eproduction of the bust of S. Lorenzo by Donatello
in the sacristy of the church of that saint in Florence, the aged S.
Onofrio again recalls his wooden statue of S. Jerome in Faenza, and
finally the motive of the cut flowers in glasses is borrowed from the
triptych of Hugo van der Goes in the Gallery of Santa Maria Nuova,
Florence. The ornamental accessories are singularly fine and careful in
finish, and it would seem as though Signorelli had been inspired in
this, not only by the great tryptych, but also by the followers of the
Paduan Squarcione. In the last chapter I have pointed out the extreme
realism with which the figures are treated, but this does not spoil the
impressive grandeur of the painting, gained by the broad style and the
stately simplicity of the composition. The Virgin sits firmly, with the
mantle resting in heavy folds across her knees; the S. Stephen is
overflowing with the vigorous life of youth; the splendidly-draped
bishop is a powerful and majestic figure; and there is real tenderness
and grace in the face of the angel, notwithstanding the want of symmetry
in the body and legs. The painting has suffered from restoration, but on
the whole is fairly well preserved, and may be seen to advantage in the
quiet of this well-lighted winter-chapel.

[Illustration: [_Cathedral, Perugia_

MADONNA AND SAINTS]

Crowe and Cavalcaselle place "The Circumcision," of the National
Gallery, formerly in Volterra, as about the same date as the
foregoing;[48] Vischer, presuming that it was painted at the same time
with the dated pictures of 1491 still remaining in Volterra, groups it
with them; but the similarity of colour and treatment lead me to accept
the former theory. The distance from Cortona to Volterra is not very
great, and the fact that he was painting there in 1491 does not preclude
the possibility of his having painted there six or seven years before,
even if it was executed on the spot, which was not by any means always
the case. At all events the picture has much in common with the Perugia
altar-piece, both in warmth of colour, simplicity of composition and
splendid breadth of execution. The painting of this "Circumcision" is
bold and resolute, the draperies sweep in broad folds round the figures.
The attitude of the standing woman to the right is grand, and the
earnest concentration of the faces on the ceremony, and the absence of
any connecting link between them and us, give dramatic reality to the