ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 



century the Christian traditions of mediaeval ages 

 still influenced the form of sepulchral monuments, 

 and found expression in the statues of angels watching 

 by the dead man's bier, and in the bas-reliefs of the 

 Annunciation and the Resurrection that were carved 

 on altar-tombs. But by the close of the century a 

 change of style became evident, and the increasing 

 realism of the age made itself felt in this branch of 

 monumental art. To represent the dead as nearly 

 as possible as they appeared in their last sleep, clad 

 in the robes or armour in which they were carried to 

 their burial , became the sculptor's aim, the object 

 upon which his highest skill was lavished. Then 

 Lodovico Sforza, in his grief and remorse at his 

 wife's death, bade II Gobbo carve the fair face and 

 form of the young duchess wearing the rich brocades 

 and jewels in which she had been borne to her last 

 resting-place. Then Amadeo's skilful hand designed 

 the marble effigy of the dead girl Medea, in the 

 Colleoni Chapel at Bergamo, with the short locks 

 curling over her innocent brow, and the string of 

 pearls at her throat. Then, too, Agostino Busti 

 represented the youthful victor of Ravenna, Gaston 

 de Foix, lying on a mortuary couch in full armour, 

 clasping his sword to his heart, as he died on the 

 battlefield which he had won for France. 



The same spirit moved the Venetian sculptor when 



250 



