The Republic of Ragusa: An Episode of the Turkish ConquestVillari, Luigi
History
The Republic of Ragusa: An Episode of the Turkish Conquest
Villari, Luigi
Dubrovnik (Croatia) -- History
Within the loggia are various sculptured ornaments. The doorway leading
into the courtyard is decorated with a little scroll of foliage round
the arch, and small half-length human figures. The capitals and
imposts are admirably carved with groups of figures full of movement.
The impost to the right bears on the front face a group of putti or
angels playing various musical instruments, quite in the style of
Michelozzo, while on the return face is a group of armed men. Of the
left-hand impost the front face is adorned with the figures of a man
and woman embracing each other, a boy standing at their side; and the
return face, with a group of dancing figures, one of whom is blowing
a horn—a curious specimen of perspective. The small brackets whence
the vaulting springs are also beautifully carved with groups of men
and animals. The best of these is the one with a shepherd boy and a
dragon, both full of movement and grace, and likewise interesting in
perspective.
All this sculpture is Onofrio’s work, and so is the Porta della Carità
to the right, otherwise called the “Porta è l’Officio del Fondico.”
Here in times of famine the poor received their doles of bread, sold
below cost price or on easy credit. Adjoining is the small door leading
to the hall of the Minor Council on the mezzanine floor. To the right
and left of the main entrance are rows of carved marble benches. The
ones to the right are in double tiers, and here on grand occasions the
Rector would sit with the Minor Council, the Archbishop, and, in later
times, the Imperial Resident. The lower single-tier seats were for the
Grand Council. The whole loggia was known as “sotto i volti.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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