re a "Studio" or Chapel for Nicholas V., for which the
payment is entered in a register dated 1449, but "after this year,"
writes Muentz, "we find no more traces of the illustrious Dominican, in
the books of the secret treasury."[62]

On January 10th 1452 Fra Angelico is again at Fiesole as prior of his
convent, and in the same year the rulers of the Commune of Prato
employed the good offices of Archbishop Antonino to induce Fra
Angelico to paint the principal chapel of their church; but he
refused, and the commission was given to Filippo Lippi.

The fact that the name of the Dominican artist has not been found in
the registers of the Vatican Treasury after 1449, need not necessarily
be taken as a proof that he was not working in the Chapel of Nicholas
V. at a later date. Indeed, as he went no more to Orvieto, and would
not undertake to paint the Choir of the Prato Cathedral, it seems
probable that he should have gone back to Rome to finish his work
there.

The chapel which preserves these precious frescoes by Angelico may be
considered one of the most famous monuments of Italian art.

On three of the walls, he has represented in two lines of frescoes the
Vocation, the Apostleship, and the Martyrdom of St. Stephen and St.
Laurence. On the first side St. Stephen receives the Communion from
St. Peter, and distributes alms to the poor: on the second are his
preaching and justification before the high priest: in the third his
lapidation. Below on the first wall is the consecration of St.
Laurence, and his almsgiving to the poor and maimed; second, his
imprisonment and the conversion of the jailer; and lastly his
martyrdom.

The design is free and firm, yet keeping true to the character of the
artist. The execution is more accurate and equal; although less
realistic than that of Masaccio, yet he succeeds in giving his figures
a greater grace and softer expression, indeed, the sentiment with
which he imbues his figures, was never reached by any other artist,
and that sentiment is here more admirably expressed than in any other
of his works.

[Illustration: CHAPEL OF POPE NICHOLAS V. VATICAN--ROME. ST. LAWRENCE
ORDAINED DEACON BY POPE SIXTUS II.]

[Illustration: THE PREACHING AND JUSTIFICATION OF ST. STEPHEN.
(Vatican, Rome.)]

Whether St. Stephen be kneeling in wrapt devotion to take the chalice,
or with the love of divine charity giving money to the woman, while
the little child gives him its hand; whether touchin