File:Giotto (1905) (14589828698).jpg

Identifier: giotto00dese (find matches)
Title: Giotto
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: De Selincourt, Basil, 1876-
Subjects: Giotto, 1266?-1337
Publisher: London : Duckworth and Co. New York, C. Scribner's Sons
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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f which is purposeful; but, what is more, inspite of its simplicity, we accept it as a faithful copy ofreality. Here, says Mr. Fry, the figures all havetheir just proportions to one another and to the build-ings, and to the town wall which stretches behind them.The scene is imagined, not merely according to the con-ditions of the dramatic idea, but according to thepossibilities and limitations of actual figures moving ina three-dimensional space; even the perspective of theground is understood. Such is actually the effect pro-duced ; and yet if we were required to compute the realheight of the various buildings, and their distance fromthe figures, we should find ourselves involved in inex-tricable difficulties. Their relation to actuality is adelusion ; these are phantom towers, and we are mockedby the magic of a master hand. With regard to the principal theme, it must berepeated that the spirit of the artist presents itselfunder a veil, which robs it of a great part of its clear- ^^9
Text Appearing After Image:
V ^ H n^m^^:m o <. ^ ^ « s .:.«i:.ir; X o oo wo 73< wEH THE PERUZZI CHAPEL 197 ness and vigour.* It may be seen, even in the re-production, that the left hand of Drusiana has beensupplied by a restorer on a patch of fresh plaster, and itis unlikely, as Crowe and Cavalcaselle remark, that thegesture he has devised is faithful to Giotto^s originalintention. But despite this definite flaw—happily ofinsignificant dimensions—and other indefinite and yetmore disastrous modifications, the clearness of thenarrative, the magnificence of the figures, the grandeurof the grouping assert themselves incontestably still. Of the Ascension of S. John there remains little furtherto be said. It was clearly Giottos intention to representS. John received into heaven by Christ and the apostlesof whom he had been the sole survivor ; the features ofPeter may be recognised in the figure at Christ*s lefthand, though grievously obscured by restoration. Itwould appear that the apostles friends were c

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