S. Nicholas, flying down to rescue the young captive, great energy in his action where he stops the arm of the executioner. Variety of expression, noble forms and fea tures mark the faces of the youths interceding for the consul. The apostles of the lower course are, after those of Giotto in the ciborium of Rome, the most admirable that were produced in the early times of the revival, ex hibiting that gravity, repose, and individuality of character which are essential to effect in such representations. In the vaulting of the arches are figures of male and female saints with fresh and attractive faces, noble in shape and stature, finely and broadly draped, and executed with great intelligence of form. Great feeling too is shown for the rotundity resulting from the proper juxtaposition of light and shade. Hands, feet, carefully drawn, though not more minutely detailed than was usual at this time, reveal a pupil of Giotto; but there is a tendency to dis play the human features in comparatively small propor tions, and to lavish minute care on embroideries. The colour is light and clear, rosy and well fused, and trans parent in shadow. 1 No painter ever showed himself at once a better or a closer imitator of Giotto. Not even Taddeo Gaddi exhibited so completely his great laws of composition, nor did any pupil of Giotto so thoroughly preserve his great qualities; yet, at the same time, display symptoms of progress within the bounds of the truth and of nature as they were defined by the great Florentine. The frescos of the Cappella del Sacramento, at Assisi, do more honour to the school of Giotto than any that were produced at the same period, that is, in the first half of the fourteenth century. But the frescos inside the chapel are not more remarkable than those which decorate the outer face of the wall in which the entrance arch is pierced. These frescos are, indeed, close to those of Giotto and 1 One may point to the figure of the Saviour before S. John as grand in the regularity of its forms. The lights of some dra peries are touched in gold, as for instance in the figure of S. Peter.