CHAPTER VIII 



VENICE— CRIVELLI TO VERONESE 



Crivelli, The National Gallery contains useful examples of the 



brilliant and finished work of Carlo Crivelli. The tail 

 of the gorgeous peacock in the Annunciation is almost 

 as solidly painted as the architecture. The perches for 

 the doves will be noticed and the kind of cage then in 

 use. Sacchetti has an amusing story which illustrates 

 the passion for keeping birds which prevailed in his 

 time and the eagerness with which strange pets were 

 sought for. 



A certain Marquis Aldobrandino commissioned an 

 innkeeper, Basso della Penna, to procure him a bird in 

 a cage. He wanted something quite uncommon, none 

 of your linnets and goldfinches, and a good songster. 

 The innkeeper, having people from all countries passing 

 through his house, would be likely to hear of anything 

 really interesting and unusual. Basso, seeing his way 

 to a little joke at the Marquis' expense, had a large cage 

 made, in which he caused himself to be conveyed to the 



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