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25G EARLY CHRISTIAN ART. Chap. YHI. On the panel to the right, the martyrdom of S. Paul is painted with great power and with novel richness of fancy. The body still kneels in prayer though headless. On the ground lies the nimhed head, whilst in front the executioner with grief in his features restores his sword to the scabbard. More nature or truth in the expression of pain and lamen tation could not have been given than is depicted in the faces of the two women, bending over and kneeling before the trunk of the fallen saint, or in that of a man contemplating in despair the consummation of the sacrifice. Groups of soldiers on each side with shields, lances and banners, one blowing the trumpet on the right, balance the composition. 1 On the back of these panels S. Peter sits enthroned in pontificals, in the centre, holding the keys and giving his blessing. He also surpasses in size the two angels who majestically stand at each side of him, and the two bishops with their guardian saints kneeling in front to his right and left. 2 On the'panels at each side, which like the In the upper space of the trefoil, S. Peter winged may be seen kneeling on a cloud as he is carried to heaven by angels. In the point of the gable, Abraham wields the sword against his son Isaac; in the sides of the trefoil two medallions of prophets, and in the pilasters figures of saints as before, complete the ensemble of a panel in which the dramatic power of Giotto is developed. The six Saints in the pilasters are admirable for movement and ex pression. 1 One on the left, looking up, sees two angels darting down from heaven and majestically clasping their hands in desolation. In the upper space, S. Paul winged, on a cloud, is carried to heaven, and his mantle, cast down from the sky, falls towards a figure on a hill in the landscape distance, whose hands are raised to re ceive it. The traditional type of S. Paul is here well main tained. The points and pilasters are adorned like the others. 2 The latter in mitre and robes is recommended by S. George, and is doubtless Cardinal Ste- faneschi. Cancellieri again says: ub. sup. p. 1464. “a tergo prima tabula conspicitur S. Petrus se- dens, idemque cardinalis Cajetanus in genua provolutus.” In his hands he holds a hexagonal ci- borium from which it may be inferred that the panels now under consideration were not, of old, back to back as at present. The former, also in mitre and robes, is honoured with a nimbus, holds up a book and is introduced by a saint in a rich ecclesiastical habit. Individuality in the por traits, an imposing gravity in the figure of S. Peter, a noble cast of features in the angels, mark this panel, which has been much blackened by time and damaged by a vertical split. The fallen colour exposes the primed parch ment beaten into the gesso upon
