But with the Tribuna, in any case, the collection suddenly declines, begins to crumble.

The first of these rooms, in the spring of this year, 1912, was opened with a number of small Italian paintings; but they are probably only temporarily there.

Chief among them was a Parmigianino, a Boltraffio, a pretty little Guido Reni, a Cosimo Tura, a Lorenzo Costa, but nothing really important.
In the tiny Gem Room at the end of the corridor are wonders of the lapidary's art--and here is the famous intaglio portrait of Savonarola--but they want better treatment.

The vases and other ornaments should have the light all round them, as in the Galerie d'Apollon at the Louvre.

These are packed together in wall cases and are hard to see.
Passing through the end corridor, where the beautiful Matrona reclines so placidly on her couch against the light, and where we have such pleasant views of the Ponte Vecchio, the Trinita bridge, the Arno, and the Apennines, so fresh and real and soothing after so much paint, we come to the rooms containing the famous collection of self-painted portraits, which, moved hither from Rome, has been accumulating in the Uffizi for many years and is still growing, to be invited to contribute to it being one of the highest honours a painter can receive.