part of it. Round the high-altar he made a
border of pictures, in which, in order to follow the order of the
stories begun by Duccio, he executed scenes from Genesis; namely, Adam
and Eve expelled from Paradise and tilling the earth, the Sacrifice of
Abel, and that of Melchizedek. In front of the altar is a large scene
with Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac, and this has round it a border of
half-length figures, carrying various animals which they seem to be
going to sacrifice. Descending the steps, one finds another large
picture, which serves to accompany that above, and in it Domenico
represented Moses receiving the Laws from God on Mount Sinai; and below
this is the scene when, having found the people worshipping the Golden
Calf, he is seized with anger and breaks the Tables on which those Laws
were written. Below this scene, opposite to the pulpit, and right across
the church, is a frieze with a great number of figures, which is
composed with so much grace and such design that it defies description;
and in this is Moses, who, striking the rock in the desert, causes water
to gush out and gives drink to his thirsty people. Here, along the whole
length of the frieze, Domenico represented the stream of water, from
which the people are drinking in various ways with a vivacity so
pleasing, that it is almost impossible to imagine any effect more
lovely, or figures in more graceful and beautiful attitudes than are
those in this scene--some stooping to the ground to drink, some kneeling
before the rock that is spouting with water, some drawing it in vases
and others in cups, and others, finally, drinking with their hands.
There are, moreover, some who are leading animals to drink, amid the
great rejoicing of that people; and, among other things, most marvellous
is a little boy who has taken a little dog by the head and neck and
plunges its muzzle into the water, in order to make it drink, after
which the dog, having drunk, and not wishing to drink any more, shakes
its head so naturally that it seems to be alive. In short, this frieze
is so beautiful, that for a work of that kind it could not be executed
with greater art, seeing that the various kinds of shadows that may be
seen in these figures are not merely beautiful, but miraculous; and
although the whole work, on account of the fantastic nature of its
craftsmanship, is one of great beauty, this part is held to be the most
beautiful and the best. Below the cupola, moreover