me, and I responded to the appeal, for Friday, September 16. This morning w riage and went to the Palazzo Vecchio. I fortified castle, with its battlements, and the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. 1 yard are beautiful fountains. One is a b fish and the water pours from its mouth. Verrochio. In front of the palace is the Lanzi, which is an open colonade with grou some bronze and marble statuary. One holding the head of Medusa, in bronze, nuto Cellini. These two buildings stand in della Signoria. In the center of the pia arolo was burned. We went from here to the Uffizi Galle we saw Fra Angelico's angels, Botticelli's Venus," Albertinelli's "Visitation of Mary, "Flora," and many other beautiful painting of the rooms called the Tribuna are some of of the collection, Raphael's Madonna del (Madonna and Child with the Goldfinch) and trait of Pope Julius II and Carreggio's "Madonna with the Child," are among the finest of the paintings. Among the ancient sculpture in this room, the Medici "Venus" and the "Knife Grinder" are the most famous. I bought a copy of the Medici "Venus" in Carrara marble. From here we went to the Pitti Palace. It was not open to the public that day, but the gatekeeper interviewed the chief guard and we were admitted and shown all over it. The apartments of both king and queen are most beautiful. The handsome rooms are furnished in different colorings, all in perfect harmony. There is a painting by Botticelli in one of these rooms. We went into the picture gallery and saw Raphael's "Madonna of the Chair," "Madonna del Granduca," portraits of Pope Leo X, Julius II and La Fornarina; also saw Giorgione's Concert. In the afternoon we visited the monastery of San Marco with its beautiful cloisters and paintings by Fra Angelico on its walls in the cells of the Dominicans, who once occupied the monastery. Fra Angelico and Savonarola were both members of this order. This visit has been of the greatest interest to me. The whole atmosphere of the monastery seems to be filled with memories of these two great men. The Foundling Hospital is not far from here. This building has a frieze of bas reliefs across its front, representing bambinos (babies) by Andrie della Robbia. These infants are dressed in swaddling clothes, a custom which still prevails among the lower classes in Italy. We went from here to the cathedral, with its great dome which was designed by its campanile by Giotto. Our own Longfellow has called thi Florence, blossoming in stone." The li of Florence. In front of the cathedral stands (Church of John the Baptist) where all of Florence are baptized. Its beautiful by Ghiberti are on the side next to the ca its panels are scenes from the Old Te wreaths of fruit and flowers. Michael "These doors were worthy to be those of We went from here to the Church of (holy cross), which is the Pantheon Among the many tombs and monuments h those of Michael Angelo and Galileo. T a beautiful pulpit in marble with bas reli scenes from the life of St. Francis. One of the side chapels is decorated wi Giotto's finest paintings, all taken from the Francis. This church was built by the F From here we walked across the Ponte V bridge). This is lined with small jewelry have belonged to the goldsmiths since the century. Saturday, September 17. This morning w the Church of Santa Maria Novella to see th in the choir by Gherlandaja. These are sc the life of the Virgin. We went into the which are lovely, and out of which opens th chapel, with its frescoes showing the doctrine of the great Dominican teacher, Thomas Aquinas. The fresco on the right represents the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant. The heretics are shown. as wolves hunted by the Dominicans, shown as black and white dogs. (The Dominicans were called the black and white hounds of the Lord.) We went from here to the Church San Lorenzo. In the old sacristy we saw a frieze by Donatello; also a terra cotta bust of St. Lawrence. The new sacristy was built by Michael Angelo for the Cardinal De Medici as the family mausoleum. In here are the tombs of Giluliano de Medici, with its two beautiful figures of Day and Night; also the tomb of Lorenzo de Medici, with its figures of Evening and Dawn, all created by the cultured hand of this great artist, sculptor and architect-Michael Angelo. We saw the chapel of the princess, which is the burial chapel of the Grand Dukes of the Medici family. The decorations are most gorgeous in mosaics and colored marbles. Leaving here, we went to the Academy of Fine Arts. Here is the magnificent statue of David by Michael Angelo, that once stood in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. We saw Botticelli's "Spring," Fra Angelica's "Last Judgment," with its lovely bit of paradise (all of Fra Angelico's coloring are exquisitely beautiful), and "The Coronation of the Virgin," by Perugino. Then we went to the museum of the cathedral and saw the Singing Galleries taken from the cathedral, one by Donatello is of dancing childre Luca della Robbia, is groups of boys a and dancing. Both of these galleries marble. We went from here to the old market, lovely flowers, fancy straw hats woven. and children. The men were also workin in the market. Then we went to the Bar residence of the chief magistrate of Fl now a museum. It has a picturesque cou nades and a fine flight of steps. We statue of St. George by Donatello, a bas St. Cecelia and a fine bronze statue of John of Bologna. As we returned to our hotel we stopp Church Ognissanti. It is quite close Americus Vespucius and his family are under a marble slab in the pavement. Th and very old church. I would like much mained longer in Florence and to have s the picture galleries, but my time is lim morrow we resume our trip. Sunday, September 18. We left here was raining, but cleared before noon. T interesting, though Italy is a desolate cou improving, however, and signs of prosper almost everywhere we go. We stopped f Arezzo, Hotel d'Angleterre, very poor in e While waiting to be served, two American in. Evidently they were motoring. |