(For food gall, in his thirst they gave him vinegar, they will show this table of inhospitality. The veil of the Temple shall indeed be rent, and at mid-day there shall be black night for three hours.)

This fine design was the work of Neroccio di Bartolommeo di Benedetto Landi in 1483,57 and is a noble specimen of his style. We do not know what he received for the work, but it is probable that it was the same sum as that given to Matteo di Giovanni. Nor, as we have seen, do we know who executed this and the adjacent designs.58 (Ill. VIII.)

The Libyan Sibyl.

According to Pausanias, the Libyan was the oldest of all the Sibyls, and was the daughter of Zeus and Lamia. More than this nothing is known of her, but her label tells us that she is spoken of by Euripides. She is a striking figure, her black marble face, neck, hands and feet, producing a remarkable effect. She is veiled and crowned with a garland of flowers. In her left hand she grasps a small open scroll, while in her right she shows an open book with the words:

(Receiving buffets he will be silent, to blows he will give his innocent back.)

On her left is a tablet, borne by intertwined serpents, the words written upon it being:

(He shall come into unjust hands. With impure hands they shall give stripes to God. He miserable and in ignominy will give hope to the miserable.)

Guidoccio Cozzarelli was the author of this design in 1483,59 but here again there exists no record of the sum paid for it. We may suppose though that these designs were all paid for at about the same rate.60 The expense of its restoration was 2,352 lire 16 c.

With the examination of the Libyan Sibyl, we find ourselves again at the Western end of the Church, and must betake ourselves back to—

6. THE NORTH TRANSEPT.

This Transept is covered with three large designs, all executed during the Rectorship of Alberto Aringhieri; two of which, at least, may have some political significance.

The first we come to is—

The Expulsion of Herod (No. 27).

This vast composition, designed by Benvenuto Giovanni del Guasta in 1484–85, and for which he received 78 lire,61 is full of charming grouping and delightful suggestion. It not impossibly alludes to the expulsion, which had then but recently taken place, of Pandolfo Petrucci and his followers. It must be remembered that, though Siena at this period was not involved in important external historical events, her internal history was one long record of party faction and strife, in which Aringhieri himself played a not unimportant part. (Ill. IX.)

Benvenuto was a consummate draughtsman, and he was ably supported here by Bastiano di Francesco, who designed the delightful border of winged lions that frames the picture (Ill. XI.), and made sixty letters of marble for the same work.62

We find several notices as to sums paid to workmen for executing this frieze, but only one speaks also of work on the design itself. From this, however, we learn that it was executed by Bernardino Antonio and Cristofano di Pietro Paolo del Quarantotto.63 The other workmen employed on the frieze were Vito di Marco,64 and Bartolommeo di Domenico.65 With the exception of Vito di Marco, we have no record of these men, apart from notices of their work done on this Pavement. Perhaps they were scholars or apprentices of the better-known masters, and therefore not recorded more particularly. We also read that certain millers, by name Giusto Giovanni and Michele di Ludovicho, were paid 15 lire 14 c. for the porterage of 7,870 lbs. of black marble used in this design, and that “del onperadore.”66 (Ill. X.)

The composition is most graceful and full of force. It illustrates an episode in the struggle between Herod Antipas and his brother-in-law Aretas, as a result of which the former had to evacuate his kingdom. The picture has been well restored, a re-engraving of the marble slabs on the old lines having been, to a large extent, sufficient for the main work, though the frieze has had to be entirely renewed. A group of soldiers, among whom is one extremely striking man’s figure in full armour, has been particularly successful. Over this group, in a high tree, an eagle maybe seen protecting her nest of young ones from the attacks of a serpent, possibly alluding to the same political events referred to above. The charming cherubs, supporting a tablet in the upper part of the composition, upon which is engraved a long quotation from Josephus, describing the scene depicted, have been renewed, and the damaged originals transported to the Museum of the Opera.67 With them is also the original tablet, which curiously enough on removal was found to be a memorial slab of an earlier date, bearing on the reverse side a fine effigy of a cleric.68

The last restoration of this design took place between the years 1869–1878 and, together with the Pavement around it, cost 2,156 lire 63 c.; while that of the friezes, around this and the next design, cost another 3,490 lire 12 c.

Beyond this fine scene we come to another, still more remarkable, if not quite so pleasing.

The Massacre of the Innocents (No. 26).

This, perhaps, is the most striking of all the scenes on the Pavement, and as interesting historically as artistically. The artist who designed it, Matteo di Giovanni Bartoli, has thrown into it all the force of his fancy and skill. It is extraordinarily full of life, and vivid with imagination. The same artist executed certainly three, if not four, more designs of the same subject, two of them being pictures still existing in Siena itself;69 and it is extremely interesting to compare his treatment of it in all these three. Authorities differ as to the dates of these two paintings, but admittedly there was an interval of ten years between them. That in S. Agostino, and most probably also the very similar painting by the same artist at Naples, come in point of date almost immediately subsequent to this design for the Pavement, and resemble it very closely. At this period all Italy was convulsed with horror at the awful Sack and Destruction of Otranto, which had occurred on the 11th of August, 1480.70 We read that 1,200 persons were massacred, and that most of the children were sold as slaves. The shock to the Christian world was so terrible that the Pope, Sixtus IV., in an Encyclical addressed to all the cities of Italy, called their attention to the disaster, pointed out to them that none of them, however remote, was safe, and implored them, setting aside their party divisions, to combine in the cause of mutual protection against the Moslem. Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, son of Ferdinand, King of Naples, then living as ruler in Siena, was hastily recalled to take command of an expedition against the common enemy: and it is, I submit, not straining a theory too far, to suppose, that Matteo di Giovanni may have been directed to design these scenes on the Pavement of the Duomo, for the Church of S. Agostino, and for the Church of Sta. Caterina a Formello at Naples, as an object lesson to recall to the public mind, through the medium of a Scriptural Tragedy, the horrors to be endured at the hands of the unspeakable Turk. They are all executed with a force and a suggestiveness, so vivid as to be painful in their intensity. The successful results of these three probably inspired the fourth,71 which is somewhat less ferocious, and certainly more graceful and pleasing.

Unable to use on the Pavement the brilliant pigments so lavishly employed in the paintings, the artist has introduced, wherever possible, marbles of many and varied colours; and when upon these multi-coloured materials are super-imposed most elaborate designs, the whole produces the effect of a gorgeous piece of bizarre jewellery. Herod sits on a splendid Renaissance throne of carved marble, in a colonnade, adorned with panels72 of classical scenes. A sportive frieze of marble Bacchanals is introduced along the top of the composition, broken by circular windows, from which groups of impish children look down complacently and even laughingly, on the dreadful slaughter below. The armour of Herod and his soldiers is of the most magnificent kind, and we may notice again the artist’s affection for finishing a clasp with the head of an animal or a human being.73 (Ill. XII.)

It is evident from the style of this work that it is by Matteo di Giovanni Bartoli, and his authorship has never been questioned, though there is no record of any commission or payment to him. The date of its execution (1481) is fixed by Tizio,74 and by two records of payments for materials used upon it.75

We have no record as to who executed the very charming frieze of putti and dragons, which borders the bottom and the left side of this picture; nor that of greyhounds and fountains, which incloses the other sides, and it is not easy to suggest any reason why two such different designs should have been employed for the same picture. They are evidently designed by different hands, and were probably executed like the other friezes by the Cathedral workmen mentioned above. (Ill. XIII.)

The whole work has been apparently restored several times; for we find in the notes of Abate Faluschi,76 that it was restored in 1790 by Matteo Pini, after the designs of Carlo Amidei, and at this very day some of the worn-out stones are being renewed, and the line of drawing re-trepanned and stuccoed.

The third picture in this transept is:

The Relief of Bethulia by Judith. (Judith, cap. xiii., xiv., and xv.) (No. 25.)

Whether this picture had any political or semi-political reference we do not know. The small fortress-towns in the Sienese contado were at this time continually being relieved and changing hands, but we cannot now identify this scene with any particular event. It is interesting, though, to note that it was planned during the Rectorship of Savino di Matteo di Guido Savino, who was, on January 26th, 1480, deposed from his post for being one of the “Riformatori.”77

The notices as to this work are few and vague: but we know from Tizio78 that it was laid down in 1473, and further that the frieze of “reels” (naspatoio), surrounding it, was executed by Urbano di Pietro da Cortona, Giovanni di Stefano di Giovanni, Bartolomeo di Domenico Calabrone and Francesco di Bartolomeo (perhaps his son).79 It is generally supposed that the design itself was the work either of Urbano da Cortona or of Matteo di Giovanni Bartoli, and the execution is attributed to Antonio Federighi.80 (Ill. XIV.) However this may be, it is a work full of charm, recalling examples of the most poetic period of Florentine art. As usual in work of this period, several episodes of the story are told in various parts of the picture. On the extreme right, now much injured, and partly obliterated by the Pisani’s pulpit, we can still trace Holofernes’ tent, and the gruesome tragedy therein enacted. Above the middle of the picture, over the hillside, upon which bloom myriad flowers amid purling brooks, comes Judith, a figure of extreme grace, followed by her maid, who bears on her head a basket, containing the tyrant’s head.81 (Ill. XV.) To the left is the towered city of Bethulia, from which issue troops of horsemen, intent upon victory in the fight, which is depicted in the centre of the composition. Beside the gate of the city, one may notice a group of a knight with his squire arranging the harness of his horse. (Ill. XVI.) We may also remark the introduction here of birds. In the extreme left corner are two parent birds, sitting in a bush, guarding their young ones in a nest, whilst above Holofernes’ tent are perched two waiting ravens.

This work was also restored, or, as Abate Faluschi puts it with much truth, “modernized” (modernata) by Carlo Amidei and Matteo Pini in 1790, so that we cannot now know how much of the original work has perished. It is not unlikely that, in any case, it may have been a composite design from the hand of more than one artist. It is, however, worth noting that, whereas the design last described depends largely for its effect on varied colour, this one, the Expulsion of Herod, and the other contemporary picture of the Story of Jephthah, presently to be described, show how much can be done by the use of line alone.

Ascending a wide step, we come to a work of much older and more archaic character, which I propose to include in my seventh division.

7. THE CHOIR AMBULATORY.

The Story of Joshua’s Victory over the Amorites (No. 22), and the Slaughter of the Five Kings.

This work, with the others beside it on the same platform right across the church, was executed about the year 1424, during the Rectorship of Bartolommeo Cecchi. I have already, in my introduction, referred to the difficulty in separating the work done here by Domenico di Niccolo del Coro, from that of Paolo di Martino. Both men appear from the documents to have held the post of Capo-maestro of the Duomo. Tizio mentions distinctly82 this design as among those executed in 1424, and Milanesi in his Documenti83 repeating that date, assures us that it was among works to be attributed to Domenico himself: thereby pointedly confuting Vasari’s assertion, that it and those adjoining it were from designs by Duccio. On the same page, however, of the Documenti,84 we find a notice, dated 1426, of payment to a paper dealer, named Domenico di Francesco, for ten squares of “fogli reagli” used by “Paolo nostro,” for a design for the “storia di Giesue:” and Milanesi himself in his Discorso sulla Storia Artistica Senese85 contradicts his former statement, attributes this design and that of Samson (No. 14) in the opposite aisle of the Choir, also hitherto given by him to Domenico, to Paolo, and dates them both two years later than in his previous assertion.

It is an interesting picture, though at present sadly in need of judicious restoration. The greater part of it is occupied by the battle scene, but up in the top left-hand corner we see the bodies of the Five Kings hung up to five stakes, and below them a yawning cavern. Some of the figures are expressed with considerable force, and the fifteenth-century armour of the soldiers is most quaint and curious.

The work here, and that of the story of Samson above referred to, do resemble each other, and have not much in common with the known work of Domenico del Coro. I think we may, therefore, fairly consider them as from Paolo’s designs; and supposing that these artists worked in collaboration on the whole scheme of this platform, that, when Tizio spoke of these designs, he described a project not completely carried out until two years later.

On either side of the main picture are single figures Joshua and Solomon (Nos. 23 and 24). The first of these Milanesi, in his Discorso,86 gives unhesitatingly to Paolo di Martino, with the same date as the before-mentioned larger design. But of the figure of Solomon, now more than half concealed under the marble balustrade of the altar of S. Ansano, a mention exists in a document in the Archivio dell’ Opera, dated 10th of August, 1447.87 This was during the Rectorship of Giovanni di Pietro Ghezzi (Borghesi), who held the post from 1437 to 1448,88 and we find a notice dated June, 1444,89 which may refer to this very work, although it is not mentioned specifically. It is a permission to the Rector to fill up this portion of the Pavement with such a design, as may seem to him suitable and pleasing.90

The whole platform, or step, upon which all these designs are inlaid had been bordered, along the top and bottom, by a delightful frieze of putti, executed in 1423, by Agostino di Niccolo of Siena,91 and Bastiano di Corso of Florence.92 Of the former artist we know but little, but of the work of the latter, in company with his son Corso, on the pavement before the Cathedral doors, we find several notices, to which I have referred already,93 A notice, dated 25th March, 1447,94 speaks of other frieze-work done by father and son, “sotto la tribuna di verso l’altare di Santa Chaterina.” This work appears to have perished, or been superseded, unless, as is by no means impossible or improbable, we may attribute to him the frieze round the Massacre of the Innocents described above, the authors of which are unknown and unidentified.

Agostino and Bastiano’s frieze is a very graceful one, but it would seem, judging from the dates of the documents, as if the latter artist had succeeded the former in the work: for the first document speaks of payment made to Agostino up to December 30th, 1423, whereas both those commissioning Bastiano are dated the same month, with no allusion to previous or contemporary employment of any other artist.

Three more steps bring us to the passage which runs round behind the altar. Here originally was some of the oldest work, but to all appearance now it would seem to be almost the most modern. In five circles we find the five Cardinal Virtues, the first of whom is

Fortitude (No. 21).

On this spot, as I have already said in my first chapter, Marchesse d’Adamo95 and his companions, the Comacene sculptors at work in Siena in 1406, are generally supposed to have executed the earliest figure-subject on the Pavement, about which we now possess authoritative information. There is nothing, however, to show their work. The figure is imposing and dignified in composition, but the workmanship on it is poor and somewhat paltry.

Of the four other Virtues, Justice, Christian Piety, Prudence, and Temperance (Nos. 20, 19, 18, and 17), there is little definite to be said. Padre Micheli96 following Milanesi97 gives 1406 as the possible date of the two first, 1380 as that of the other two; but there is nothing in their present condition to prove either one date or the other. The only thing that may be noticed is that the restoration of Justice and Prudence shows more vigour of conception and boldness of line, with far more satisfactory results than have been shown in the case of Fortitude and Temperance. Fortitude, we know, was restored in 1839, and Temperance perhaps at the same time. Christian Piety is half covered by the great lectern, and so obliterated by the feet of readers and singers as to be now almost indistinguishable. The frieze of ladders (scaglioni) and thorns (spini), surrounding these works, is said to have been executed in 1406.98

Descending again three steps corresponding to those on the opposite side of the church we come to the design of

Samson slaying the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass (No. 14).

alluded to above. The workmanship and style of this picture certainly resembles that of Joshua and the Five Kings on the north side, but it is a finer and a grander piece of work. The grouping is bolder and more forcible. Samson, a giant figure, is administering chastisement to a Philistine in the manner of a schoolmaster to a naughty boy. He holds aloft, not merely the jawbone of an ass, but the whole skull. Some of his opponents lie slaughtered on the ground, and a crowd of them cowers away in terror, to the right of the composition. (Ill. XX.)

This design, as we have said before, is mentioned by Tizio99 among those projected in 1424, and was probably executed by Paolo di Martino in 1426. On either side of it are the single figures of Moses (No. 16) and Judas Maccabeus (No. 15). Milanesi in his Discorso100 attributes the figure of Moses, like that of Joshua (No. 23), to Paolo di Martino in 1426, while that of Judas Maccabeus, now hidden almost entirely by the balustrade of the altar of the Blessed Sacrament, and also recorded by Tizio (in the notice already more than once referred to), Padre Micheli101 supposes, and there is no evidence to contradict him, to have been the work of Domenico del Coro in 1424.

Before descending the step to the South Transept, I would wish to draw the reader’s attention to the fact, that this step does not run parallel with the steps above it, and that the platform is narrower at this end than at the other. Consequently, the design of Samson and those in the transept, now to be described, are all more or less irregular in shape. Whether this is due to some structural defect in the original building, or to some inequality in the foundation, it is impossible now to say.

8. THE SOUTH TRANSEPT.

This transept is complicated in its general plan by the irregularity above referred to. It contains two pictures to correspond to the one (the Story of Judith) on the opposite side of the church, and is further broken up by varied designs, of different sizes, before what was once the Porta del Perdono, and is now the Cappella del Voto.

The first picture, that we come to, is very remarkable, especially since it is the only one which is neither biblical, symbolical, nor heraldic. It professes to be a portrait of the

Emperor Sigismund (No. 13),

who in 1433 was a visitor for some months to the city. (Ill. XXI.)

Confusion has arisen among Sienese writers as to the identity of this portrait, and some have said that it represents the Emperor Charles IV. This probably arose from the fact, which is difficult now to explain, that Tizio,102 under date 1424, after describing, as we have seen, the above-mentioned designs, goes on to say that “in the time immediately following, to the right, by the iron grating, a Portrait of the Emperor was laid down on the pavement; and not much later the Story of Absalom hanging by his hair to the oak, under the direction of the same Operaio.” With the Story of Absalom I will deal presently, but Tizio must have made a very grave mistake here in dates; since we have two notices103 proving that Domenico di Bartolo di Ghezzo d’Asciano was the designer of this work in 1434, for which he received 16 lire; whilst another notice,104 dated December 2nd in the same year, records the payment of 3 lire 10 soldi to a workman named Giacomo d’Antonio for assistance in executing it.

As regards the Operaio at this period some difficulty arises, since Padre Micheli asserts that Bartolommeo Cecchi only held the post up to 1430. From the Borghesi and the Faluschi MS. lists,105 however, we find that Cecchi (Bartolommeo di Gio. di Cecco) was still in office on October 25th, 1434, but was apparently compelled to resign on account of his having married a certain Corsa, and had children by her.106 We read further that he was succeeded, 1434–5, by Giacomo della Quercia, who held the post until his death on February 8th, 1438.107 From the second of the notices above referred to we gather, therefore, that the work was certainly ordered by Bartolomeo Cecchi, even if, as is possible, it was completed under the direction of his successor.

The Emperor, crowned and sceptre in hand, sits on a splendid throne, under a marble canopy, hung with garlands. Four counsellors sit beside him, two on each hand; and two tall pages carry his orb and sword. It is worth noting, that this design appears to have early required restoration, because we read in a notice quoted above,108 under date 1485, of black marble being brought from Chasciano, among other things, “raconciare la storia del onperadore.” At the latest restoration (1869–78) a sum of 616 lire 49 c. was expended on it.

Beside this design, as I have remarked above, is the very striking picture of

Absalom hanging by his hair (No 12).

(Ill. XVII.). No design on the Pavement attracts so much attention as this. The bold, vigorous outlines of the white figures set against the black marble background, the vivid and forcible composition of the picture, and the remarkably decorative foliage of the two trees, almost Japanese in character, from one of which Absalom is hanging, arrest the eye and the attention of even the most casual visitor. We find a notice in the Archivio dell’ Opera,109 stating that it was commenced after the 11th of July, 1447, during the Rectorship of Giovanni Borghesi, and while Pietro di Tommaso Minella was Capo-maestro.

The design of it is generally attributed to Minella himself, and from the high merit of its conception and composition this is very probable, but there are no records to prove more than that he superintended its execution. Tizio110 includes it in the list of works to which he gives the date 1424, but this, as I have already pointed out, is an obvious mistake.

Below these two designs we come to another fine large picture, similar to those in the North Transept. It represents

The Story of Jephthah’s Victory, and the Sacrifice of his Daughter (No. 11).

The greater part of the composition is taken up with the Fight and Victory; and the expression of violent action on the part of the combatants is wonderfully forcible. To the left Jephthah, on his charger, a crown on his head, and clothed like a Roman emperor, gives orders to his men. Near him we notice a charming group of two young men conversing, one of whom, a negro, stands out from the picture with startling vividness. (Ill. XXIII.). Above, in the background, Jephthah’s daughter is seen coming out of the city gates, with a joyous crowd of maiden companions, to greet her victorious father; while, still farther into the top left-hand corner, we may see the unhappy father, in a tiny temple, sacrificing his daughter, in fulfilment of his rash vow. Of this work we find two notices in the Archives,111 the first, dealing with advances made on two occasions to the artist, and the other, recording payment for the complete work. The artist employed upon it was Bastiano di Francesco di Sano, of whom we have already spoken, and he appears in this case to have been both designer and executant. The work seems to have been commenced either late in 1481 or at the beginning of 1482, but not finished until the end of 1484 or early in 1485. Not that the artist was idle, for, as we have seen, he had work to do elsewhere on the Pavement in the interval, besides various sculptures commissioned by the cathedral authorities.112 He received for it in all a sum of 2,555 lire. Its restoration in 1869–78 cost 2,664 lire 8 c. (Ill. XXIII.)

Below this design, the plan of the floor is very much broken up. The reader must, however, bear in mind that up to the year 1661, when Pope Alexander VII. (Fabio Chigi) began to build the Cappella della Madonna del Voto, to contain the famous wonder-working picture of the Madonna, Protectress of Siena, this portion of the Pavement lay before the Porta del Perdono, to which I have made frequent reference at the commencement of this chapter. This Porta del Perdono must have been a sort of Porta Sacra, opened only in solemn state in the years of Jubilee.113 Fragments of it still exist, and may be seen built into the outer wall of the bay, next to the above-mentioned Chapel; and the inscription, quoted in the note, is now to be found over the left hand doorway of the Western façade. There are many notices still to be found dealing with this important entrance. Several, to which we have referred already, dealt with the adornment of the wide step or platform, that apparently led to it from the outside. All this has now perished. Inside, however, the floor has fared better, and the beautiful painting by Maestro Gregorio (1423), which hung above an altar114 once erected over this door, and belonging to the Tolomei family, still exists in the Museum of the Opera del Duomo. It was, no doubt, the fact that long periods of time passed between each successive opening of this door, which gave Antonio di Federigo, or Federighi, the idea of placing before it his beautiful design of the

Seven Ages in the Life of Man. Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence, Youth, Manhood, Age, and Decrepitude (No. 6).

All seven are treated with a naïveté and grace impossible to surpass. (Ill. XVIII.) Not only the figures themselves, but also their accessories; the budding blossoms, the over-blown flowers, and the handsome classical tomb to which “Decrepitas” is tottering, show a taste and feeling beyond description. Federighi, we read, designed and executed this delightful work in 1475,115 and, at about the same date, the friezes of stags, and perhaps the beautiful lily (Ill. XXIV.), candlestick (Ill. XXII.) and geometrical pattern, in the angle formed by the Seven Ages with the Cupola designs, were also laid down; but we cannot be sure whether they are by the same master or not. All that we do know for certain about them is drawn from two notices,116 recording payments to a certain Bartolino of Massa da Carrara for marble for work in the Duomo, among which the “frieze of stags” (fregio del cervio), and a frieze at the Porta del Perdono are especially mentioned.

The work visible here now is wholly a restoration; but Federighi’s Seven Ages may be seen nearly complete in the Museum of the Opera, together with part of the frieze of stags. Fragments of the other friezes and borders are also to be found, laid down outside the north aisle of the Cathedral, in the little courtyard between it and the present Palace of the Archbishop.

Federighi’s work, when removed (1869–1878), was replaced by the fine copy, which we now see, executed by Leopoldo Maccari and Giuseppe Radicchi. The cost of restoration, at this date, of the entire angle amounted to 22,254 lire 26 c.

There is no record of any early work ever having existed between this design and the destroyed Porta, which probably stood nearly on the same spot as the doorway of the present Cappella del Voto. Perhaps the erection of this newer archway created a wider space. However this may have been, designs for the four Theological Virtues, Religion, Faith, Hope, and Charity were made by Carlo Amidei, and executed here by Matteo Pini117 in 1780. These designs were not admired, and, moreover, did not stand the wear of time as the older work had done. They were, therefore, removed in 1870, and replaced by entirely new designs, made by Professor Alessandro Franchi, and executed, under his direction, by Leopoldo Maccari.

Before commencing the description of the last two sections of the Pavement, I must remind my reader once more, that, after a great part of it had been laid down, an important radical change took place in the interior arrangements of the Duomo.

Up to the commencement of the sixteenth century the great High Altar, glorified by Duccio’s grand Maestà, stood in the centre of the Cathedral, under the Cupola. This part, therefore, of the floor was not decorated. But, on the other hand, that above the steps, where the Choir and Altar now are, was so adorned.

By the advice of Baldassare Peruzzi, Capo-maestro in 1532, the whole arrangement was changed. In accordance with his plans, and under his direction, Choir and Altar were moved further east, and placed in the position that they now occupy.

Of the original floor decorations, then, all that now remain in situ are the designs in the Choir Ambulatory above-mentioned, and Domenico del Coro’s work, to be described shortly. Fragments of the older work, removed to make way for the alterations, still exist; and, until 1878, were used to fill up three of the hexagons under the Cupola. At that date, as we shall presently see, they were finally removed to the Museum of the Opera, and replaced by modern work of an entirely different character.

Let us now proceed eastwards and examine

9. THE CHOIR AND ALTAR-STEPS.

Before the lowest step of the High Altar, we find one large design, and on either side of it seven small ones; the whole being inclosed by a long processional frieze.

The principal design represents

Abraham’s Sacrifice (No. 56).

The whole story is told in different parts of the picture, culminating in the central group of the Sacrifice itself. The smaller designs represent the following subjects.