ave here a happy improvement made by the
recent restorer. But what these mural paintings must always have had is
real artistic existence, great dignity of slow but rhythmic movement,
and splendid grouping. They still convince us of their high purpose. On
the other hand, we are disappointed in Orcagna's sculptured tabernacle
at Or Sammichele, where the feeling for both material and spiritual
significance is much lower.

[Page heading: FRA ANGELICO]

We are happily far better situated toward Fra Angelico, enough of whose
works have come down to us to reveal not only his quality as an artist,
but his character as a man. Perfect certainty of purpose, utter devotion
to his task, a sacramental earnestness in performing it, are what the
quantity and quality of his work together proclaim. It is true that
Giotto's profound feeling for either the materially or the spiritually
significant was denied him--and there is no possible compensation for
the difference; but although his sense for the real was weaker, it yet
extended to fields which Giotto had not touched. Like all the supreme
artists, Giotto had no inclination to concern himself with his attitude
toward the significant, with his feelings about it; the grasping and
presentation of it sufficed him. In the weaker personality, the
significant, vaguely perceived, is converted into emotion, is merely
felt, and not realised. Over this realm of feeling Fra Angelico was the
first great master. "God's in his heaven--all's right with the world" he
felt with an intensity which prevented him from perceiving evil
anywhere. When he was obliged to portray it, his imagination failed him
and he became a mere child; his hells are bogy-land; his martyrdoms are
enacted by children solemnly playing at martyr and executioner; and he
nearly spoils one of the most impressive scenes ever painted--the great
"Crucifixion" at San Marco--with the childish violence of St. Jerome's
tears. But upon the picturing of blitheness, of ecstatic confidence in
God's loving care, he lavished all the resources of his art. Nor were
they small. To a power of rendering tactile values, to a sense for the
significant in composition, inferior, it is true, to Giotto's, but
superior to the qualifications of any intervening painter, Fra Angelico
added the charm of great facial beauty, the interest of vivid
expression, the attraction of delicate colour. What in the whole world
of art more rejuvenating than Angelico's "Coron