Below this design, the plan of the floor is very much broken up. The reader must, however, bear in mind that up to the year 1661, when Pope Alexander VII. (Fabio Chigi) began to build the Cappella della Madonna del Voto, to contain the famous wonder-working picture of the Madonna, Protectress of Siena, this portion of the Pavement lay before the _Porta del Perdono_, to which I have made frequent reference at the commencement of this chapter. This Porta del Perdono must have been a sort of _Porta Sacra_, opened only in solemn state in the years of Jubilee.[113] Fragments of it still exist, and may be seen built into the outer wall of the bay, next to the above-mentioned Chapel; and the inscription, quoted in the note, is now to be found over the left hand doorway of the Western façade. There are many notices still to be found dealing with this important entrance. Several, to which we have referred already, dealt with the adornment of the wide step or platform, that apparently led to it from the outside. All this has now perished. Inside, however, the floor has fared better, and the beautiful painting by Maestro Gregorio (1423), which hung above an altar[114] once erected over this door, and belonging to the Tolomei family, still exists in the Museum of the Opera del Duomo. It was, no doubt, the fact that long periods of time passed between each successive opening of this door, which gave Antonio di Federigo, or Federighi, the idea of placing before it his beautiful design of the _Seven Ages in the Life of Man. Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence, Youth, Manhood, Age, and Decrepitude_ (No. 6). All seven are treated with a _naïveté_ and grace impossible to surpass. (Ill. XVIII.) Not only the figures themselves, but also their accessories; the budding blossoms, the over-blown flowers, and the handsome classical tomb to which “_Decrepitas_” is tottering, show a taste and feeling beyond description. Federighi, we read, designed and executed this delightful work in 1475,[115] and, at about the same date, the friezes of stags, and perhaps the beautiful lily (Ill. XXIV.), candlestick (Ill. XXII.) and geometrical pattern, in the angle formed by the _Seven Ages_ with the Cupola designs, were also laid down; but we cannot be sure whether they are by the same master or not. All that we do know for certain about them is drawn from two notices,[116] recording payments to a certain Bartolino of Massa da Carrara for marble for work in the Duomo, among which the “frieze of stags” (_fregio del cervio_), and a frieze at the Porta del Perdono are especially mentioned. [Illustration: ALINARI PHOTO.] [DESIGNED BY ANTONIO FEDERIGHI XVIII. THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN (No. 6)]