376 Route 53. FLORENCE. Palazzo Vecchio.
down to 1873 the famous statue of David by Michael Angelo, which
is now in the Academy (p. 417), stood here. On the right is a
group of Hercules and Cacus by Michael Angelo's rival Baccio Ban-
dinelli, who hoped to excel the great master in this work (p. liii).
The two insignificant statues by Bandinelli and Rossi on each side
of the entrance were used as chain-bearers.
The outer Court was constructed by Michelozzo in 1454. The elabor¬
ate decorations of the columns and the arabesques on the ceiling were
added by Marco da Faenza in 1565, from which period also date the faded
views of Austrian towns. In the centre, above a large basin of porphyry,
is a *Boy with a fish as a fountain-figure, by Verrocchio, originally made
for a villa of Lorenzo de1 Medici. At the back are Samson and a Philis¬
tine by Rossi (the latter being a caricature of Michael Angelo). The ar¬
morial bearings above the colonnade include those of Florence (lily),
the People (cross), the Parte Guelfa (eagle), and the Medici (balls), and
the combined colours (red and white) of Florence and Fiesole.
Interior. On the First Floor is the Great Hall (Sala del Consiglio,
or dei Cinquecento), constructed in 1495 for the Council, which had been
enlarged by Savonarola's partisans. It was to have been decorated with
frescoes from the celebrated cartoons of the 'Cavalry Skirmish' by
Leonardo, and the 'Bathing Soldiers' by Michael Angelo (1504). The walls
are adorned with historical frescoes by Vasari and others, and with por¬
trait-statues of the Medici by Rossi and Caccini. From 1860 to 1869 this
hall was used for the sittings of the Italian Chamber. The colossal
marble Statue of Savonarola, by PassagHo, was placed here in 1881. To
the left of the staircase is a small but fine marble doorway (15th cent.),
leading into a small ante-chamber (Madonna in mosaic over the doorway),
whence we enter the Sala dei Dugento (1411), with a ceiling by Michel¬
ozzo, marble doors, and a series of scenes from the history of Joseph in
tapestry, from drawings by Bronzino. — The 'Quartiere di Leone X.' (private
apartments of the Medici) are not always shown to the public. — On the
Second Floor is the Sala de1 Gigli with beautiful door-posts in marble
by Benedetto da Majano, to whom the intarsias of Dante and Petrarch on
the wings of the door are also ascribed. The frescoes are by Domenico
Ghirlandajo , and represent St. Zenobius and heroes of a Roman history,
in a fine architectural framework. A very handsome door adorned with
intarsia work (portraits of Dante and Petrarch) and enclosed in a fine
marble framework by Benedetto da Majano now leads into the Sala d'Udi-
enza, which contains frescoes by Salviati (story of Camillus). Above the
door is a statuette of Peace. Then the Cappella de' Priori di S. Ber¬
nardo, with a ceiling painted in imitation of mosaic by Rid. Ghirlandajo,
and a crucifix over the altar attributed to Giov. da Bologna. — Adjoining
the Sala de' Gigli are the Sala delle Carte Geografiche and a room adorned
with grotesque scenes by Pocetti.
At the N. corner of the edifice is a lion in marble, a modern
copy of the original in bronze by Donatello, known as 11 Marzocco,
and now preserved in the Museo Nazionale (p. 401). To the left is
the *Great Fountain with Neptune and Tritons, erected by Barto¬
lommeo Ammanati under Cosimo I. (1564-75). The fountain oc¬
cupies the site of the stake at which Savonarola and two other
Dominican monks were burned on 23rd May, 1498. Adjoining it
is the Equestrian Statue of Cosimo I. (PI. E, 5) in bronze, with
bas-reliefs, by Giovanni da Bologna, 1594. — Opposite the statue
is the *Palazzo Uguccione, with a rustica lower story and coupled
pilasters between the windows, erected about 1550 from designs
attributed to Raphael.
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