. A history of architecture in Italy from the time of Constantine to the dawn of the renaissance. nnot be pro-ceeded with unlessour masters are ableto consult with thebest engineers as towhether the greatcolumns on whichthe tiburio is to restare strong and suffi-cient to bear up theincredible weight ofthis stupendouswork. And a greatscandal would ariseif any failure shouldoccur. Wherefore,having learned fromvarious sourcesof the sufficiency ofthe engineer of thefamous temple ofyour city, we pray you to send him, or some other equally competentperson of your country to us. Our citizen Giovanni
. A history of architecture in Italy from the time of Constantine to the dawn of the renaissance. nnot be pro-ceeded with unlessour masters are ableto consult with thebest engineers as towhether the greatcolumns on whichthe tiburio is to restare strong and suffi-cient to bear up theincredible weight ofthis stupendouswork. And a greatscandal would ariseif any failure shouldoccur. Wherefore,having learned fromvarious sourcesof the sufficiency ofthe engineer of thefamous temple ofyour city, we pray you to send him, or some other equally competentperson of your country to us. Our citizen Giovanni Antonio diGesa, who bears you this greeting, will give him good company onhis way, and here he shall be well received and better entertained,and we will see that he returns well content. Fis. 383. Milan. East End of Cathedral. THE GOTHIC 223 This letter is signed Gian Galeazzo Maria Sforza Visconti, anddated 27 June, 1481. Whether it was efficacious in bringing thedesired assistance is not certain. But in 1483 appeared, first a cer-tain Alexander von Marpach, whose designs do not seem to have. Fi^. 384. Milan. Cathedral. been met with favor, and a little later Johann von Gratz, who wasnot more successful. In 1487 Luca Fanciulli was brought fromMantua to examine the structure. A letter of his to Lorenzo diMedici is preserved, in which he says he is staying in Milan onaccount of the tiburio, which is ruinous and may have to be rebuilt. And since this building is without bones and without proportion,so it will not be without difficulty that we shall manage to satisfyourselves. It was not until 1490 that Francesco di Giorgio, ofSiena, with Amadeo and Dolcebuono, of Milan, were finally ap-pointed to carry on the works necessary to construct the saidtiburio and to make it beautiful, honorable, and eternal; if ever thethings of this world can be made eternal. ^ The lantern covers and encloses an octagonal dome, carried onfour piers exactly similar to those of the nave and but little l
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