l in the cloisters of S. Croce. Of
Ghiberti's Baptistery gates I have said more elsewhere. Enough here
to add that the episode of Abraham and Isaac does not occur in them.

This little room also has a Cassa Reliquiaria by Ghiberti, below a fine
relief by Bertoldo, Michelangelo's master in sculpture, representing
a battle between the Romans and the Barbarians; cases of exquisite
bronzes; the head, in bronze (No. 25), of an old placid, shrewd woman,
executed from a death-mask, which the photographers call Contessina
de' Bardi, wife of Cosimo de' Medici, by Donatello, but which cannot
be so, since the sculptor died first; heads of Apollo and two babies,
over the Ghiberti and Brunelleschi competition reliefs; a crucifixion
by Bertoldo; a row of babies representing the triumph of Bacchus; and
below these a case of medals and plaquettes, every one a masterpiece.

The next room, Sala VII, is apportioned chiefly between Cellini
and Gian or Giovanni da Bologna, the two sculptors who dominate the
Loggia de' Lanzi. Here we may see models for Cellini's Perseus in
bronze and wax and also for the relief of the rescue of Andromeda,
under the statue; his Cosimo I, with the wart (omitted by Bandinelli
in the head downstairs, which pairs with Michelangelo's Brutus);
and various smaller works. But personally I find that Cellini will
not do in such near proximity to Donatello, Verrocchio, and their
gentle followers. He was, of course, far later. He was not born (in
1500) until Donatello had been dead thirty-four years, Mino da Fiesole
sixteen years, Desiderio da Settignano thirty-six years, and Verrocchio
twelve years. He thus did not begin to work until the finer impulses
of the Renaissance were exhausted. Giovanni da Bologna, although he,
it is true, was even later (1524-1608), I find more sympathetic; while
Landor boldly proclaimed him superior to Michelangelo. His "Mercury,"
in the middle of the room, which one sees counterfeited in all the
statuary shops of Florence, is truly very nearly light as air. If ever
bronze floated, this figure does. His cherubs and dolphins are very
skilful and merry; his turkey and eagle and other animals indicate
that he had humility. John of Bologna is best known at Florence by
his Rape of the Sabines and Hercules and Nessus in the Loggia de'
Lanzi; but the Boboli gardens have a fine group of Oceanus and river
gods by him in the midst of a lake. Before leaving this room look at
the relief of Christ in gl