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Chap. V. S. FRANCESCO OF ASSISI. 169 the paintings of S. Pietro in Grado other works exist in Pisa itself, which betray a lamentable barbarism. Such for instance are the damaged wall paintings in the “opera” of the cathedral 1 , a work darkened by time, coarsely out lined and painted with much body of tempera colour. 2 With little better art, and in the mixed architectural and pictorial manner of S. Pietro in Grado, the middle aisle of the lower church of S. Francesco at Assisi seems to have been painted, between 1225 and 1250, with scenes from the life of the Saviour on the left hand (which are partly effaced) and scenes from the life of S. Francis on the right 3 . An effort may be traced in the artist to give animation to his slender figures, which in type and mode of execution are like those in the paintings of San Pietro in Grado. An interesting scene is that which still represents part of the form of the naked Saviour lying on the sepulchre, whilst the Virgin falls backwards in a swoon into the arms of the Marys, who in their fea tures express the agony of their grief. The painter had a clear intention and exhibits some dramatic power. In this and other points there is a slight superiority at Assisi over the paintings of S. Pietro in Grado. It is difficult however to explain why these paintings should be assigned to Greeks, unless it be resolved that every thing poor in art is Greek in the thirteenth century, and in that case Giunta would be the most genuine of all the Byzantines 4 . Whatever may have been this painter’s real birth place, there is no doubt that he is claimed by the Pisans, and in this they are authorized by the signatures on his paint ings in which he calls himself Pisanus. Ciampi has pub lished a contract of sale executed in 1202 8 at Pistoia 1 Where the Virgin and child are enthroned between S. John the Baptist and S. John Evangelist in niches. 2 See a print of this rude work inRosini.Storia, dellaPittu- ra ub. sup. Vol. I. p. 76. 3 Vasari Vol. I. p. 223, assigns these paintings to Cimabue. 4 Still earlier wall paintings were noticed by Rumohr in the crypt of S. Francesco of Assisi (Forschungen, Vol. I. p. 193); hut they have since been obli terated. 5 But the record was in the Archivio diplomatico of Florence.