a, and begun in 1498. Like the Riccardi, it
is of three storeys, with a bold projecting cornice. The whole wall is
covered with rusticated masonry; the windows of the lower floor are
small and square; those of the two upper floors are larger and
semicircular headed, and with a shaft acting as a mullion, and
carrying arches which occupy the window head with something like
tracery. The entrance is by a semicircular headed archway. There is a
great height of unpierced wall in the lowest storey and above the
heads of the two upper ranges of windows; and to this and the bold
overhanging cornice, this building, and those like it, owe much of
their dignity and impressiveness. An elevation, such as our
illustration, may convey a fair idea of the good proportion and
ensemble of the front, but it is difficult without actually seeing the
buildings to appreciate the effect produced by such palaces as these,
seen foreshortened in the narrow streets, and with the shadows from
their bold cornices and well-defined openings intensified by the
effect of the Italian sun.

[Illustration: FIG. 61.--STROZZI PALACE AT FLORENCE. (BEGUN 1489.)]

Many excellent palatial buildings belong to the end of the fifteenth
century. One among them is attributed to Bramante (who died 1513), a
Florentine, whom we shall meet with in Rome and elsewhere. The
Guadagni Palace has an upper storey entirely open, forming a sheltered
loggia, but it is mentioned here chiefly on account of the
decorations incised on its walls by the method known as Sgraffito.
Part of the plain wall is covered in this way with decorative designs,
which appear as though drawn with a bold line on their surface. An
example of this decoration will be found in our illustration (Fig.
62), representing a portion of the Loggia del Consiglio at Verona.

The series of great Florentine palaces closes with a charming example,
the Pandolfini, designed by the great Raphael, and commenced in
1520--in other words, in the first quarter of the sixteenth century.

This palace is only one of many instances to be found in Italy of the
skill in more walks of art than one, of some of the greatest artists.
Raphael, though best known as a painter, executed works of sculpture
of great merit, and designed some other buildings besides the one now
under notice. The Pandolfini Palace (Fig. 63) is small, the main
building having only four windows in the front and two storeys in
height, with a low one-storey si