presence of Herod, to whom some of them appear to
be appealing,--all seem to me to mark this intention; and to make the
composition only a symbol or shadow of the great deed of massacre, not
a realisation of its visible continuance at any moment. I will not
press this conjecture; but will only add, that if it be so, I think
Giotto was perfectly right; and that a picture thus conceived might
have been deeply impressive, had it been more successfully executed;
and a calmer, more continuous, comfortless grief expressed in the
countenances of the women. Far better thus, than with the horrible
analysis of agony, and detail of despair, with which this same scene,
one which ought never to have been made the subject of painting at
all, has been gloated over by artists of more degraded times.

* * * * *

XXI.

THE YOUNG CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE.

This composition has suffered so grievously by time, that even the
portions of it which remain are seen to the greatest disadvantage.
Little more than various conditions of scar and stain can be now
traced, where were once the draperies of the figures in the shade, and
the suspended garland and arches on the right hand of the spectator;
and in endeavouring not to represent more than there is authority for,
the draughtsman and engraver have necessarily produced a less
satisfactory plate than most others of the series. But Giotto has also
himself fallen considerably below his usual standard. The faces appear
to be cold and hard; and the attitudes are as little graceful as
expressive either of attention or surprise. The Madonna's action,
stretching her arms to embrace her Son, is pretty; but, on the whole,
the picture has no value; and this is the more remarkable, as there
were fewer precedents of treatment in this case than in any of the
others; and it might have been anticipated that Giotto would have put
himself to some pains when the field of thought was comparatively new.
The subject of Christ teaching in the Temple rarely occurs in
manuscripts; but all the others were perpetually repeated in the
service-books of the period.

* * * * *

[Illustration]

XXII.

THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST.

This is a more interesting work than the last; but it is also gravely
and strangely deficient in power of entering into the subject; and
this, I think, is common with nearly all efforts that have hitherto
been made at its representatio