Round the whole of the nave two sets or series of mosaics are arranged which, beginning at the Flood, illustrate different episodes in biblical history. Forty-two scenes are depicted in the nave and ten in each aisle which deal with our Lord's life as well as themes from the Old Testament. At the west end is a mosaic of S. Castrense, Monreale's tutelar saint, casting out a devil, and also walking on the sea.
Comparing these wonderful decorations with those at Ravenna and in S. Mark's, one may at first be more impressed with the apparent magnificence of the scheme which we find here. The cathedral is larger than any of Ravenna's churches, and has this advantage over S. Mark's, that one is better able here to grasp at once the whole idea of the colour scheme. In S. Mark's one sits and quietly discovers things at leisure. At Monreale one enters and is immediately overpowered by the magnificence of the dull gold tesseræ and the gorgeous arrangement of the sequence of figures which, like a flash, strike one at first sight. Ravenna can show us better schemes of colour, subtler and more refined. Ravenna gives us earlier work, and work more naïve, and is for this reason more attractive and interesting. But it must be admitted that in no other building of the kind is one impelled to stop suddenly and catch one's breath, as when first entering Monreale's great basilica.
Eight bays divide the nave from the aisles. Their stilted arches are supported by granite monoliths. The capitals of these are pure Corinthian, and Corinthian with cornucopiæ volutes and medallion heads. Above the abacus of each capital is the simple Norman bowl capital inlaid with rich mosaic. It is from these that the glorious colour-scheme springs—above and around, the eye finds nothing but mosaic. The lower portion of the walls of the aisles is composed of marble slabs separated from one another by inlay of Moorish design. In the north chancel aisle are the tombs of Roger, Duke of Apulia, and Henry, Prince of Capua, two sons of William the Bad. In the south chancel aisle are the tombs of William the Good and William II. Just as Palermo's cathedral is a fit resting-place for the remains of some of the Norman kings, so is this grand fabric for the bodies of those of the same royal line who here repose in peace.
Adjoining the cathedral, on the south side, is all that is left of the original Benedictine monastery. The celebrated cloisters, of which we speak, are more Arab than Norman, and more infidel than Christian in their architecture. The two flat members of the Moorish arches are decorated with black tufa lozenges and spearheads. The coupled columns are nowhere approached in beauty and delicacy, save in S. Paolo fuori at Rome. Arabesques cover some of them; all were at one time richly inlaid with mosaic. Some are chevroned, others of lozenge pattern, or billeted, or twisted and spiral. Their capitals are one and all of extreme interest. One shows on its carved surface Norman knights in chain mail engaged in combat with Saracens; another, Roman gladiators slaying Christian victims. Birds, beasts, and subjects from the Old Testament, intricate foliage and vines add to a variety which is not to be found anywhere else in the cloistered courts of Italy. The illustration gives a corner of this beautiful spot where a fountain splashes and plays, adding to the delights of a well-kept garden and the sweet scent of flowers.
INDEX: [A], [B], [C], [D], [E], [F], [G], [H], [J], [K], [L], [M], [N], [O], [P], [Q], [R], [S], [T], [U], [V], [W], [Z]
Ahrler, Heinrich, [9]
Alberti, Leo Battista, [93], [195]
Alexander II, [170]
Alexander III., [67]
Alfred the Great, [21]
Amalfi, [280]
Ambrose, S., [13]
Angelico, Fra, [197], [236], [255]
Angelo, Michael, [136], [188], [191-3], [223], [236], [244], [247-8], [252]
Antelami, Benedetto, [141]
Antenor, [49]
Anthony, S., [49]
Ariosto, [101]
Arnulphus, [15]
Assisi, Church of S. Maria, [211-13];
cathedral, [214];
general description, [214-15]
Attila, [7]
Augustine, S., [18-19]
Augustus, [107]
Baldus, [57]
Bank of Genoa, [148-9]
Barbarossa, Frederick, [67]
Bastianino, [103]
Bellagio, [2]
Bellini, [25]
Benedict XI., [205]
Benedict XIV., [250]
Benenato, [164]
Bergamo, cathedral, [24-26];
other buildings, [23-24], 27
Bernardino, S., [202], [204], [224]
Bernardone, Giovanni, [215]
Bernini, [243], [246-7]
Bisone, Bono da, [139]
Boethius, [21]
Bologna, Giovanni da, [126]
Bologna, history, [123-5];
cathedral, [130-1];
other buildings, [125-9], [131-6];
university, 133
Bonannus, [160], [164]
Bonaventure, Nicholas, [10]
Borromeo, S. Charles, [10-12]
Borsi, Pier, [181]
Bouillon, Godfrey de, [145]
Bramante, [4], [9], [17], [126], [244]
Breakspeare, Nicholas, [248]
Brescia, Roman remains, [29-30];
la Rotunda, [30-31];
Duomo Nuovo, [31-32];
other buildings, [32-33]
Browning, Robert, [81]
Brunelleschi, [186], [194], [196]
Bruni, Leonardo, [193]
Burlammachi, Francesco, [169]
Busketus, [159]
Byron, [109], [166]
Cadenabbia, [2]
Caedwalla, [253]
Cæsar, Julius, [91], [170]
Caligula, [261]
Calvin, [101]
Camaldoli, [275]
Cambio, Arnolfo di, [183], [187], [189], [194], [222]
Capri, [265], [277]
Carabelli, [9]
Caretti, Ilaria, [173]
Carracci, [130-1]
Carrara family, [51]
Catherine, S., [224]
Cellini, Benvenuto, [184], [248]
Ceolfrid, [192]
Charlemagne, [39], [115], [242]
Charles V., [130], [230]
Chiusi, [202]
Cimabue, [196], [213]
Clement VII., [230]
Colleoni, [26]
Columbus, [150]
Como, history, [1-2];
cathedral, [2-4];
town hall, [4-5];
industries, 5
Constantine the Great, [241], [243], [250], [253]
Correggio, [137], [139], [140], [142]
Dante, [37], [49], [109], [180], [185], [193]
Diotisalvi, [162], [165]
Dominic, S., [134-5]
Donatello, [52], [55], [58], [77], [166], [181], [185], [194], [223], [252]
Donizetti, [27]
Doria, Filippo, [154]
Ducci, Agostino, [203]
Duccio da Siena, [196]
Embrianco, Guglielmo, [145], [151]
Enzio, [124], [127], [135]
Este family, [99-101]
Fabris, Emilie di, [187]
Fanti, General, [200]
Farnese family, [138]
Felsina, [125]
Ferrara, history, [99-100];
cathedral, [101-4]
Florence, general description, [179-82];
Palazzo Vecchio, [182-4];
Campanile, [186-7];
cathedral, [187-9];
Baptistery, [189-90];
other buildings, [184-186], [190-8]
Fiesole, Mino da, [206]
Foix, Gaston de, [108]
Francis of Assisi, S., [211-2], [215-6]
Francis II., King of Naples, [266]
Frederick II., Emperor, [57]
Frediano, S., [170], [174]
Fuga, [289]
Gaddi, Agnolo, [194]
Gaddi, Taddeo, [186]
Galileo, [57], [164]
Gambara, [140]
Garibaldi, [156], [207]
Genoa, history, [145];
general description, [146-8];
cathedral, [151-4];
churches, [154-6];
palaces, [148-51];
rivalry with Pisa, 166
Ghiberti, [189]
Giaconda, Fra, [36]
Giotto, [49], [52], [58], [186], [194], [198], [213], [248]
Giovanni, Fra, [58]
Giudetto, [171], [176]
Giugni, [175]
Glycon, [267]
Gozzoli, [165]
Grail, Holy, [145]
Gregory the Great, [283]
Guiscard, Robert, [279-80]
Hadrian, [262]
Hauteville, Roger de, [291]
Hecuba, Queen of Cyprus, [212]
Januarius, S., [268-9]
Julius II., [244-5]
Julius III., [201]
Ketterick, John, [194]
Lanfranc, [21]
Leo XIII., [205]
Leopardi, Alessandro, [77]
Lombardi, Martino, [77]
Lombards, [126], [129], [136]
Lucca, history, [169-70];
cathedral, [170-3];
other buildings, [173-8]
Luini, Bernardino, [4]
Lurago, Rocco, [150]
Malatesta family, [93-98]
Matthew, S., [282]
Mazzuola, [140]
Medici family, [12], [183], [190-3], [197-8]
Mehemet Ali, [254]
Michelozzo, [183]
Milan, history, [7], [15];
cathedral, [8-12];
Church of S. Ambrose, [12-15]
Mino, Giacomo di, [223]
Misericordia, Compagnia della, [181-2]
Monreale, [299-303]
Montaldo, Leonardo, [155]
Morone, Andrea, [51]
Myrra, [154]
Naples, history, [265-6];
museum, [267];
cathedral, [268-269];
other buildings, [270-5];
general description, [275-7]
Nero, [263]
Nesso, [1]
Nicodemus, [173]
Offamilio, Gualterio, [287]
Orsini, Niccolo, [75]
Orvieto, general description, [229-31], [236-8];
cathedral, [231-6]
Pacifico, Beato, [79]
Padua, history, [49];
cathedral, [50];
university, [57];
other buildings, [50-59]
Palermo, general description, [285-8], [299];
cathedral, [288-292];
Cappella Palatina, [292-295];
other buildings, [295-303]
Palladio, [33], [82]
Parma, history, [138];
cathedral, [138-141];
Baptistery, [141-2]
Parmesan cheese, [22]
Paul III., [200]
Pavia, history, [17];
cathedral, [17-19];
other buildings, [20-21]
Pellegrini, [10], [11]
Pepo, [133]
Perugia, general description, [199], [208-9];
cathedral, [200-3];
churches, [203-6];
other buildings, [206-8]
Perugino, [206-7]
Petrarch, [50]
Piacenza, Bartolino da, [142]
Piacenza, Giovanni da, [143]
Pietro, Lorenzo di, [222]
Pisa, general description, [157];
cathedral, [158-62];
Baptistery, [162-4];
other buildings, [164-7]
Pisano, Andrea, [189]
Pisano, Giovanni, [205], [219-20], [222], [232]
Pisano, Niccolo, [53], [135-6];
[163], [165-6], [177], [199], [221-2], 232
Piscopia, Elena, [57]
Pius IV., [11]
Polo, Marco, [146]
Porta, Guglielmo della, [248]
Procida, John of, [282]
Puccio, Pietro di, [235]
Quercia, Jacopo della, [129]
Quercia, Giacomo della, [223]
Raphael, [231], [256]
Ravenna, history, [107-8];
mosaics, [109-13], [115-7];
cathedral, [113-5];
other buildings, [118-21]
Reggio, Niccolo da, [142]
Reni, Guido, [135]
Ricchini, [12]
Riccio, Andrea, [55]
Rienzi, [253]
Rimini, history, [91-3];
cathedral, [93-8]
Robbia, Della, [174], [186], [188], [197]
Rocci, Cristoforo, [17]
Rodario, [2-3]
Romana, Ezzelino da, [141]
Romano, Giulio, [9]
Rome, general description, [239-41];
S. Peter's, [243-9];
Colosseum, [250];
S. John Lateran, [251-3];
other buildings, [241-3], [253-63]
Rossi, Alessandro, [41]
Rusca, [9]
Salerno, history, [279-80];
cathedral, [280-4]
San Marino, [98]
Sanmicheli, [36], [40], [45], [55]
Sansovino, [33], [54], [62]
Savonarola, [182], [184], [197]
Scaligeri, [37-9]
Siena, general description, [217], [227-8];
cathedral, [218-23];
other buildings, [223-7]
Signorelli, Luca, [235-6]
Spazi, [2]
Talenti, Francesco, [186]
Tasso, [101], [145]
Terribilia, [126]
Theodoric, [108], [120]
Thomas Aquinas, S., [273], [279]
Tiberius, [179], [265]
Titian, [66]
Tivoli, [249]
Torcello, [86-90]
Tours, [14]
Trent, Council of, [11]
Tribolo, [128-9]
Ugolino, [235]
Varenna, [2]
Vasari, [166], [188], [193]
Venice, S. Mark's, [62-73];
Church of SS. Giovanni and Paolo, [73-7];
of the Frari, [77-9];
Doge's palace, [82-5];
other buildings, [61-2], [79-82], [85-6]
Verona, history, [35-7];
cathedral, [39-41];
other buildings, [36-38], [41-7]
Verrochio, Andrea, [77], [184]
Vinci, L. da, [9], [77]
Visconti, Gian Galeazzo, [9], [17]
Wolvinius, [13]
Zeno, S., [43]
Zenobius, St., [188]
Zuccaro, [188]
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