pened in front, showing those at the back of the tent,
behind the seated figure; the perspective of the two retiring sides
being very tolerably suggested. Two angels, of half the size of the
seated figure, thrust back the near curtains, and look up reverently to
the Christ; while again, at their feet, about one third of _their_ size,
and half-sheltered, as it seems, by their garments, are the two kneeling
figures of the Doge and Dogaressa, though so small and carefully cut,
full of life. The Christ raising one hand as to bless, and holding a
book upright and open on the knees, does not look either towards them or
to the angels, but forward; and there is a very noticeable effort to
represent Divine abstraction in the countenance: the idea of the three
magnitudes of spiritual being,--the God, the Angel, and the Man,--is
also to be observed, aided as it is by the complete subjection of the
angelic power to the Divine; for the angels are in attitudes of the most
lowly watchfulness of the face of Christ, and appear unconscious of the
presence of the human beings who are nestled in the folds of their
garments.

Sec. LXIV. With this interesting but modest tomb of one of the kings
of Venice, it is desirable to compare that of one of her senators, of
exactly the same date, which is raised against the western wall of the
Frari, at the end of the north aisle. It bears the following remarkable
inscription:

"ANNO MCCCLX. prima die Julii Sepultura . Domini . Simonii Dandolo .
amador . de . Justisia . e . desiroso . de . acrese . el . ben .
chomum."

The "Amador de Justitia" has perhaps some reference to Simon Dandolo's
having been one of the Giunta who condemned the Doge Faliero. The
sarcophagus is decorated merely by the Annunciation group, and an
enthroned Madonna with a curtain behind her throne, sustained by four
tiny angels, who look over it as they hold it up; but the workmanship of
the figures is more than usually beautiful.

Sec. LXV. Seven years later, a very noble monument was placed on the
north side of the choir of St. John and Paul, to the Doge Marco Cornaro,
chiefly, with respect to our present subject, noticeable for the absence
of religious imagery from the sarcophagus, which is decorated with
roses only; three very beautiful statues of the Madonna and two saints
are, however, set in the canopy above. Opposite this tomb, though about
fifteen years later in date, is the richest monument of the Gothic
perio