72 THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. Chap. III. in the Siennese Academy are by Benvenuto. 1 A fresco of the Virgin’s assumption in the Oratory of S. Sebastian (Borgo di Montalboli) outside Asciano; 2 the same subject in the choir; two panels, originally at its sides in S. M. de’ Servi at Borgo S. Sepolcro; are also worthy of examination. The latter are striking instances of the relationship be tween the Siennese and Umbrians at Borgo San Sepolcro. Passavant has attributed them to Piero della Francesca, 2 but they ought not to be so considered; for they bear the stamp of the hand of Benvenuto, and are indeed an advance on his previous works. The central Ascension is in a form which now found numerous copyists in Sienna. The Eternal, foreshortened, looks down from a prismatic glory, surrounded by seraphs and attended by prophets. The Virgin rises towards him, encircled by cherubs, ac companied by angels, who move not as of old in flight, but on clouds. The apostles below peer into the tomb. SS. John the Baptist and Dominick, Paul and Lucy, with the Virgin and the angel annunciate in medallions above them, fill the sides in the sacristy. Whilst the apostles in the central panel rival in stark stiffness those in pictures of the school of Murano, they are dressed in garments of broken folds like those of the Flemings. The angel and Virgin annunciate recall similar cre ations by Giovanni Santi, and reproduce to some extent his character, type, and mode of action. The remaining figures are long, lean, and bony, — the SS. Paul and Lucy, indeed, not without a claim to attention for fairness of 1 No. 165. Half length Virgin and child between SS. Jerom and Francis. Nb. 172. Assumption of the Virgin. No. 181. a Virgin and child. 2 The Assumption. The Virgin is accompanied by long motionless angels, with the Saviour above be tween prophets; S. Thomas be tween SS. Sebastian and Agatha kneeling below, and the angel and Virgin annunciate in spandrils of an arch — a rude and hastily handled work, with slender and inanimate figures; and a bad ex ample of the school of the Benve- nuti. 3 See antea P. della Francesca, and Passavant, Raphael, ub. sup. I. 433
