CnAP. I. LUCA SIGNORELLI. 13 ture is one of those in which Signorelli most displayed an amiable and kindly spirit. 1 A tabernacle, altarpiece in S. Francesco of the same city, dating from the same year as the foregoing, re presents the Virgin enthroned amongst saints, with a predella of feigned bas-reliefs, unfortunately ruined. No earlier one by Luca so fully develops his grand boldness. The hardy energy of the infant Saviour’s gesture, as he raises an arm, which is seen from beneath, like the Re deemer's in Michael Angelo’s ceiling at the Sixtine, is truly startling. The two saints nearest the spectator are very fine, and the angels have again the Umbrian affectation of grace. The draperies are massed with considerable breadth, and the colour is as usual full of texture and high in the shadows. 2 * Lucas return and residence at Cortona, in 1493 and 1494, are certified by records of payments for two altar- pieces at Citta di Castello; :i and a peculiar interest at taches to his movements in the latter year, because it has been supposed that he visited Urbino on the occasion of a contract for a banner to be delivered after a speci fied time to the brotherhood of S. Spirito in that place. 4 Signorelli is evidently well known to Giov. Santi, who calls him “il Cortonese Luca, d’ingegno e spirto pelle- grino”. Pungileoni inquires, whether it might not be likely that so distinguished an artist should have been of some influence on the career of the youthful Ra- 1 The architecture is good and highly ornamented. On the nearest pillar of the colonnade is a scroll, containg the inscription: “ Lucas Cortonen pinxit MXD1.” The head and hands of the Virgin have been retouched. 2 This line piece is on the altar ' of the Maffei second to the right as you enter the portal. On the step beneath the Virgin’s feet are the words: “Marine. Virgini. Pe trus. Bella Domna, hujus. religio- nis. professor, posuit. Lvcas Cor- toneii pinxit M.CCCCLXXXXI.” There are three vertical splits in the panel which is much injured, the colour scaling in parts and altered in the flesh shadows. The figures at the Virgin’s sides are (left) SS.Francis, John the Baptist, and an angel, (right) Anthony, Jo seph, and an angel. On the fore ground seated are S. Jerome and a bishop writing. 3 Mancini ub. sup. ap. com. Vas. (VI. 157). 4 See the contract in Pungileoni, Elog. Stor. di Gio. Santi. p. 77.