Chapter VI: Section I: Nos. 1 to 7. Lombard

242. (1.) _Porch of the Church of St. Zeno._ (Photograph.)

Of the 12th century.

(2.) _Porch of the South Entrance of the Duomo._

Probably of the 10th or 11th century, and highly remarkable for the
wildness of its grotesque or monstrous sculpture, which has been
most carefully rendered by the draughts-man, Mr. Bunney.

It will save space to note that the sketches by my two most
skillful and patient helpers, Mr. A. Burgess and Mr. Bunney, will
be respectively marked (A) and (B), and my own (R).

(3.) _Porch of the Western Entrance of the Duomo._ (Photograph.)

Later in date--but still of 12th or very early 13th century.
Details of it are given in the next drawings.

243. (4.) _Griffin_ (I keep the intelligible old English spelling),
_sustaining the Pillar on the North Side of the Porch seen in No. 3._
(R.)

Painted last summer.

I engraved his head and breast, seen from the other side, in the
plate of "True and False Griffins," in "Modern Painters." Only the
back of the head and neck of the small dragon he holds in his
fore-claws can be seen from this side.

(5.) _Capital of the Pillar sustained by the Griffin, of which the base
is seen in No. 4._ (A.)

First-rate sculpture of the time, and admirably drawn.

(6.) _Portion of decorative Lombardic molding from the South Side of the
Duomo._ (A.)

Showing the peculiar writhing of the branched tracery with a
serpentine flexure--altogether different from the springing lines
of Gothic ornament. It would be almost impossible to draw this
better; it is much more like the real thing than a cast would be.

(7.) _Lion, with Dragon in its claws, of Lombardic sculpture_ (now built
into a wall at Venice); _above it, head of one of the Dogs which
support the Tomb of Can Grande, at Verona._ (R.)

The lion--in its emaciated strength, and the serpent with its vital
writhe and deadly reverted bite, are both characteristic of the
finest Lombard work. The dog's head is 14th century Gothic--a
masterpiece of broad, subtle, easy sculpture, getting expression
with every touch, and never losing the least undulation of surface,
while it utterly disdains the mere imitation of hair, or attainment
of effect by deep cutting.