out shadow, and with so monotonous a tone of colouring, that one does but faintly distinguish the lights from the middle tints, or the middle tints from the shadows.
The subject of this altar-piece is Our Saviour Christ when removed from the Cross and on the point of being carried to the Sepulchre. The Madonna is seen to sink fainting to the earth; and that figure, as well as those of the other Maries, is executed in a manner so entirely different from the portion of the work before described, that one plainly perceives the master’s brain to have again set off in chase of novelties and unusual methods of proceeding, contenting himself steadily with nothing, and remaining fixed to no one manner; at a word, the composition of this picture is wholly different from that of the vaulting, as is also the colouring.[1] The four Evangelists, too, which we have described as adorning the corbels of the ceiling, are in a much better manner than the altar-piece, and are greatly superior to that work.[2]
On that wall of the chapel wherein is the window, there are two figures in fresco, Our Lady that is to say, on the one side, and on the other the Angel who brings her the Annunciation; but both are so strangely distorted, as to render it evident that the singular extravagance of Jacopo’s fancies caused him never to continue long satisfied with any thing. While engaged with this work in particular, he was so anxious to have all entirely his own way, and to avoid being molested by the remarks of any one, that he would never permit even the master of the chapel himself to see the pictures while they were in progress. It thus happened, that having completed all after his own fashion, without any one of his friends being suffered to have the opportunity of warning him on any point, the work, when given to public view, was regarded with much astonishment by all Florence.[3] For an apartment in the house of the above-mentioned Ludovico di Gino Capponi, our artist painted a picture
- ↑ The figures of the Evangelists are still in their place. — Ed. Flor.t 1832-8.
- ↑ This part of the work has now the appearance of a mere sketch, hut is believed to have been reduced to that state by an injudicious cleaning, which was inflicted on it in the year 1723.
- ↑ It may still be seen, but has been grievously maltreated by cleaning and bold retouching.— Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
