124 115 of the Baptistery of the Duomo - the richest piece of colour decoration I have yet seen in Italy - a square building carrying a cupola, filled by 5 inches of Paradise - about 40 figures in each, larger of course at circumference. Christ in the centre: the whole one sphere of effulgence: the canopy worked in Venetian way with leaf and rose on the ogee of fig 1 which forms the round arch of the main spar; supported by pinnacles with pahnnels full of leafage, and on leaf brackets: the gable above having two angels in medallioin but most g[f]loriously surrounded by painted angels on the flat surface so that the medallion in intaglio only gives vigour to and centralisez the group - the flat ground all gold - the angels in grey robes; golden glories floating upwards on each side of the arch, and all these How opposedthis placing of colour to the Elgian placing light colours being put on the face; deep colour with of relief the highest in the shade - the leaves in the blue put under the canopy in the shade! Here also a panels are all gilded in one of the tombs of St curious paintings from the Revelations - the beast Antonio they have had exquisite blue ground. with seven heads and 10 crowns - drawn as bps mitres the locusts very clever: The walls occupied by the life of Christ far finer in colour and crowd than anything I have yet seen as decoration; nor despicable in higher qualities. The crucifixion especially fine, and much of the landscape Verona Romanesque Comparing the arabesques and sculpture of the Duomo here with St Marks, the first thing that strikes me is the low relief - the second the greater motion and spirit, with infinitely less
[Version 0.05: May 2008]