rob- bia's lunette, but of a much ruder period of art. On the right are the Madonna, St. Paul, and Mary Magdalen ; on the left St. John the Evangelist, the angel of Peace, and a saint who might be either St.Pia- niero or Nicodemus, both of whom were especially venerated in Pisa in the middle ages. Two Pisan crosses are sculptured at the ends, and beneath the sarcophagus is the device (eagle and castle) of the Domini di Caprona," a noble family which has now been extinct in Pisa for ages. The centre of the cloister is occupied by the Vera of a well, of sculptured " pie- tra d'Istria," of a mellow yellow tint. It bears four shields with the arms of the old Venetian family Donado — commonly THE CLOISTER. 269 called Dona delle Rose — a family whose ranks boast of three Doges. The embla- zonments which probably gave their sur- name to the Donadi are three roses and two bars. The shields are connected by garlands of flowers. The Venetian families of importance expended a great deal of art on the decoration of the Vera or rim of the well, which was usually situated in the Cortile of the i^alace. The finest spe- cimens extant are the richly decorated bronze Vere of the wells in the Cortile of the palace of the Doges. A magnificent work on the Venetian Fere has lately been published by Ongania of Venice. It is a quarto volume richly illustrated. Near the Vera is the white marble basin of a Koman fountain which has a s})ecial interest, as it came from the Orti Oricellari where it formed part of the adornment of the garden in the time of Bernardo llu- cellai. As we have said in the story of the Orti Oricellari (pages 16 and 17), most of the 270 THE CLOISTER. decorations of the garden at that epoch were Roman and Greek antiquities, which were discovered in the excavations at Rome mider Raphael and San Gallo, and were eagerly purchased by Florentine collectors, such as the Gaddi, Rucellai and Medici families. Both this basin and the grand old porphyry mask of a fawn which has for centuries poured water into it are unmistakably Roman work. The basin is of oval form — about three feet and a half in height and seven or eight in length. The sides are carved in wavy lines to suggest water, at each end is sculptured a youth leading a lion, his arms being entwined round the neck of the beast. The porphyry mask which was placed above, and which completed the fountain in Rucellai's time, is now placed in a recess in the cloister a little away from the basin. It is a strange impassive face, of immense proportions (55 centimetres high) and has the large ears of a fawn. It THE CLOISTEE. 271 shews decided signs of ancient art, and is probably Roman. The other precious re- lics which Mr. Leader has rescued from the destruction of the classic garden are the bust of Plato which has been described (pages 151-153), the bust of Machiavelli, the Medici arms in white marble, and the two columns, one with the lion and cub, and the other a simple Florentine Mar- zocco. APPENDIX. THE GEODETIC SOCIETY AT VINCIGLIATA. Florence, keeping up her old repute as the modern Athens, is a great centre for the meeting of Congresses. Be they scien- tific, historical, medical or commercial, every Congress includes an excursion to Vincigliata in its programme. But few of these learned societies make such a complete fete of the trip as did the Geo- detic Association on the 11*^ October 1891, when the Municipality of Florence and the owner of the Castle invited the members to a lunch there. Having on the 10*^ held a very impor- tant discussion on the changes of position in the axis of the earth — changes which in some way may account for the cyclical APPENDIX. 273 variations of climatic effects, and by being investigated may prove of immense im- portance to astronomical and geographical science — the members on this sunny morn- ing gave themselves up to the enjoyment of nature. At an early hour the Piazza della Signoria was gay with landaus and pairs, which were soon filled, and departed in procession, carrying the guests first to FiesoJe where they visited the Cathedral, the Roman theatre, and the museum, en route to Vincigliata. Meanwhile a different procession had been ascending the zigzag curves of the road leading to the Castle under the shadows of the pines. Here was an omnibus bringing an army of cooks and waiters, there cars laden with tables and their furnishing, and a bristling cargo of chairs. Couples of mounted guards, and the orderlies of the military members of the Congress jog slowly up the hill on horseback, and next comes a cab with the 274 APPENDIX. photographer of the Society with his lenses and paraphernalia. At noon when the sixty-five guests ar- rived at the Castle, so well had the com- misariat department laboured that the stern old Cortile presented a most festive appearance. They were received in the name of Comm. Temple-Leader by Cav. Pa- pini, after which the whole party sat down to the sumptuous refection prepared for them by Capitani of Florence. Long tables sparkling with silver, glass, and flowers were spread beneath the arches of the Loggia, and the old Cortile, which in past ages had chiefly echoed to the clang of the warriors' armour, now rang with the cheerful sound of nineteenth cen- tury festivity. If readers are curious to know how the scientists and their dames were enter- tained, here is a copy of one of the Menu cards which were tastefully illustrated with views of the Castle. APPENDIX. 275 MENU. Consomme de volaille, Chaufroid d'homard a la moderne, Aloyau de boeuf a la Chartreuse, Pates de gibier, Jambon d'York a la gelee, Poulardes trufifees, Salade a I'italienne, GA,teau Mousseline, Dessert. Pomino blanc, Vincigliata rouge. Moiit & Chandon: Grand Cremant Imperial, Dry Monopole. The wliite Pomino was especially suited to the occasion, as it was made in the vineyards of the Albizi-Alessandri who had for nearly five centuries been lords of the Castle. The famous red wine of Vincigliata flowed well that day, two large barrels were emptied, as all the staff of service were regaled ad lib. And now as the guests discuss their lunch, let us glance round the table. There are the members of the Congress, scientists from all countries, with their 276 APPENDIX. President Monsieur Faye at their head. His Secretary is a learned German, Herr Hirsch; then there are Doctor Helmert from Prussia, director of the central office of the Society; D'"^ Schols and Bakhuyzen from the Low Countries; and General Ferrero the Italian ; several of these were accom- panied by their wives and daughters. Mingled amongst them are the special guests of the Syndic of Florence, such as the assessori (aldermen), Comm. Dainelli, Cav.Giachetti, Faralli and Spighi; with the Municipal Secretary Cav. Giannelli. Be- sides these Comm. Tommasi-Crudeli, M. P., Aw. Ciaranfi and the Syndic of Fiesole, together with a sprinkling of General Officers with flowing white plumes, the Representatives of the Geographical Mili- tary Institute, etc. etc. Of course, being an official fete, brin- disi were proposed. General Ferrero led the van with a poetical speech in French for " The Sovereigns of all the nations APPENDIX. 277 which produced the illustrious guests pres- ent," to wliicli President Faye responded with " Italy, the land blessed alike by nature and art." Then Prof. Hirsch proposed " General Ferrero " who for twenty years had done so much toward the work of the Inter- national Association. On this General Ferrero gave the name of Comm. Temple- Leader in an appreciative eulogy of the Castle and its contents. To this Sig. Co- stantino Deleoni responded. Cav. Papini in a courteous speech returned thanks for the Ladies, and then the party were photo- graphed, after which they dispersed about the Castle to explore its artistic antiquities, and at half past four started on the return to Florence, and certainly among the an- nals of the Congress, the day at Vinci- gliata will always be a cheerful page to look back upon. The Geographic ]\Iilitary Institute has since presented to the principal members 278 APPENDIX. of the Geodetic Conference, and to Mr. Lea- der, a richly bound artistic album contain- ing views of Florence, a large map and photograph of the city and its environs, and three good photographs of the guests in the Cortile of the Castle of Yincigliata, a work which reflects honor on the artists of the Geographic Military Institute by whom it was executed. THE END. GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE 3125 00990 3812