THE BAPTISTERY MOSAICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20781, 29 July 1929, Page 12

THE BAPTISTERY MOSAICS.

MOST FAMOUS CEILING IN FLORENCE. WORK OF ITALY'S GREATEST ARTISTS. The mosaic pictures- in the famous ceiling of the Baptistery, at Florence, can now lip dearly seen after being but dimly visible -fiftO ‘years. Only at noon on dear days could they he Veil seek because the building, like all early churches, was so badly lighted, A great deal of money and time has been spent to make these mosaics to tlte naked eye. Twenty-tli.rcc electric lamps, cadi of 400 candle-power, with reflectors, have been hidden'in the win* dows of tho cupola, 'Xo light is visible from below, only the illumined ceiling. The Baptistery is' one or the most ancient little nlmrchcs in Christendom. It is octagonal in shape and measures only 90 feet in diameter. The outer walls arc faced with black and white marble. The celebrated bronze doors were made by Ghiberti about the beginning of the fifteenth century. One of them is the famous pair of which Michael Angelo said that it was worthy to be the Gate of Paradise.- 0 About 129 ft Arnolfo di Cambio rebuilt the interior roofing, probably from the model of the Pantheon, and started the mosaic pictures. The church had been restored many times since its first building about the seventh century. By 1290 its use as n parish church had ceased and it was called the Baptistery, as it has been called ever since. Every child bom in Florence is supposed to be christened in the little church. The mosaics took about ](JQ years to finish, and some of the greatest artists in Italy joined at the labour. The pictures of the mosaics are taken from the Bible.