The story of Lucca

Front matter

Presented tc the by the

ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY

The Medieval Town Series

Preface

J UCCA is too little known in England. Most of *~* us connect her chiefly with salad oil, and it cannot be denied that the oil she sends us is good. But there are even better things hidden behind the barrier of walls and trees that shuts her out so effectually from the world.

In history the Republic of Lucca upheld the ideal of liberty, and succeeded in maintaining her independence during an age of tyranny. In architecture she marched side by side with Pisa as the exponent of an individual and decorative form of Romanesque. She has had one sculptor, the graceful Civitali, and though her native painters were few, she has known how to attract great artists from other States. ^Esthetics have always been subservient to religion in the territory of the Republic, and she has been sought rather as the guardian of a famous crucifix, the Volto Santo, than as a fountain-head of the arts. Pilgrims have been more numerous than tourists within her walls. She is not so much great as lovable ; a friend rather than a hero, and a friend that one longs to visit again and again.

She should appeal especially to the English, and indeed has always done so to a chosen few. Her greatest saints were British, if not English. S. Frediano and S. Sillao were sons of Irish kings, S.

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Preface

Pellegrino was an Englishman. So was the enigmatical S. Richard who lies buried in one of her churches, and King of England, if we may believe his legend. In the eighth century the daughter of a Saxon king founded a convent of nuns in Lucca and never left it till she died. The English pilgrims to the Volio Santo were numerous, and two of them, who died in Lucca, left money for oil to be burnt before the holy image. In the thirteenth century there was an English colony in the city, whose craving for strong ale and beef was ministered to by an English innkeeper. After the pilgrims came the merchants, and then the travellers. John Evelyn and Lassels were here in the seventeenth century and were succeeded by an innumerable host, for the Grand Tour was rarely considered complete without a glance at the tiny Republic. In the eighteenth and early in the nineteenth century the gentle charm of Lucca attracted some of the greatest English men and women. Shelley drifted down the Serchio in a boat, Byron rested from his fevered life in a cool green villa at the Bagni di Lucca, Mrs Browning sang of the sword of Castruccio, and Ruskin gazed with delight on the monument of Ilaria in the Duomo.

The authors are indebted to Lucchesi friends for muchkindness. ToCavaliere EugenioBoselli, Librarian of the Regia Biblioteca^ their thanks are especially due for help bestowed without stint, and long hours spent in showing the treasures of his bookshelves. To Count Cesare Sardi and to Canon Pietro Guidi they are likewise grateful for much valuable information, and to the President of the Istituto Storico Italiano for his

Preface

permission to reproduce six drawings from the Chronicle of Giovanni Sercambi.

Among friends at home Principal Lindsay must be specially thanked for his unfailing sympathy and generous help, nor will we forget a friend who has passed away since this little book was first planned, Dr E. Perceval Wright of Trinity College, Dublin, to whose interest and encouragement its existence is largely due.

The first ii\e chapters, dealing with the history of Lucca, are by Mrs Ross, the remaining seven by Miss Erichsen.

JANET ROSS.

NELLY ERICHSEN.

Chapter XII Illustrations

PHOTOGRAVURE

The Almighty in Glory, with SS. Mary Magdalene and Catherine, by Fra Bartolommeo

Frontispiece

HALF-TONE

FACING PAGE

How the Volto Santo came to Lucca, by Amico

Aspertini {Church of S. Frediano} . . 10

Lucca about the End of the iyth Century, from

an old Print in the Civic Library, Lucca . 92

Tomb of I/aria del Carretto, by Jacopo della

The Virgin and Child enthroned, with Saints, by

Domenico Ghirlandaio, Duomo, Lucca . 184

S. Frediano diverting the Course of the River Serchio, by Amico Aspertini, in the Church of S, Frediano . . . . 195

Tomb of S. Romano, by Matteo Civitali . . 234

Picture in the Civic Library, Lucca, late \6thor 17 th- Century Copy of an earlier Original . . . . . .237

Illustrations

FACING PAGE

The Diptych . . . . . .269

S. Giorgio, Altarpiece by Andrea and Giovanni

del la Robbia, Pieve at Brancoli . . 321

The Pulpit in the Duomo of Barga . . 350

LINE

PAGE

The Arms of Lucca ..... 1 Pulpit in the Pieve of Brancoli, with Traditional

Figure of the Countess Matilda . . 19

How Eleven Citizens of Lucca were Beheaded 25

Church of S. Frediano . . . . . 35

How the Lucchesi besieged the Florentines . 47 How Messer Johanni dell' Agnello brought his

Wife to Lucca . . . . . 51

Church ofS. Michele 57

How the " Bianchi" went in Processions to

Palazzo Guinigi . . . . . 67

How the Lucchesi went to Pisa and took many

Buffaloes and Prisoners . • . 75 Looking from the Porch of the Duomo towards

the Baptistery . . . . . 99 «S*. Frediano from the Ramparts . . .104 Doorway, Church of S. Maria Forisportam

Facade of the Duomo . . . . .120

1 4/^- Century Statue ofS, Martino, Duomo . 126

I llustrations

PAG 8

Apse of the Duomo . . . . .139

The Duomo from the Ramparts . .149

Detail of Pulpit, Duomo . . . . 151

Triforium Window in the Duomo . . . 156

The Baptistery . . . . . .171

S. Frediano from the Ramparts . . . 191

Facade of S. Michele 211

The Apse of S. Michele . . . .215

Detail of Doorway, Church of S, Salvatore, by

Maestro Biduino . . . . .223

Doorway of the Church of S. Givsto, Lucca facing 224 Church of S. Maria delle Rose . . . 231

The Torre delle Ore . . . . .239

Porta di S. Maria in Capo di Borgo . . 245

The Castle of Nozzano, near Lucca . . 295

Gateway, Castle of Nozzano , .301

The Pieve of Brancoli . . . . 3 1 9

Church of S. Maria del Giudice, near Lucca . 325 The Gateway of Barga . . . . 328

Barga 349

The Arms of Barga . . . . .354

Map of Lucca ..... facing 354

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THE STORY

OF LUGCA