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‹Better GutenbergThe Pavement Masters of SienaThe Scheme of the Pavement · 3 of 8Contents›

The Pavement Masters of Siena

by Robert H. Hobart Cust

3 of 8 · Contents · Download EPUB

The Scheme of the Pavement

The various designs on the pavement arranged in their chronological order.Notes.Date the work was executed.Numbers corresponding to those on the plan (p. 15).Names of the Artists.
Of these eight artists’ work on the Pavement, no recognizable trace now remains.1369(1). Antonio di Brunaccio.
1370(2). Sano di Marco.
″(3). Francesco di Ser Antonio.
1376(4). Matteo di Bartolo.
1380(5). Nanni di Corsino.
1398(6). Sano di Maestro Matteo.
″(7). Luca di Cecco.
1405(8). Cecco di Giovanni.
Fortune’s Wheel revolving with figures of men clinging to it. In the four corners of the picture are half-length portraits of Euripides, Seneca, Epictetus, and Aristotle. (Milanesi. Documenti. Vol. i., p. 177.)137237
The Arms of the Cities allied and friendly to Siena. (Ditto.)137334
A Wheel, in the middle of which is the Imperial Eagle1373(?)35
The Parable of the Mote and the Beam1374–538
TemperanceThe frieze of zig-zags and spikes which frames the five figures Nos. 17–21, also dates from 1406.138017
Prudence″18
Christian Piety140619
Justice″20
Fortitude. (Mil. Doc., vol. i., p. 177)″21(9). Marchesse d’Adamo and the Comacene Masters in stone.
King David the Psalmist. (Siena e il suo Territorio, p. 205.)142353(10). Domenico di Niccolo del Coro.
Goliath the Giant. (Ditto.)″54″
The Young David with his Sling (Ditto.)The frieze inclosing all these designs, together with No. 24, was inlaid by (11) Agostino di Niccolo, and (12) Bastiano di Corso da Firenze, and completed in 1423.″55″
Judas Maccabeus142415″
Joshua and the King of the Amorites. Ditto.)142622(13) Paolo di Martino.
Samson. (Ditto.)″14″
Moses. (Ditto.)″16″
Joshua. (Ditto.)″23″
A man, giving alms to a woman, carrying a child143339Domenico di Niccolo del Coro.
The Emperor Sigismund enthroned. (Mil. Doc., vol. ii., p. 261.)143413Designed by (14) Domenico di Bartolo da Asciano. Executed by (15) Giacomo d’Antonio.
The Story of Absalom. (Siena e il suo Territorio.)144712Designed by (16) Pietro del Minella.
Solomon″24
The Parable of the Pharisee and the PublicanThese three designs are in the doorways of the principal façade.144857
A Jar, labelled Fel (Gall)″58
A similar Jar, labelled Mel (Honey)″59
Three designs before doors of Baptistery. (The Birth, Baptism, and Reception of an Infant Christian.1450Designed by (17) Nastagio di Guasparre and executed by (18) Bartolomeo di Mariano, called Il Mandriano, and (21) Antonio Federighi.
Design before the Porta del Perdono Consecration of the Duomo by Pope Alexander III. [Bandinelli] in 1174.)Now destroyed.1451Designed by (19) Guasparre d’Agostino and executed by (20) Corso di Bastiano.
The two Blind men. (Mil. Doc., vol. ii., p. 437.)145940Executed, after his own design, by Antonio Federighi.
The Relief of Bethulia by Judith.The frieze of Reels around this design was executed by the said Urbano, (24) Giovanni di Maestro Stefano, (25) Bartolommeo di Domenico Calabrone, and (26) Francesco di Bartolomeo.147325Designed by (22) Urbano da Cortona(?) or by (23) Matteo di Giovanni Bartoli.(?) Executed by Antonio Federighi.
The Seven Ages of ManAround it is a frieze of stags, by the same artist.14756Executed by Antonio Federighi.
The Massacre of the Innocents.148126Designed by Matteo di Giovanni Bartoli.
The Delphic Sibyl14821Executed by (27) Giuliano di Biagio and (28) Vito di Marco.
The Cumean Sibyl″2Executed by (29) Luigi di Ruggiero, called L’Armellino, and Vito di Marco.
The Cuman Sibyl″3Giovanni di Maestro Stefano.
The Erythrean Sibyl″4Antonio Federighi.
The Persian Sibyl″5Urbano di Pietro da Cortona.
The Sacrifice of Jephthah148311Designed and executed by (30) Bastiano di Francesco di Sano.
The Albunean SibylWho executed these five Sibyls is not known, but it seems possible that, amongst other masters, Giuliano di Biagio may have worked on them.″28Designed by (31) Benvenuto Giovanni del Guasta.
The Samian Sibyl148329Designed by Matteo di Giovanni Bartoli.
The Phrygian Sibyl″30Luigi di Ruggiero, called L’Armellino(?) and Vito di Marco(?).
The Hellespontine Sibyl″31Designed by (32) Neroccio di Bartolommeo Landi.
The Libyan Sibyl″32Designed by (33) Guidoccio Cozzarelli.
The Expulsion of HerodThe frieze of winged lions which surrounds this picture, was designed by Bastiano di Francesco di Sano. Upon this picture and upon No. 26 (above-mentioned), the following artists were also employed: Vito di Marco, (34) Bernardino d’Antonio, (35) Cristofano di Pietro Paolo del Quarantotto, and Bartolomeo di Domenico Calabrone.148427Designed by Benvenuto di Giovanni del Guasta.
Mercurius Trismegistus148833Designed by Giovanni di Maestro Stefano(?)
An Allegory of Fortune. (Mil. Doc., vol. iii., p. 13.)1505–636Designed by (36) BernardinoBetti, called Pinturicchio, and executed by (37) Paolo Mannucci.
The Story of Elijah and Ahab
Elijah’s Sacrifice1518–2441Designed by (38) Domenico Beccafumi, called Mecherino, and executed at the same time by (39) Bernardino di Giacomo, (40) Giovann’ Antonio Marinelli, surnamed il Mugnaino, (41) Giacomo, and (42) Bartolommeo di Pietro Gallo, (43) Niccolo Filippi, and (44) Cristofano di Carbone.
The Compact between Elijah and Ahab, each to prove the Truth of his Deity by Sacrifice42
The Slaughter of the False Prophets of Baal43
Ahab’s Sacrifice44
Elijah bids Obadiah bring Ahab to him45
Ahab meets Elijah46
Moses striking the Rock152551
Moses receives the Tables of the Law on Mount Sinai. (This picture is divided into six parts.)153152
(α) Moses receives the Tables of the Law.
(β) The Hebrew People wait for Moses’ Descent from the Mount.
(γ) The Destruction of the idolatrous Hebrews.
(δ) Moses breaks the Tables of Stone.
(η) The Hebrews sacrifice to the Golden Calf.
(θ) The Hebrews compel Aaron to make them idols.
The Story of Abraham’s Sacrifice.1544–4656Designed by Domenico Beccafumi and executed by Bernardino di Giacomo.
At the side of this large picture, which is placed before the High Altar, and on either side of the Altar itself, are fourteen other small pictures, seven on each side.
These represent:
On the right:
1. Elisha raises the son of the Shunammite.
2. A Prophet, with an open book before him.
3. Eve kneeling.
4. A Woman, with an open book in her hand.
5. A Woman holding a hand-mirror, who represents “Prudence.”
6. Melchisedec Sacrificing.
7. A seated Woman, with a Child.
On the left:
8. The old Tobit with his Son, and the Angel Raphael. At his feet a dog.
9. A Woman, representing “Charity.”
10. Adam kneeling.
11. A Prophet, looking up to Heaven.
12. A seated Woman, with a book in her hand.
13. Abel Sacrificing.
14. A Woman, in the act of sitting down, with a Child...
The large picture and the smaller ones are framed by a frieze of half-length figures, which represent the Hebrew People journeying from Egypt towards the Promised Land.
Designed by Domenico Beccafumi and executed by (45) Pellegrino di Pietro.
Elijah fed by RavensThese four designs are usually attributed, as is stated in col. 5; but, as I have argued at length in chap. ii., it is not improbable that they were originally designed by (46) Gio. Battista Sozzini, and executed by (47) Niccolo di Girolamo Gori, (48) Domenico di Pier Giovanni, and Bernardino di Jacomo, in 1562.178047Designed by (49) Carlo Amidei, and executed by (50) Matteo Pini.
Elijah anoints Jehu King of Israel″48
Elijah asks bread of the Widow″49
Elijah raises the Widow’s son″50
HopeOriginally designed in 1780, by Carlo Amidei and Matteo Pini, but removed in 1878.7
Faith8
Charity9(See below.)
Religion10

In 1875–78, the scenes in the four lozenges, Nos. 47–50, by Carlo Amidei, being considered unsatisfactory, and the ancient scenes 38, 39, 40, being much dilapidated, (51) Professor Alessandro Franchi prepared four new designs of the same subjects for the lozenges, and three more subjects from the same story, for the three hexagons.

Namely:
(a) Elijah predicts the manner of Ahab’s death. No. 39.1
(b) Ahab mortally wounded, No. 40.
(c) Elijah carried to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire, No. 38.

These designs were executed by (52) Prof. Leopoldo Maccari, with the assistance of the sculptors (53) Antonio and (54) Giuseppe Radicchi.

The same artists also, at the same date, designed and executed, respectively, the figures of the four Theological Virtues (Nos. 7, 8, 9, and 10), as we now see them.


... “Cast down thine eyes;
’Twere well for thee, to alleviate the way,
To look upon the bed beneath thy feet.


So saw I there, but of a better semblance
  In point of artifice, with figures covered
  Whate’er as pathway from the mount projects.


Who e’er of pencil master was or stile,
  That could portray the shades and traits which there
  Would cause each subtile genius to admire?
Dead seemed the dead, the living seemed alive;
  Better than I saw not who saw the truth,
  All that I trod upon while bowed I went.

“La Divina Commedia” of Dante Alighieri,
translated by H. W. Longfellow.


... Volgi gli occhi in giue;
Buon ti sarà, per alleggiar la via,
Veder lo letto delle piante tue.


Si vid’ io li, ma di miglior sembianza
  Secondo l’ artificio, figurato
  Quanto per via di fuor dal monte avanza.


Qual di pennel fu maestro o di stile,
  Che ritraesse l’ombre e i tratti, ch’ ivi
  Mirar farieno ogn’ ingegno sottile?
Morti li morti, e i vivi parean vivi.
  Non vede me’ di me chi vide il vero,
  Quant’ io calcai fin che chinato givi.

“La Divina Commedia” di Dante Alighieri,
Il Purgatorio, Canto xii.
L. 13–15, 22–24, 64–69.

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