PROFESSOR IN BERLIN 315 



narrow streets. The poverty of the present day strikes one 

 acutely in contrast with the mighty remains of former splendours. 

 It has much more character than Pisa ; the works of art remind 

 one of the Pisan School, especially the Duomo, the facade of 

 which dates from Giovanni Pisano, but is far more beautiful 

 and richer than that of the Duomo at Pisa. It also has black 

 bands, but is covered with a wealth of the finest sculptural 

 ornament, which is well proportioned, with fine red marble 

 inlaid between. Inside there is a pulpit by Niccolo Pisano, 

 father of Giovanni, which recalls the one in the Baptistery at 

 Pisa, but is less finely modelled. The interior, which is also 

 banded, and decorated with fine belts of colour in the roof, is 

 paved with some marvellous graffiti, in white marble, with black 

 outlines, and with grey, yellow, and red marble introduced in 

 places. The drawing of these is wonderfully perfect, and the 

 effect is most remarkable, though they have been much damaged 

 in places by people walking on them. Besides the Duomo 

 there are many interesting palaces, nearly all stamped with the 

 black lozenges of the Pitti and Strozzi of Florence. One sees 

 these at every turn. An enormous quantity of pictures has 

 accumulated everywhere, mostly in the ancient style, some badly 

 preserved, so that the colour has perished, and one can only 

 reconstruct them from the quiet, friendly faces. Among the 

 later ones, however, Sodoma and Beccafumi almost come up 

 to Raphael. Of the former, one can only get unsatisfactory 

 glimpses elsewhere : he is skilled in fresco, is less dignified than 

 Raphael, and does not possess his great dramatic power, but 

 his figures might often pass for Raphael's, and have a very 

 pleasing expression. To do justice to Siena, one needs more 

 knowledge of the history of art than I possess at present . . . the 

 Piazza in front of the Palazzo Pubblico is also very characteristic. 

 The Palazzo reminds one of the Doges' Palace at Venice, but is 

 more antique and less stately. The Piazza, in front of it has the 

 form and depth of an ancient semicircular theatre, the whole 

 diameter being occupied by the Palace. The rooms inside are 

 very large, and contain a number of pictures, mostly of the early 

 masters, and half obliterated/ 



After a short stay in Rome, he hastened on to Naples, which 

 was new to him : 



' I really am in Naples now, and Nature here is incredibly 



