CUAF. II.

ITALIAN.
137
courts of these palaces are usually sunouiuled by columns or
arcades, and tlieir ulterior is
scarcely ever Indicated by tlie external distribution. I'Voin among
tlie extraordinary palaces
with whir'.i Florence abounds, we place before the reader the exciuisite
fa9ade of t'"-"
V^""
doWiu: palace, the design whereof
(^iV.
166'.) is attributed to the divine llatlaelle d'Urbuio.
Ill- it almost all the requisites of street architecture are displayed. It is an example
wherein the principles of that style are so admirably developed, as to induce us to recom-
mend it, in conjunction with the facade of the Farnese palace hereafter given, to the
elaborate study of the young architect.
S.'iO. Without further allusion to the double cupola of the Duoino, already noticed,
the first of its si)ecies, and the prototyi)e of that of St. Peter's at Rome afterwards reared
by Michael Angelo, the principles and character of the Florentine school are not so
manifest in its churches as in its jjalaces. These nevertheless possess great interest
;
for
ihey were tiie bases un which those of the Roman school were formed, as well as of those
examples which, willi different degrees of purity, were afterwards erected in many of the
capitals of Eur()i)e.
Besides the plan of tlie Duomo, those of St. Michule, Sta. Maddelina,
St. Tancrazio, St. Lorenzo, and St. Sjiirito, are the key to all excellence in modern art, as
lespects real church architecture. It is unfortunate that of this school few of the churches
have been finished, so that their fafades are generally imperfect. The interior was pro-
perly, with them, a matter to be first considered and brouglit to perfection.
;5;Jl. Amongst the many extraordinary architects of the Florentine school, whereof a
list will hereafter be given, was Bartolomeo Ammanati, whose bridge,
"
Jella Santisxima
Triuitci" sufficiently proves that the greatness of the Florentine school does not alone
depend on its palaces and churches. This, one of the most beautiful examples, as well
for design as constructive science, in which was obtained for the waters of the Arno a
maximum of waterway, combined with a beauty of form inappreciable through grajihic
means, still strides the river of Florence, to attest the consummate skill of Ammanati.
Tile bridge in question consists of three arches : the middle one is 96 ft. span, and each of the
others 86 ft. ; the width of the piers is 26 ft. 9 in., and the breadth of the bridge between
tiie parapets is 33 ft. The arches are very slightly pointed, the cusp being hidden by the
rams' heads sculptured on the keystones ;
their rise above the springing is very little,
hence they have been mistaken by some writers for cycloidal arches. Alfonso and Giulio
Pario-i, who assisted in constructing the work, left an account of the mode in which it was
carried on, and the manuscript is still preserved in the Florentine Library. IMore recently,
a description of this bridge has been published by Ferroni, under the title of
"
Delia vera
Curva degli Archi del Ponte della Santissima Trinita di Firenze." The Pitti palace had
been begun in the time of Brunelleschi, in 1435, for Luca Pitti, a wealthy citizen of Florence.
Remaining long unfinished, it was at last sold to Eleonora, wife of Cosmo I., who jiur-
cliased the adjoining ground, and jdanted the Boboli Gardens. About the middle of the
16th century, Nicolo 13racciani, surnamed Tribolo, made designs for finishing the building;
and was succeeded by Bernardo Buontalenti. After him came our Ammanati, who lel't
other designs for finishing, which was accomplished by Alfonso and Giulio Parigi. It is
now the residence of the grand duke, and has served as a model for imitation to many modern
architects, though there is in it much to condemn. The details, however, and proportions
of the orders used in it by Ammanati, are very beautiful. This architect died in 1586, at
the age of seventy-five. He was a pupil of Baccio Bandinelli, and during his life composed
a large work, entitled La Ci/ld, which contained designs for all the fabrics belonging to
a regular and well-arranged city, Iieginning with the gates, then proceeding to the palaces
pf the prince and magistrates, the churches, the fountains, the sijuares, the loggia for the