he baptistery is a queer little building at the eastern end of the
south aisle, and one of the entrances to the cathedral is through it.
The font has a bowl and base of variegated marble, like that used at
Veglia, very flat in shape and unmoulded, supported by three _amorini_,
carved in Istrian stone, who stand round the supporting stem. The plan
of the building is cruciform, the arms of the cross being semicircular
niches which have shell-heads. The wall above them has Gothic tracery,
on the eastern side pierced to give light. The ribs at the angles are
supported on engaged columns, above which are Gothic figures beneath
canopies, of which two, David and Simeon, remain; the other two were
destroyed or stolen, I understand, by thieves who broke into the
building. The figures bend forward awkwardly beneath the curve of the
vault, which becomes domical, with angels and cherubs upon it. The boss
in the centre bears a head of God the Father and the Holy Dove, with
an inscription round the edge: "Hic est filius meus," &c.

[Illustration: LATE VENETIAN-GOTHIC DOORWAY, SEBENICO

_To face page 253_]

The question of the part played by Giorgio in the construction of the
cathedral is difficult to decide, being complicated by the mixture of
styles and the possibly later insertion of several of the coats of arms
of the rectors and bishops. The western piers of the crossing are
considered to be part of the earlier work, because of the close
resemblance of the carved foliage to Venetian-Gothic ornament; but it
must be remembered that Giorgio was trained in Venice, just as Massegna
was, and would be familiar with such work. Foliage of similar style
occurs in domestic work at Trau, and in other places along the coast, so
that it is scarcely safe to consider it the sign-manual of any one
sculptor. The time from 1441, when he signed a contract for six years,
to 1443 was spent in widening the street to allow of the eastward
extension of the church. On June 16, 1442, the demand for the rebuilding
of the facade of the count's palace (which was on the other side) was
formally made for the bishop, procurators, and chapter. This additional
space was necessitated by the design of the apse, &c., as laid down in
Giorgio's plan, and still existing.[2] The Gothic character of the
domestic doorway illustrated, with the late form of shield in the
tympanum, shows that such forms lingered late in Dalmatia. The same may
be said of the design of the ro