h of S. Miniato del Monte, deviated
widely from this model and from this excellent style. This work was
carried out in honour of the conversion of the blessed Giovanni
Gualberto, citizen of Florence and founder of the congregation of the
monks of Vallombrosa, because these and many other works erected
afterwards are not to be compared for excellence to those two
buildings. The art of sculpture experienced a similar fate because
all the masters of the time who were then working in Italy, as has
been said in the preface to the lives, were very rude. This may be
seen in many places, but especially in S. Bartolommeo of the regular
canons at Pistoia where there is a pulpit very rudely executed by
Guido da Como, containing the beginning of the life of Jesus Christ,
with these words inscribed there by the artist himself in the year
1199:

"Sculptor laudatur, quod doctus in arte probatur,
Guido da Como me cunctis carmine promo."

But to return to S. Giovanni, I pass by the history of its foundation
because that has been written by Giovanni Villani and other authors,
and, as I have already remarked that the good architecture in use
to-day is derived from that building, I will now add that, to judge
by appearances, the tribune is of a later date. At the time when
Alesso Baldovinetti, succeeding the Florentine painter Lippo,
repaired the mosaics it appeared as if it had anciently been painted
in red, the designs being executed on the stucco. Now Andrea Tafi and
Apollonius the Greek, in their scheme for the decoration of the
tribune, divided it into compartments. Starting from the top of the
vault next to the lantern these became gradually larger until they
reached the cornice below. The upper part is divided into rings
representing various subjects. The first contains all the ministers
and performers of the Divine will, such as the Angels, Archangels,
Cherubim, Seraphim, Dominions, Principalities, Powers. The second, in
which the mosaics are executed in the Byzantine style, are the
principal acts of God from the creation of light to the flood. The
circle underneath this which descends with increased space to the
eight faces of the tribune contains the history of Joseph and his
twelve brethren. These are followed by other spaces of the same size
and a like situation containing the life of Jesus Christ in mosaic
from the Conception of Mary to the Ascension. Next, following the
same order, under the three friezes, is