Inscribed " Trees in the Absalom, in the pavement of the Duomo " Burne-Jones also visited Siena in 1871and possibly as a result of studying the pavements in Siena cathedral, his version of Absalom in St John the Evangelist's Church, Knotty Ash, of 1872, contains a memory of the Story of Absalom there.
XVII. THE STORY OF ABSALOM (No. 12) The Emperor, crowned and sceptre in hand, sits on a splendid throne, under a marble canopy, hung with garlands. Four counsellors sit beside him, two on each hand; and two tall pages carry his orb and sword. It is worth noting, that this design appears to have early required restoration, because we read in a notice quoted above,108 under date 1485, of black marble being brought from Chasciano, among other things, “raconciare la storia del onperadore.” At the latest restoration (1869–78) a sum of 616 lire 49 c. was expended on it. Beside this design, as I have remarked above, is the very striking picture of Absalom hanging by his hair (No 12). (Ill. XVII.). No design on the Pavement attracts so much attention as this. The bold, vigorous outlines of the white figures set against the black marble background, the vivid and forcible composition of the picture, and the remarkably decorative foliage of the two trees, almost Japanese in character, from one of which Absalom is hanging, arrest the eye and the attention of even the most casual visitor. We find a notice in the Archivio dell’ Opera,109 stating that it was commenced81 after the 11th of July, 1447, during the Rectorship of Giovanni Borghesi, and while Pietro di Tommaso Minella was Capo-maestro. The design of it is generally attributed to Minella himself, and from the high merit of its conception and composition this is very probable, but there are no records to prove more than that he superintended its execution. Tizio110 includes it in the list of works to which he gives the date 1424, but this, as I have already pointed out, is an obvious mistake.