cherubs' heads; this relief, among the many Della Robbias in various churches and oratories of Prato, is the only one executed by Andrea's hand, and is a beautiful and serious work in the master's late manner. The interior of the church is in the form of a Latin cross, its roof supported by columns of serpentine; at the left is the chapel of the Sacra Cintola, surrounded by a fine bronze grille or screen, wrought by Bruno di Ser Lapo at Lorenzo's order. It is a masterpiece of graceful designs, circles, quatrefoils, wreaths, and acanthus leaves, among which appear tiny figures of cherubs supporting the arms of Prato--a shield powdered with the lilies of Anjou. Over the screen hang thirteen silver lamps of antique form, kept ever alight before the altar, where stands the charming Madonna by Giovanni Pisano and the sculptured ark or chest containing the sacred girdle. On the walls is Angelo Gaddi's painted story of the life and death of the Virgin and the gift of her girdle to St. Thomas. The same subject, splendidly painted by Ridolfo Ghirlandaio, hangs over the great west door. In the nave, amid all this richness of colour, Mino da Fiesole's beautiful marble pulpit shines out with its delicately sculptured reliefs, supported on serpent-tailed sphinxes. Foremost, however, among the treasures of the Duomo, are Fra Lippo Lippi's frescoes in the choir, considered his most important work. Nothing, perhaps, puts one so fully in touch with fifteenth-century men and art as the career of this vigorous and prolific artist, a true son of the Renaissance, who, while he paints sweet-faced Madonnas, dimpled children, and holy saints on monastery walls, follows his own pleasures and trolls out his careless love song: "Who am I? Why, one, sir, who is lodging with a friend Three streets off--he's a certain ... how d'ye call-- Master--a ... Cosimo of the Medici, In the house that caps the corner. * * * * * * * * "And I've been three weeks shut within my mew A-painting for the great man, saints and saints And saints again. * * * * * * * * "I painted a St. Laurence six months since At Prato, splashed the fresco in fine style." _Song_ "Flower o' the broom, Take away love and our earth is a tomb!" * * * * * [Illustration: _Braun, Clement et Cie._ _Botticelli_ LUCREZIA TORNABUONI, WIFE OF LORENZO IL MAGNIFICO WEARING THE MARSYAS JEWEL OF THE MEDICI]