different
effects, so that it is impossible to look at them unmoved. Finally, the
facility and freedom with which his anatomical knowledge has allowed
Signorelli to render all the possibilities of movement and gesture, is
as much in advance of his age, as is his modern and natural
visualisation, and the impressionistic breadth of his brushwork. In that
respect, indeed, it is impossible to go farther. Later painters have
erred as much in exaggerating violent action and over-developing
muscles, as the earlier master fell short in dry and laborious
stiffness. Signorelli, while retaining the earnest sincerity and
thoughtfulness of the earlier workers, has been able at the same time to
render with modern facility every movement of the human frame, and the
result is an achievement which no later skill has surpassed, which is
perhaps the last word in the treatment of the nude in action.

Before closing these remarks, I must not omit to record the gratitude
due to the two German painters, Bothe and Pfannenschmidt of Wuertemburg,
who, in 1845, at their own cost, cleaned and carefully restored the
frescoes, a work done on the whole with great discretion.

Two other paintings of the master, now in the Opera del Duomo, are so
closely connected with the chapel, that the description would be
incomplete without mention of them here--the altar-piece of the
Magdalen, and the portraits of himself and the treasurer of the
Cathedral, Niccolo Franceschi.

The former, painted originally for the Cathedral, is a life-sized, very
broadly painted figure, somewhat coarse in execution, but exceedingly
powerful. She wears a gorgeous gold garment, elaborately embroidered,
and over it a brownish-red mantle lined with green. There is a stately
dignity in the picture itself which the photograph unfortunately does
not reproduce. It is dated 1504, and on the old frame is the following
Inscription:

CECCARELLEVS . DE . APVIDVTIS--ET . RVFINVS .
ANTONII . --

CONSERVAT . PA . PACIS . CONSERVATRICI . EX . SE .
CONSVLTO . M.D.IIII.

The double portrait, painted in 1503,[66] is a work of the greatest
importance, both by reason of the interest attached to the portraiture,
and also that it remains to us absolutely untouched, every stroke being
in the original state as the master left it. The heads are full of
character and life, powerfully and rapidly painted in black and red, on
a brick or tile, thickly overlaid with gesso.