given, is enhanced by
the fine idea of the soldier on the left, who, impressively standing out
against the sky, shades his eyes, with bewildered gesture, as though
blinded by a sudden comprehension of the sacrifice. The grief of the
women who tend the unconscious Virgin, is sympathetically realised, and
without exaggeration of outward sorrow. The composition is specially
beautiful, the sides are well-balanced, while the two mounted soldiers
on either side (notwithstanding their characteristically badly-drawn
horses) give the scene a ceremonious stateliness, which is very
impressive.

[Illustration: [_Uffizi, Florence_

THE ANNUNCIATION]

In the "Pentecost" we have another most masterly bit of perspective and
fine spacious effect. At the end of a long room, between two rows of the
Apostles, is seated the Virgin. Above is God the Father, attended by two
angels, and below, the tongues of flame, the gift of the hovering Dove,
have alighted on the heads of all the company. Apart from the sense of
space and the well-composed grouping, the technical execution does not
appear so satisfactory as in the "Crucifixion," but this may be
accounted for by the fact that the painting has suffered more from
restoration.

Very closely allied to this Standard in composition is the fine "S.
Sebastian" of Citta di Castello, painted in 1496 for the church of S.
Domenico, now in the Gallery, which, in spite of its bad condition is a
picture of great importance and beauty. The least satisfactory part is
the Saint himself, who stands bound high up upon the tree, his
sentimental face with upturned eyes and open mouth recalling the S.
John of several of the Crucifixions. Above him leans God the Father, and
below five soldiers string their bows or shoot, with superb gestures.
Three of them are in the tight-fitting clothes in which Signorelli loved
to display the fine proportions and splendidly-developed muscles of his
figures, and the other two are draped only with the Pollaiuolesque
striped loin-cloth. In the middle distance, burgesses and sad-faced
women look on at the martyrdom, and in the background a distant street,
filled with soldiers, leads steeply up to a ruined classic building, not
unlike the Colosseum. The great damage which the picture has suffered
makes it difficult on a superficial view to give it the place it really
deserves among the master's works. The colouring is somewhat crude,
especially the flesh-tints, which are red and