Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 4).djvu/248

 beauty lies in the very minute and accurate workmanship, which is seen at its best under close scrutiny; whereas to see the Negroli's work at its best we must stand back from the object so that a broader view may be had of the ornamentation, when its perfect balance and beauty of composition will at once strike the eye. In the centre of this shield in the boldest relief, worked upon a superimposed plate, are the wings and head of the fabled Medusa, the hair dishevelled and intertwined with serpents. This central motif is surrounded by a formal laurel wreath, which again is encircled by three concentric bands. That nearest to the laurel is narrow with an even surface, but enriched with fine silver and gold azzimina damascening; the second band, for greater contrast, has a black unpolished surface, showing in places the hammer marks; the outermost band is enriched with a laurel wreath altogether smaller than that surrounding the Medusa's head, and is, like the first band, decorated with damascened work in which stand out medallion motifs, now much worn, but originally incrusted with gold, containing the following emblems: the two-headed eagle, the columns of Hercules, and the accessories of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The middle band is divided into sections, leaving spaces between the mouldings, and in each one of these there is a small diamond-shaped panel, also enriched with adornments in gold, where can be read the following inscription:. The most important inscription the shield bears is, however:. The velvet lining referred to in the ''Relación de Valladolid'' is now lost; but the shield still retains the iron rivets by which it was held. The late Conde de Valencia, in his catalogue of the Royal Armoury of Madrid, is responsible for an admirable description of this shield; but neither its ornamentation nor the date at which it is recorded to have been made enabled him to decide whether or not it formed part of the series of arms which these famous craftsmen, the Negroli, supplied to the Royal Spanish Armoury. As, however, the date, 1541, coincides with that of the entrance of Charles V into Milan on his return from Germany, two possible explanations of its origin may be suggested. It may have been presented to Charles V on this occasion, either by the municipal officers of the city, who wished to congratulate the Emperor on his victories, or by the Marchese del Vasto, who at the time held the chief command in Milan, and who may have given it to the Emperor to mark his appreciation of the honour that Charles had conferred on him by acting as godfather to one of his children.

Perhaps we should make our excuses for giving another work of the