a black band round his neck, is Cristofano Landino; the
figure turning towards him is Demetrius the Greek; and he who is
standing between them, with one hand slightly raised, is Messer Angelo
Poliziano; and all are very lifelike and vivacious. In the second scene,
next to this, there follows the Visitation of Our Lady to S. Elizabeth,
with a company of many women dressed in costumes of those times, among
whom is a portrait of Ginevra de' Benci, then a most beautiful maiden.
In the third, above the first, is the birth of S. John, wherein there
is a very beautiful scene, for while S. Elizabeth is lying in bed, and
certain neighbours come to see her, and the nurse is seated suckling the
infant, one woman is joyfully demanding it from her, that she may show
to the others what an unexampled feat the mistress of the house has
performed in her old age. Finally, there is a woman, who is very
beautiful, bringing fruits and flasks from the country, according to the
Florentine custom. In the fourth scene, next to this, is Zacharias,
still dumb, marvelling--but with undaunted heart--that this child should
have been born to him; and while they keep asking him about the name, he
is writing on his knee, with his eyes fixed on his son, whom a woman who
has knelt down before him is holding reverently in her arms, and he is
tracing with his pen on the paper, "John shall be his name," to the no
little marvel of many other figures, who appear to be in doubt whether
the thing be true or not. There follows in the fifth his preaching to
the multitude, in which scene there is shown that attention which the
populace ever gives when hearing new things, particularly in the heads
of the Scribes, who, while listening to John, appear from a certain
expression of countenance to be deriding his law, and even to hate it;
and there are seen many men and women, variously attired, both standing
and seated. In the sixth S. John is seen baptizing Christ, in whose
reverent expression Domenico showed very clearly the faith that should
be placed in such a Sacrament. And since this did not fail to achieve a
very great effect, he depicted many already naked and barefooted,
waiting to be baptized, and revealing faith and willingness carved in
their faces; and one among them, who is taking off his shoe, personifies
readiness itself. In the last, which is in the arch next to the
vaulting, are the sumptuous Feast of Herod and the Dance of Herodias,
with an infinite n