Page:The painters of Florence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century (1915).djvu/282

238 Hospital of the Innocents, on a larger scale. Here the Coliseum and pyramid of Cestius are seen in the distance, rising amidst the domes and spires of a populous city, on the banks of a broad river, crowded with ships and barges, and Ghirlandajo's head appears to the left of the graceful Renaissance pilaster, which supports the temple. Four angels, throned on the clouds, sing the Gloria from an open scroll, and two little white-robed Innocents, with sword-cuts in their heads, and glories round their brows, are presented to the Virgin by the Baptist and Evangelist. The Visitation, in the Louvre, was ordered by Lorenzo Tornabuoni for his chapel in the church of Cestello, and begun by the master in 1491, but evidently finished by his assistants. In the same year Ghirlandajo was chosen, together with Botticelli, to design mosaics for the Chapel of St. Zenobius in the Duomo, but the work was never executed, owing to the death of Lorenzo de' Medici a few months afterwards. Two years before, our master had designed the mosaic of the Annunciation over one of the Cathedral doors, and took great pleasure in the work, saying that mosaic was painting for eternity. The same indefatigable energy prompted him to undertake tasks of the most varied description. Even the candelabra of the Duomo were sent to his shop to be gilded and decorated, and he told his assistants jestingly that they must never refuse an order, were it only one for the hoops of a peasant-girl's basket.

As might be expected, Ghirlandajo painted many admirable panel-portraits, several of which are still in existence. Among the finest are those of his