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. Tizio[110] 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 altar[114] 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.
ALINARI PHOTO.]
[DESIGNED BY ANTONIO FEDERIGHI