n azzurri oltramarini
bellissimi," (with beautiful ultramarine blues): and the pictures in
the dividing wall of Santa Maria Novella opposite the choir. The
"Annunciation," which according to Vasari was in the church of San
Francesco at San Miniato, and which Milanesi believes to be in the
Museum of Madrid, is instead now in the National Gallery at London. It
is a diptych, in one panel the archangel Gabriel, with golden wings
outspread, crossing his hands on his breast bows before the Virgin,
who in the other panel leans forward to listen to his blessed word.
The scene is in a cloister, from the arches of which a field of
flowers is seen, and in the distant horizon the outlines of the
Apennine mountains. A great lily blossoms beside the Virgin, the two
capitals of the columns of the cloister have the Albizzi arms carved
on them.

"This good Father painted so many pictures for the houses of the
citizens of Florence, that one wonders how one man could so perfectly
execute even in many years all that he has done." So writes Vasari,
and indeed a complete list of his paintings still existing in Italy
and elsewhere would be too long; those we have illustrated will,
however, suffice to give a good idea of his artistic genius, and the
sentiment with which this gentle artist could represent the marvellous
visions of a soul in love with heaven!

[Illustration: THE LAST SUPPER.]

IV.

FRA ANGELICO
AT ROME AND ORVIETO.

[1445-1455.]

[Illustration: CHRIST IN JUDGMENT. (Orvieto, Cathedral.)]

These many and various labours--writes Vasari--"having rendered the
name of Fra Giovanni illustrious throughout all Italy, he was invited
to Rome by Pope Nicholas V., who caused him to adorn the chapel of the
palace, where the pontiff is accustomed to hear mass, with a
"Deposition from the Cross," and with certain events from the life of
San Lorenzo, which are admirable."[57]

But Vasari errs in giving to Nicholas V. the merit of having called
Fra Angelico to Rome; he is also mistaken in affirming that the artist
was offered the archbishopric of Florence, and on his modest refusal
Sant' Antonino was proposed to the Pope: "and because Fra Giovanni
appearing to the Pope to be, as he really was, a person of most holy
life, gentle and modest, the archbishopric of Florence having then
become vacant, he judged him worthy of that preferment."[58]

It was instead Pope Eugene IV., who wishing to embellish the Vatican
with pictures,