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falmacco is said to have painted scenes from the Passion, 1 the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the appearance of the Saviour to the apostles, and the Ascension. The Cruci fixion, a most common production of the close of the fourteenth century, is remarkable for figures of a long and exaggerated shape, ugly in character and features; and the Saviour on the cross is repulsive. The resurrection, apparition, and ascension, though much damaged, display, in short and stout figures, another hand and third rate talent, but seem likewise to have been executed at the close of the fourteenth century. The life of Buffalmacco thus necessarily leads the student to the comparison of pictures varying in style and in period, and precludes all chronological sequence. But the aim of the critic is attained if he succeeds in proving that the frescos as signed to Buffalmacco all differ from each other, and that the life of this artist, as written by Vasari, is utterly untrustworthy. Insofar as Bruno Giovanni is concerned, the reader may, if he pleases, skip the following: The frescos which Bruno is said to have executed in company with Buffalmacco in the Abbey of Ripa d’Arno are obliterated, but the altarpiece of S. Ursula, produced for the same church, is described by Vasari 2 in terms al most completely applicable to a picture formerly in the Casa di Commenda, 3 and now in the Academy, of Pisa. There the Virgin companions of the British Saint are represented with S. Ursula herself, holding in one hand the Pisan stan dard, and supported by a symbolical figure of Pisa. This is a rough distemper picture split in four places, in great part repainted, of a feeble character and without relief. 4 Nor will it be easy to discover any very sensible difference between it, and the neighbouring panels by Ghetto di Ja copo, Jacopo detto Gera, or Turino Vanni. 1 Others assign these scenes to Antonio Vite of Pistoia, re specting whom see antea and postea. * Vas. Vol. II. p. 66—7. 3 Near the canonry of the church of S. Paolo Ripa d’Arno. 4 The picture has been engraved in Rosini. ub. sup.