. A stained glass tour in Italy. premacy the Florentine guilds raisedtheir artistic standard rather than neglected it. Thus far we have visited only religious edifices,but now we shall see glass of a secular type, some-thing far rarer. In the long series of rectangularwindows in the Laurentian Library there exists oneof the many monuments to the Medici family, towhose patronage of art we moderns owe so such a series, all similar, fifteen on one sideand twelve on the other ! The entire surface ofeach is given over to arabesques, griffins, etc., out-lined in grey and soft browns, the ge
. A stained glass tour in Italy. premacy the Florentine guilds raisedtheir artistic standard rather than neglected it. Thus far we have visited only religious edifices,but now we shall see glass of a secular type, some-thing far rarer. In the long series of rectangularwindows in the Laurentian Library there exists oneof the many monuments to the Medici family, towhose patronage of art we moderns owe so such a series, all similar, fifteen on one sideand twelve on the other ! The entire surface ofeach is given over to arabesques, griffins, etc., out-lined in grey and soft browns, the general effectbeing mellowed by a judicious use of low pinksand blues. Of course the six balls of thp Mediciarms are given due prominence, and on many otthe windows appear dates, 1558, 1567, critics have maintained that the dating ofsome of them subsequent to the death of da Udineproves that he could not have been the designer,general belief to the contrary it not be respectfully submitted to these 98. WINDOW IN OR SAN MICHELEThis sanctuary of the ancient trade guilds is lighted in a manner all its own. Thethree lower panels have scenes in late mosaic style, while the graceful traceries above areglazed equally elaborately. (See page gy) Florence gentlemen that as da Udine was alive when theearliest dated window was made, the later datesmay refer to their glazing and installation, and notto the original cartoons ? It would seem that thesecritics could make out a stronger case if they wouldconfine themselves to pointing out how inferior thisglass is to da Udines work at the Certosa in theVal dEma near Florence. There he used the leadsto assist in providing the outlines, but here they areallowed to break up the surface into squares. Noris the drawing here anything like so delicate as thatwhich charms us at the Certosa. But even in thelight of this honest criticism it cannot be deniedthat the Laurentian glass produces a satisfactoryeffect. Wherever it ha
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectglasspaintingandstai
