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of the Baptistery of the Duomo - the richest piece of
colour decoration I have yet seen in Italy - a square
building carrying a cupola, filled by 5 inches of
Paradise - about 40 figures in each, larger of course
at circumference. Christ in the centre: the whole one
sphere of effulgence: the canopy worked in Venetian
way with leaf and rose on the ogee of fig 1 which
forms the round arch of the main spar; supported by
pinnacles with pahnnels full of leafage, and on leaf
brackets: the gable above having two angels in medallioin
but most g[f]loriously surrounded by painted angels on the
flat surface so that the medallion in intaglio only
gives vigour to and centralisez the group - the flat
ground all gold - the angels in grey robes; golden glories
floating upwards on each side of the arch, and all these
How opposedthis placing of colour to the Elgian placing light colours being put on the face; deep colour with
of relief the highest in the shade - the leaves in the blue put under the canopy in the shade! Here also a
panels are all gilded in one of the tombs of St curious paintings from the Revelations - the beast
Antonio they have had exquisite blue ground. with seven heads and 10 crowns - drawn as bps mitres
the locusts very clever: The walls occupied by the life
of Christ far finer in colour and crowd than anything I
have yet seen as decoration; nor despicable in higher
qualities. The crucifixion especially fine, and much
of the landscape
Verona Romanesque Comparing the arabesques and sculpture of the
Duomo here with St Marks, the first thing that strikes
me is the low relief - the second the greater motion and
spirit, with infinitely less
[Version 0.05: May 2008]