Churches, Streets and Palaces (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1877 edition. Excerpt: ...dress; he bears the palm-branch in one hand, a clasped book in the other, whilst the gridiron, the instrument of his death, is figured within the niche behind him: St. Leonard, likewise in his deacon s dress, is on the left; as the liberator of captives thissaint holds fetters in his hand. Within the adjoining transept is a noble monument by Mino da Fiesole, to the memory of the Gonfalonier, Bernardo Giugni, who died in 1466. The Giugni family had their houses in the immediate neighbourhood of the Badia, in the Via Condotta, where is now the hostelry or inn of the Luna, near the houses of the Cerchi. The Giugni belonged to the Guelphic party, and fifty of the family sat among the Priors from 1291 to I 529, whilst eighteen have been Gonfaloniers of the Republic. Bernardo was celebrated for his prudence, and he was frequently employed to allay popular tumults; he was likewise sent on various missions abroad: his funeral was conducted at the public expense. He is represented on this monument extended on his bier; the head and hands are very fine, and true to nature; above him is a figure of Justice holding the scales, surmounted by a medallion bearing the head of the Gonfalonier in profile. The whole is enclosed in a grand architectural frame of massive proportions. Crossing the church, in the opposite transept is a monument to the memory of the supposed founder, Count Ugo of Brandenburg, a work of the fourteenth century, attributed to Mino da Fiesole, but rather resembling the style of Rossellini. The head of Count Ugo, who is represented on his bier, is well executed; there is perfect repose in the figure; above, is a representation of Charity, holding a distaff, with two children; in the lunette, still higher up, is 21....