54 THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. Chap. III. till spaces at his sides. Scenes from the life of S. Ca therine are enclosed in the small frames of a predella, in the centre of which the Saviour is crucified. The broken and angular draperies are full of superfluous folds. The Virgin sits on her throne with the languid grace of the Umbrian school. The angel annunciate moves with the liveliness to which we become accustomed in Vecchictta, and there is an eflbrt at foreshortening in the Eternal. The colour, of an uncommon lustre, seems to disclose a change in the old system of tempera. 1 It is a work of a better class than the authentic Virgin and saints of 1438 at Perugia; and some difficulties arise in the attempt to ascribe both to one hand. 2 The Perugian altarpiece, with the usual profusion of triangular gables, and a pre della in five parts, is inscribed with the painter’s name, dated 1438, and is usually invisible in consequence of the papal clausura, which isolates from the world the nuns of the convent of Sta. Giuliana. As compositions, the predella scenes, illustrating the life and martyrdom of the Baptist, are in better balance than the principal group of the Virgin, child, and kneeling patroness; but the lean coarseness of males, and affected daintiness and tasteless dress of females; the wiry serpentine locks of the Benedict, or the frizzled hair of the Giuliana; the broken draperies generally, are not more natural or attractive than the low- toned flatness of the ruddy raw colour. Yet, such a picture as this in such a place repays attention. 3 It is the pro- 1 The panels at ASciano are not unlike those by Vecchietta forming the presses in the Spedale at Sien na. (See postea.) 2 This is not the only production to he noticed at Asoiano. An as cension by Giovanni di Paolo hangs in a dark place in the Duomo above the door leading into the sacristy. Two saints, S. Michael and another have been attached to the sides of the ascension, and in spite of dim colour or damaged surface, they reveal the manner apparent in the picture of S. Agostino above men tioned. 3 The whole of this altarpiece comprises: the Virgin, child and kneeling donatrix, between SS. John the Baptist (pointing at Mary with his first and fifth finger) and Benedict (right), SS. Giuliana and Bernard (left). The Eternal gives a blessing in the central upper gable. The angel and Virgin an nunciate occupy the gables at his sides, and right and left of these are SS. Paul and Peter. In the pre-