Identifier: artofpittipalace1903addi (find matches)
Title: The art of the Pitti Palace : with a short history of the building of the palace, and its owners, and an appreciation of its treasures
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Addison, Julia de Wolf Gibbs, 1866-
Subjects: Palazzo Pitti Painting
Publisher: Boston : L.C. Page
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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rlymeet. These bold arches over the windows con-stitute the leading feature in the impression whichis carried away by most observers who have notbeen specially trained to a study of architecture. The taste displayed in the ground floor windowsis not pleasing, for they are of a thin Renaissancedesign, with pediments^ and are supported on con-soles, between which are carved heads of lions, withwhat are usually called crowns (but which are inreality ducal caps) upon their heads. From theopen mouth of one of these lions flows the purestwater in the city; it comes from the far-away hill-country of Pratolino. It is also unfortunate thatthe exigencies of modern conditions have made itnecessary to fill the dignified arched windows allover the fagade with hideous square inner case-ments and panes. Brunelleschi had planned to haveeach large arch subdivided and filled with twosmaller ones, with a column in the centre as is seenin the Pazzi Palace. Professor Conti has discovered also that all the
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tiiu< < Pi HH OHO I &a Q <: Xuca pttti an5 Ibis palace 27 arches of the basement were originally doors insteadof windows. Among the tests which he appliedwas that of observing the ceilings in the interior.The rooms between these openings have vaultedceilings, while those into which the openings werecut have plain barrel-vaults, showing that doors hadbeen used to give ingress to them direct. On theoutside, too, may still be seen the iron staples onwhich the hinges of the doors used to swing. The three balustrades across the front show de-based Ionic capitals on each baluster. Below thebalustrades are heavy moulded string-courses, whichcast some shadow, but, owing to the length whichthey have to travel, it is hard to realize how greatis really their projection. In the back, or garden-front, as it is often called,of the Pitti Palace, extensive spaces are laid outand enclosed by the great walls of the building.It would seem as if the front of the palace werelavish enough in i

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