Lorenzo the Magnificent

1929. David Loth, in Lorenzo the Magnificent, tells a story of the exploits of Lorenzo de Medici as a pageant director. Lorenzo was a great showman. One of the chief interests of his life was furnishing to the citizens of Florence artistic and magnificent spectacles of many sorts. He produced many religious pageants with striking realism and effectiveness. On one occasion, he surpassed himself in staging a pageant of Pentecost. The descent of the tongues of fire upon the apostles, however, was just a bit too realistic. Actual fire was used, the flimsy trimmings and stage hangings were set ablaze, and not only the stage but the whole church burned down.