[A Wanderer in Florence by E. V. Lucas]@TWC D-Link bookA Wanderer in Florence CHAPTER XV 14/31
The dancing of Herodias' daughter, which offered Giotto less scope, is original too--original not because it came so early, but because Giotto's mind was original and innovating and creative.
The musician is charming.
The last scene of all is a delightful blend of religious fervour and reality: the miraculous ascent from the tomb, through an elegant Florentine loggia, to everlasting glory, in a blaze of gold, and Christ and an apostle leaning out of heaven with outstretched hands to pull the saint in, as into a boat.
Such a Christ as that could not but be believed in. In the next chapel, the Bardi, we find Giotto at work on a life of S.Francis, and here again Ruskin is essential.
It was a task which, since this church was the great effort of the Florentine Franciscans, would put an artist upon his mettle, and Giotto set the chosen incidents before the observers with the discretion and skill of the great biographer that he was, and not only that, but the great Assisi decorator that he was.
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