ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 



vanni della Robbia, who, in 1522, was commissioned 

 by the Carthusians to adorn their cloisters with medal- 

 lions representing Prophets, Evangelists, Saints, and 

 Martyrs. These curious heads, executed in classical 

 style and in a great variety of colours, were removed 

 in the last century to the court of the Accademia, and 

 have only recently been restored to their original 

 place in the loggia of the large cloister. Twenty of 

 the series seem to be by Giovanni's own hand, and are 

 full of vigour and character. The other forty-seven 

 are evidently the work of assistants and followers, but 

 are not without a certain interest. Moses and 

 David appear in turbans and Oriental robes, Judas 

 Maccabeus as a knight in armour, St. James wears the 

 pilgrim's cockle-shell, and S. Mary Magdalen is con- 

 spicuous by her noble Greek profile. The four 

 Evangelists evidently executed by Giovanni him- 

 self occupy the angles of the cloister, and a lunette 

 in white and blue terra-cotta, representing S. Lorenzo 

 surrounded by Angels, is to be seen in the small 

 cloister. 



Thus, the Certosa continued to exercise a noble 

 and liberal patronage of art until the monastery was 

 seized and suppressed by the French, on the invasion 

 of Napoleon. Many priceless treasures perished then, 

 and the collections which had been formed with so 



much love and care were scattered by ruthless hands. 



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