DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42129#0128
56
THE CERTOSA, NEAR PAVIA.
lunettes, spandrils, and soffits. The subject of the Annunciation is repre-
sented in the two spandrils of the great arch—five lunettes occupying
the space above ; in the centre lunette a half figure of the Creator,
surrounded by seraphim, completes the subject of the Annunciation.
The other four lunettes are filled with half figures of Prophets, holding
scrolls of prophecies and tablets for their names. All are painted on a
blue ground representing the sky. The archivolt is decorated with festoons
supported by a series of charming infant angels, and on the keystone is
a figure of the Redeemer in relief. Arabesques, symbolical both in com-
position and colour, fill the two pilasters and the spandrils in the cavetto.
At the bottom of the Plate the plan of the vestibule is given, with an
indication of the compartments in the ceiling. The entrance is to the
right of the spectator.
PLATE IV.
THE NORTH FRONT OF THE VESTIBULE OF THE CERTOSA.
[C, d, OP THE PLAN.]
This Plate offers a more complete view of the paintings of the
vestibule and of their beautiful arrangement. The distribution of the
spaces corresponds on the whole with that of the front ; only, that
whereas the arch is there real, here the arches are painted, in order to
break the architectural masses by the supposed openings to the sky—a
practice which we find successfully employed in every part of this ves-
tibule. Apostles and Saints occupy here the places of the Patriarchs ;
elegant arabesques again fill the spandrils and pilasters, and in the lower
part we have an example of a very tasteful combination of the principal
subject with the surrounding decoration. The sentiment in the historical
compositions, their execution, the intimate connection between them and
the elements of the arabesques which serve for their frame, are most
exquisite, and we have few instances where the brilliancy of the
THE CERTOSA, NEAR PAVIA.
lunettes, spandrils, and soffits. The subject of the Annunciation is repre-
sented in the two spandrils of the great arch—five lunettes occupying
the space above ; in the centre lunette a half figure of the Creator,
surrounded by seraphim, completes the subject of the Annunciation.
The other four lunettes are filled with half figures of Prophets, holding
scrolls of prophecies and tablets for their names. All are painted on a
blue ground representing the sky. The archivolt is decorated with festoons
supported by a series of charming infant angels, and on the keystone is
a figure of the Redeemer in relief. Arabesques, symbolical both in com-
position and colour, fill the two pilasters and the spandrils in the cavetto.
At the bottom of the Plate the plan of the vestibule is given, with an
indication of the compartments in the ceiling. The entrance is to the
right of the spectator.
PLATE IV.
THE NORTH FRONT OF THE VESTIBULE OF THE CERTOSA.
[C, d, OP THE PLAN.]
This Plate offers a more complete view of the paintings of the
vestibule and of their beautiful arrangement. The distribution of the
spaces corresponds on the whole with that of the front ; only, that
whereas the arch is there real, here the arches are painted, in order to
break the architectural masses by the supposed openings to the sky—a
practice which we find successfully employed in every part of this ves-
tibule. Apostles and Saints occupy here the places of the Patriarchs ;
elegant arabesques again fill the spandrils and pilasters, and in the lower
part we have an example of a very tasteful combination of the principal
subject with the surrounding decoration. The sentiment in the historical
compositions, their execution, the intimate connection between them and
the elements of the arabesques which serve for their frame, are most
exquisite, and we have few instances where the brilliancy of the