Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/375

* SODOMA. individual quality, his work took color from that master. In 1501 lie was established at Siena, the citj- with which he was chiellj' identified for the remainder of his life. In 1507 or 1508 he visited Eome and was conunissioned by Pope Julius II. to jiaint frescoes in the Camera della Segnatura of the Vatican. Onl.y a fresco on the ceiling remains, all the rest having been removed when he was superseded by Raphael. His rela- tions with Raphael were friendly, however, and he thereafter showed traces of Raphael's artistic influence. Rapliael painted Sodoma's portrait beside his own in "The School of Athens." Sodo- ma visited Rome a second time, where he lived with Agostino Chigi and painted in Chigi's Villa Farnesina the ''Jlarriage of Alexander and Rox- ana," his most beautiful picture of an antique subject, and "Alexander in the Tent of Darius." For his portrait of the Roman Lady Lucretia he ■was made a knight by Leo X. In 1515 he re- turned to Siena, and his movements for the suc- ceeding ten years are but vaguely recorded. From 1525-37 he resided at Siena, where he died Feb- ruary 15, 1549. Sodoma is to be seen at his best in liis frescoes at Siena, where, after his Roman period, he painted a large "Flagellation" for San Francesco, the "Ecstasy" and the "Swoon of Saint Catha- rine" in San Domenico. a "Nativity" in Sant' Agostino. and a large altarpiece in Santo Spirito. In the Convent of jMonte Oliveto, near Siena, is a series of twenty-five scenes from the life of Saint Benedict, belonging to the artist's early period. His panel paintings include a "Saint Sebastian" in the Ulfizi, a perfect representation of "suffer- ing, refined and spiritual, without contortion or spasm;" an "Ascension" at Naples; a "Sacrifice of Abraham" at Pisa; a "Caritas" at Berlin; and a "Leda" in the Borghese Gallery. Rome. So- doma's influence on the Sienese school was very great and resulted in a new manner jiracticed at Siena. The popularity of his work has increased with recent writers. His merits are the power to express tenderness, sensuous grace, and an ex- alted sweetness and sufl'ering. He was often in- ferior in the composition of his pictures, weak in the handling of draperies, and uncertain in the setting-up of individual figures. Consult : Jan- sen, Lcbcii uurl Il'o/.r dcs Malers Gioviiiirintonio Bri~-i roil Vercclli (Stuttgart, 1870): Frizzoni, in Xiioid Antoloc/ia (August, 1871). SODOMY. The unnatur.al carnal intercourse of persons with each other or with beasts; so calleil from the form of vice practiced in the ancient city of Sodom. It is punisheil by death or long terms of imprisonment in all civilized countries. SOEMMERING, ze'mer-ing, S.viruEL Tiiom.s VON (1755-18.30). A German anatomist and physiologist of note, born at Thorn, educated at Gijttingen, and chosen professor of anatomy at Ivlainz in 1784. He defended the theory that the nerves act independently of the braiii. and he considered the brain as not essential to life. His division of the cranial nerves into twelve pairs instead of nine is generally adopted. His princi- pal works were: Dc Buai EiicephuU et Oritiiiiibiis Aervcrum, etc. (1778); Von Him- uiid Riicken- mark (1788); Vom Baue des menschlichcn KOrpcrs (1791); Ueber das Organ der 8eelr (179(1) ; and De Morbis VasoriiiiiAbmrhriitium Coriiorin Huiiiuni, etc. (1795). Consult his 321 SOFIA. biography l>y Strieker! Frankfort-on-.Main. 1802), also Lnnrct. vol. ii.. p. 243 (London. 1S30). For his life consult Wagner (Leipzig, 18441. and Strieker (Frankfort. 18(i2). SOEST^ zest. A town in the Province of Westphalia, Prussia, 34 miles southeast of Aliin- ster (Map: Prussia, C 3). Relics of its niediieval splendors still survive in its churches. Of these the finest is the "Meadow Church," restored in 1850-52. The tenth-century Roinanesciue cathe- dral has excellent mural paintings. The manu- factures include machinery, cigars, tinware, bricks, sugar, and lamps. There are markets for cereals and cattle. In tfie iliddle Ages Soe.st was an important member of the Hanseatic League, and had a population of over 25,000. Its muni- cipal law, the jus Siisatense, was the oldest in Germany and served as the model for the other lni])erial free towns, Liibeck. Hamburg, etc. Pop- ulation, in 1900, 16,724. SOETBEEE,. zet'bar, Adolf (1814-92). A German economist, born at Hamburg. After studying at Giittingen and Berlin he returned to Hamburg, where in 1839 he published a mono- grapli on the customs duties of that city. In 1840 he became librarian, and in 1843 secretary of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, where he laid the foundation of the excellent system of commercial statistics for which Hamburg is still noted. In 1846 he published Denkschrifl iiber Eamburgs Munzverhultnisse. Subsequently he published a great number of monographs and pamphlets, defending the cause of gold mono- metallism. Until his death he ranked as the lead- ing defender of the single gold standard. The adoption of the gold standard by Germany was due in no small measure to his efl'orts. Among his most important works are; Denkschrift betreffend die Eiiifiihruiig der Goldinihriiiifi in DriitschUind (1850); Zur Frage der deutschen Miinzcinheit (1801) ; Beitrdge zur (Sesehiehte des Geld- und Miinzu-esens in Deutsehland (1862) ; Edelmetall- producfion vnd Wertverhultnis zicischen Gold iind Hilber seit der Enidecknng Amerikas bis zur Gegenicart (1879): Uatcrialien zur Erliiuterung ■und Beurteihtng der icirtschaftUchen Edelmetall- verhiillnisse tind der ^y,<ihrungsfragl• (1885). SOFALA, sft-fa'la. A name applied formerly to a considerable part of Portuguese East Africa (q.v. ), but confined at present to a single district under the administration of the Jlozambique Company. The seaport of Sofala. in latitude 20° 10' S., has a population of about 1300. SOFIA, so'fe-a, or SOPHIA (Bulg. Sredetz) . The capital of the Principality of Bulgaria, sit- uated in a plain between the Vitosha Mountains and the main Balkan chain. 206 miles southeast of Belgrade and 300 miles northwest of Constan- tinople (Map: Balkan Peninsula. D 3). It has been largely rebuilt since 1878 and presents the appearance of a modern city with electric light- ing and street railways and creditable public buildings. In old Sofia are the ruined Sofia Mosque, the Mosque of Buyuk-.Tami. now used as a national museum and library, and the vast baths with hot springs. The principal modern buildings are the ])alace of the Prince, the uni- versity buildings, the new cathedral of Saint Alexander, the house of Parliament, and the various administration buihlings. Sofia has a university (founded in 1888) with about 500