Chap. I. JACOPO DI CASENTINO. 5 Yet, as we have seen, Vasari did not hesitate to assign to Giotto a fresco of S. Francis and S. Dominick in the Pieve 1 marked by faults similar to those of the fresco in S. Bartolommeo, which less partial critics may assign to Jacopo. Taking these works as a guide we may assign to him further a lunette fresco of the Pieta above the gate of the old Fraternita di S. Maria della Misericordia, now a library and museum at Arezzo, hitherto attributed to Spinello. 2 A better work and of interest is an altarpiece painted for the church of S. Giovanni Evangelista in his native place Prato Vecchio, 3 and now in the National Gallery, 4 where Jacopo illustrated the scenes of the life of S. John Evangelist which Giotto had previously used in the Peruzzi chapel at S. Croce. His comparative medio crity may be proved by the poverty of his concep tion, the vulgarity of his types or action and the feebleness of his execution. Yet his defects are partly covered by a certain vehemence of hand and exaggeration of expression or movement. 5 Of equal interest and better execution is a predella at the Uftizi 6 in which a religious ceremony, at the centre, is flanked by two scenes from the life of S. Peter and eight figures of saints. The value of this piece lies chiefly in a lively colour and flowing drapery, which reveal the master of Spinello. A more modern altarpiece of the same class in the passage of the Uffizi represents the 1 Yas. Vol. I. p. 315. See antea in Giotto. S. Francis holds a book, S. Dominick a lily. 2 Vas. Vol. II. p. 188. Half figures, the dead Saviour is sup ported naked and erect between the Virgin and the Evangelist. The head of the Saviour is da maged and that of a S. John ob literated, but the style, forms and colour are the same as those of Jacopo at S. Bartolommeo. 3 According to Vasari, he also painted at Poppi in Casentino. Vol. II. p. 179. 4 No. 580. 5 This piece is of a dry tem pera with verde shadows. It passed into the National Gallery from the Ugo Baldi collection. The subjects are: upper course, centre, the resurrection, the limbo, the donor and family under the pro tection of the two S.S. Johns. Above this upper course: the Trinity, the Virgin, and angel annunciate. Pediment: scenes from the life of the Evangelist. Pilasters: Saints. 6 No. 1292.