river bed. But in the midst of them,
at the saint's right hand, there is a book lying, crushed but open,
two or three stones which have torn one of its leaves lying upon it.
The freedom and ease with which the leaf is crumpled is just as
characteristic of the master as any of the grander features; no one
but Tintoret could have so crushed a leaf; but the idea is still more
characteristic of him, for the book is evidently meant for the Mosaic
History which Stephen had just been expounding, and its being crushed
by the stones shows how the blind rage of the Jews was violating their
own law in the murder of Stephen. In the upper part of the picture are
three figures,--Christ, the Father, and St. Michael. Christ of course
at the right hand of the Father, as Stephen saw him standing; but
there is little dignity in this part of the conception. In the middle
of the picture, which is also the middle distance, are three or four
men throwing stones, with Tintoret's usual vigor of gesture, and
behind them an immense and confused crowd; so that, at first, we
wonder where St. Paul is; but presently we observe that, in the front
of this crowd, and _almost exactly in the centre of the picture_,
there is a figure seated on the ground, very noble and quiet, and with
some loose garments thrown across its knees. It is dressed in vigorous
black and red. The figure of the Father in the sky above is dressed in
black and red also, and these two figures are the centres of color to
the whole design. It is almost impossible to praise too highly the
refinement of conception which withdrew the unconverted St. Paul into
the distance, so as entirely to separate him from the immediate
interest of the scene, and yet marked the dignity to which he was
afterward to be raised, by investing him with the colors which
occurred nowhere else in the picture except in the dress which veils
the form of the Godhead. It is also to be noted as an interesting
example of the value which the painter put upon color only; another
composer would have thought it necessary to exalt the future apostle
by some peculiar dignity of action or expression. The posture of the
figure is indeed grand, but inconspicuous; Tintoret does not depend
upon it, and thinks that the figure is quite ennobled enough by being
made a key-note of color.

It is also worth observing how boldly im