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12 October 1880 — Milan | |
Tuesday. 12th [October 1880]. Henry & I breakfasted before 9 & then we went off with Morelli to the Museo Civico but we found to our disappointment that it did not open till 1. It was pouring with rain– We drove on to see the house of Taverna where there is a charming court yard covered with frescos but wh is being restored by Cavenaghi. He was not there himself. We went on to Mme Arrigoni to see if we cd find any pictures but there was nothing so we went on to Signor Morelli’s & spent a long time looking at his lovely pictures he has. He had a beautiful Bellini & many others. He has a charming little portrait & the original of one the Somersets have & from wh my mother had copied to have Maria’s portrait. Morelli says his represents the last of the Gonzagas—& by the master of P . We breakfasted with Morelli on the Milanese dish of rice with saffron—white truffles & mushrooms. It was served in a tureen & ladled out like soup altho’ it was not liquid. After lunch we went into the Frizzoni appartment in the same house to see their pictures of wh they have ½ doz good ones. Then we walked back to the hotel by 2. I went to Saronno with the Drakes. We went by tramway which seemed to me just the same as a train. The station was just outside the walls. It took us abt ½ hour travelling & we walked from the Saronno station to the church of which is magnificently decorated with frescos done by Luini & his scholars. The Dome of the centre has a beautiful design of angels singing to different instruments– There is in one chapel a fresco by Luini of the Marriage of the Virgin. In another the Presentation to the Temple—in another Christ teaching in the Temple & in another the Adoration of the Magi– The 1st is what pleased me most– In one chapel there are life sized wooden figures round a table to represent the last Supper—which were rather horrible– When we had well seen & examined all we walked back to the station & returned to Milan by tramway. We got to the hotel before 6. We found Henry had been to Baslini’s with Mr Burton & they had decided on buying a Montagna for the National Gallery. We dined at 6. In the eveng Morelli & Burton came & sat & talked. Giovanni had a wonderful meeting with his brother. He was walking with Hill when she suddenly called out “Oh Giovanni your brother”—they had passed each other without recognition & Hill had only seen a photo of the brother & knew him from it. There was great joy for Giovanni as he had not seen his brother for 5 or 6 years & had last heard of him at Rio Janeiro. | |
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