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Chap. V. NICCOLO ALITNNO. 127 cede to the principal group a fair amount of compo sure and affectionate feeling, a feeling kindly and mater nal rather than refined to religious mysticism. Its date (1458) tells us the time when Alunno lived at or laboured for Diruta, and completed not merely this for the church of S. Francesco, but the more rudely handled subjects of a standard in the Brotherhood of S. Antonio Abate. 1 At Assisi he did much and variously; the whole front of S. Maria degli Angeli, says Vasari, 2 besides panels and flags. A mutilated Crucifixion on canvass on the high altar of S. Orispino, 3 a Virgin of Mercy, S. Rufinus, and scenes from his legend in the Brother hood of the same name, are weak or injured specimens of his industry. 4 A banner, called the banner of the plague, in which the patrons of Assisi pray to the Virgin who, in obedience to their entreaty, implores the Saviour’s intercession, once in S. Francesco, now in the Ramboux collection at Cologne, poorly illustra tes Alunno’s manner, and shows how Benozzo’s forms of subject, become extended; 5 but the best thing at Assisi ' This panel is so damaged that its value is much impaired. The Virgin sits on a marble throne with angels in adoration at each side. The saints kneel in front, S. Fran cis introducing a small kneeling patron with a scroll in his hand on which is written: “Jacobus Rubei j de Deructi hoc opus . . . p. a.” (the syllables “ructi” new). On the | base of the Virgin’s throne is the | following: “Nicolaus Fulg. . . pin- xit MCCCCLVIII. die . . .” The standard is painted on both sides with subjects, now much injured, bn gold ground: on one face S. Anthony enthroned with two an gels supporting the mitre, above his head (S. A.’s black dress re painted and scaled in parts), in front, kneeling brethren, and above, a Christ crucified and angels; on the other face, a very ugly Flagel lation, beneath which SS. Egidio and Bernardino. In the Crucifixion we trace the imitation of Benozzo, in the angels, a reminiscence of Bartolommeo di Tommaso. The Saviour in the Flagellation hercu lean and coarse. 2 V. 278. 3 Christ crucified and half of a Virgin and Evangelist on canvass. 4 This standard is in a bad state. SS. Francis and Chiara, under the mantle, introduce a number of the brethren. Two angels support a crown above the Virgin’s head. All the heads except that of S. Chiara are retouched. On the opposite side of the standard, S. Rufinus en throned between SS. Vittorio and Louis, both in episcopals. Two incidents from the legend of S. R. on the lower part. This side is all but obliterated. 5 No. 202 of that collection.