Mediaeval Sicily, aspects of life and art in the middle ages . in doorway surmountedby the finely carved little Pisan tabernacle, byBonajutus, enclosing or bearing various appropriatecoats of arms, those of the Sclafani, of Palermo, ofSicily and of Aragon. If Matteo Sclafani had togo to Pisa for exquisite carving, he evidently hasfound an architect at home who could plan noblyand on a grand scale round two courtyards, designfine proportions, and adorn his main story withsuperb decorative wall arcades, evidently inspiredby the Arabo-Norman ones on the apses of the twogreat cathedrals. There are
Mediaeval Sicily, aspects of life and art in the middle ages . in doorway surmountedby the finely carved little Pisan tabernacle, byBonajutus, enclosing or bearing various appropriatecoats of arms, those of the Sclafani, of Palermo, ofSicily and of Aragon. If Matteo Sclafani had togo to Pisa for exquisite carving, he evidently hasfound an architect at home who could plan noblyand on a grand scale round two courtyards, designfine proportions, and adorn his main story withsuperb decorative wall arcades, evidently inspiredby the Arabo-Norman ones on the apses of the twogreat cathedrals. There are no inlays, but a richpolychromatic (and Saracenesque) effect is obtainedby the use of alternate light and dark stones inthe intersecting arches, and carved raised disks,or rounds of plate tracery of the Chiaramontetype. The inner court has a lovely arcade on the firstfloor, curiously enough with fine varied Roman-esque columns and capitals of white marble, re-sembling those of the Loggia dell eclectic antiquarianism not common in the246 LIII. PALAZZO SCLAFAXI, PALERMO /. 246 FREDERIC II. AND SICILIAN GOTHIC later Middle Ages elsewhere, is also noticeable inthe arcade of the Palazzo Chiaramonte courtyard. The Palazzo Chiaramonte, begun in 1307, andperhaps some time a-building, to judge by thetaunt conveyed in the wager aforesaid, is betterpreserved, far more gorgeous and exotic, all themore that the glorious golden bronze patina givenby time has been spared and the old Piazza Marinaconverted into a sub-tropical garden famous for itstall and stately palms. (Good luck has also plantedhere an English tea-room with a sunny balconyaffording excellent opportunities for dreamystudy.) The facade of the Palazzo Chiaramonte is, how-ever, incomplete or mutilated, and now presents anirregular appearance. It is remarkable for greatheight and extreme richness of decoration, com-bining carving with inlays in the most effectiveway, and varying the patterns of the inlays. A noti
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectart, bookyear1910
