Chap. XI. UCCELLI’S BATTLE PIECES. 287 enting incidents of battle, adorning, of old, the garden of the Bartolini at Gualfonda near Florence. 1 The eager ness of rival purchasers has left but one to the Uffizi at Florence. Two others are in the ex-Campana Collection at the Louvre and in the National gallery. A daring boldness of action marks the knights and barded steeds in tilt which form the subject of the panel at Florence; but the conception is more praiseworthy than successful; and the effect of certain movements, such as that of a kicking horse, is ludicrous and grotesque. Again, the foreshortened position of a prostrate steed presenting his belly and heels as well as the legs of his fallen rider to the spectator, suggests the wish rather than the power to overcome a difficulty of no mean kind. Perspective of broken lances, shields, and helmets, is laboriously carried out; and distant episodes of archers, men at arms and dogs, show that Uccelli already possessed the art of perspective; but the spectator has before him the lifeless and wooden models of divers figures, their geometrical substance with out the final dressing that should give life to the form and its action. Added to this, sharp outlines cut out the figures; and the injury done by time and restoring to the colours renders the whole production of less interest to the lover of good pictures than to the critic. The piece serves, in fact, as a medium for a show of a knowledge in foreshortening, whereas perspective should have no other aim than to make the picture true and productive of a natural illusion. 2 One can fancy Donatello saying, at sight of such a work. “This perspective of yours makes you drop the certain for the uncertain. These are things which can only be of use to a workman in mar quetry.” 3 It is not uninteresting, however, to note at the outset that Uccelli attacked at once a series of difficulties. 1 Vas. Vol. III. p. 96. 2 This picture (No. 21. 1 st Cor ridor) is signed on a shield to the left “Pauli Ucieli opus”. Bug- giardini restored this and the re maining panels; but did more in jury than good. The surface is blackened. See also Vas. Vol. III. p. 96. 3 Vas. Vol. III. p. 89.
