en it first began to show its influence there is matter of
dispute. It probably gained a foothold at Ravenna in the sixth
century, when that province became a part of the empire of Justinian.
Later it permeated Rome, Sicily, and Naples at the south, and Venice
at the north. With the decline of the early Christian art of Italy
this richer, and in many ways more acceptable, Byzantine art came in,
and, with Italian modifications, usurped the field. It did not
literally crush out the native Italian art, but practically it
superseded it, or held it in check, from the ninth to the twelfth
century. After that the corrupted Italian art once more came to the
front.

EARLY CHRISTIAN AND BYZANTINE REMAINS: The best examples of
Early Christian painting are still to be seen in the
Catacombs at Rome. Mosaics in the early churches of Rome,
Ravenna, Naples, Venice, Constantinople. Sculptures,
ivories, and glasses in the Lateran, Ravenna, and Vatican
museums. Illuminations in Vatican and Paris libraries.
Almost all the museums of Europe, those of the Vatican and
Naples particularly, have some examples of Byzantine work.
The older altar-pieces of the early Italian churches date
back to the mediaeval period and show Byzantine influence.
The altar-pieces of the Greek and Russian churches show the
same influence even in modern work.

CHAPTER V.

ITALIAN PAINTING.

GOTHIC PERIOD. 1250-1400.

BOOKS RECOMMENDED: As before, Burckhardt, Crowe and
Cavalcaselle, Eastlake, Lafenestre, Lanzi, Lindsay, Reber;
also Burton, _Catalogue of Pictures in the National Gallery,
London_ (_unabridged edition_); Cartier, _Vie de Fra
Angelico_; Foerster, _Leben und Werke des Fra Angelico_;
Habich, _Vade Mecum pour la Peinture Italienne des Anciens
Maitres_; Lacroix, _Les Arts au Moyen-Age et a la Epoque de
la Renaissance_; Mantz, _Les Chefs-d'oeuvre de la Peinture
Italienne_; Morelli, _Italian Masters in German Galleries_;
Morelli, _Italian Masters, Critical Studies in their Works_;
Rumohr, _Italienische Forschungen_; Selincourt, _Giotto_;
Stillman, _Old Italian Masters_; Vasari, _Lives of the Most
Eminent Painters_; consult also General Bibliography (p.
xv).

SIGNS OF THE AWAKENING: It would seem at first as though nothing but
self-destruction could come to that struggling, praying,
throat-cutting population that te