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EARLY CHRISTIAN ART. Chap. IX. need only be recorded for the sake of reminding the reader that art existed then in Milan at the same low ebb as elsewhere. 1 Michele de Ronco is another Milanese artist whose existence in 1360, 1373—7, is noted in Count Tassi’s 2 work, and who laboured at Bergamo, but nothing re mains in Bergamo or elsewhere to justify any remark as to his manner, and it is not possible to determine whether he was intended by Vasari when speaking of Michele da 1 Close by, a lunette near a door bears traces of an “Eternal” with the double edged sword is suing from his mouth, rudely exe cuted at a later period th&n the paintings of abbot Cotta’s tomb. In an old tower contiguous to the Monastero Maggiore at Milan in niches, resting on painted pi lasters,are painted figures of saints, Michael Archangel, S. Benedict, Francis receiving the Stigmata, S.S. Peter and Paul, a crucifix the Saviour with four nails, Martyrs behind barred windows. The style of architecture and mode of co louring reveal a'work of the 13 th century, in a rude and much da maged tempera. Fragments of frescos produced in the 14 lh century, now in the Academy of Fine Arts at Milan, reveal no very great progress in the lapse of centuries. They once formed part of the decorations on a tomb in the demolished church and monastery of theServi erected to the memory of Theodoric of Coire and bore the inscription: “Hoc opus fecerunt fieriEnricus et Rainardus p aia Teodorici de Coira qui obiit sub anno 1382. Septembri8. Symon de Corbeta fecit.” These much damaged and ori ginally feeble paintings repre sent, the life size Virgin in pro file with the infant, between S. Catherine of Alexandria and an other female saint (right), and S. George introducing the kneeling J figure of Theodoric in the garb of a knight. Other fragments in the “depot” of the Academy, a Virgin and child enthroned be tween mutilated figures, much injured, part of a headless figure, and a S. Cristopher, betray the feeble hand of the same Symon de Corbeta, the least defective of his productions being the last men tioned. The reader may be spared the enumeration of other pieces alleged to be of great age but really of a later time. A cruci fixion with the Virgin and saints in the choir of the Duomo, a Virgin and child much damaged and apparently of the rise of the 15 th century are proofs that the rude manner of such painters as Symon de Corbeta was preserved to a later time. Of Giotto, as has been said, here is no trace, any more than of Stefano Fioren- tino (Vas. Vol. II. p. 17). Rosini (Storia, ub. sup. Vol. II. p. 202) claims attention for certain Giot- tesque remains in the Cistercian abbey of Chieravalle, outside Mi lan, and sees in them traces of the hand of Giovanni da Milano. But these, at least such remains as are now in the cupola of the church, are only productions less ugly than those of Symon de Cor beta. Others in the cemetery are formless remains. (For a full de scription see Caffi (Michele) Illus- trazione di Chieravalle. Milan 1843. p. 48—9.) 2 Tassi, (F. M.) Vite &c. Bergamo 1793.