place of his birth, Maso di San Giovanni; but from his abstracted air, his utter indifference to the usual sports and pursuits of boyhood, his negligent dress and manners, his companions called him Masaccio, which might be translated ugly or slovenly Tom; and by this reproachful nickname one of the most illustrious of painters is now known throughout the world and to all succeeding generations. Masaccio was one of those rare and remarkable men whose vocation is determined beyond recall almost from infancy. He made his first essays as a child in his native village; and in the house in which he was born they long preserved the effigy of an old woman spinning, which he had painted when a mere boy on the wall of his chamber, astonishing for its life-like truth. Coming to Florence when about thirteen, he studied (according to Vasari) under Masolino, who was then employed on the frescoes of the chapel of the Brancacci family, in the church of the Carmelites. Masolino died soon after, leaving his work unfinished; but Masaccio still continued his studies, acquiring the principles of design under Ghiberti and Donatello, and the art of perspective under Brunelleschi. The passionate energy and forgetfulness of all the common interests and pleasures of life with which he pursued his favourite art obtained him, at an early age, the notice of Cosmo de' Medici. Then intervened the civil troubles of the republic: Cosmo was banished; and Masaccio left Florence to pursue his studies at Rome with the same ardour, and with all the advantages afforded by the remains of ancient art collected there.

While at Rome, Masaccio painted in the church of San

Clemente a Crucifixion, and some scenes from the life of St. Catherine of Alexandria; but, unhappily, these have been so coarsely painted over, that every vestige of Masaccio's hand has disappeared-only the composition remains; and from the engravings which exist some idea may be formed of their beauty and simplicity.*

Cosmo de' Medici was recalled from banishment in 1433; and soon afterwards, probably through his patronage and influence, the completion of the chapel of St. Peter in the church of the Carmine, left unfinished by Masolino, was intrusted to Masaccio.

This chapel is in the form of a parallelogram, and three sides are covered with the frescoes, divided into twelve compartments, of which four are large and oblong, and the rest narrow and upright. All represent scenes from the life of St. Peter, except two, which are immediately on each side as you enter-Adam and Eve in Paradise, and the Expulsion from Paradise-which are here introduced because St. Peter, according to the popular legend, was keeper of the gates of Paradise. Of the twelve compartments, two had been painted by Masolino previous to 1415-the Preaching of St. Peter, one of the small compartments, and the St. Peter and St. John healing the Cripple, one of the largest. In this fresco are introduced two beautiful youths, or pages, in the dress of the patricians of Florence. Nothing can be

make us regret

more unaffectedly elegant; they would that the death of Masolino left others to complete his

In Ottley's Early Italian School' there is an engraving of St. Catherine disputing with the Heathen Philosophers. In Rosini are others. Both these works may be consulted in the British Museum.

undertaking, had he not been succeeded by Masaccio and Filippino Lippi.

Six of the compartments, two large and four small ones, were executed by Masaccio. These represent St. Peter taking the Tribute-money from the mouth of the fish; Peter raising a Youth to Life; Peter baptizing the Converts; Peter and John healing the Sick and Lame; the same Apostles distributing Alms; and the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise.

The woodcut will give some idea of the groups in one of these large compartments. The scene represented is one of the incidents in the apocryphal History of the Apostles. Simon the Magician challenged Peter and Paul to restore to life a dead youth, who is said to have been a kinsman or nephew of the Roman emperor. The sorcerer fails of course. The Apostles resuscitate the youth, who kneels before them; the skull and bones near him represent the previous state of death: a crowd of spectators stand around beholding the miracle. The figures are half the size of life, and quite wonderful for the truth of expression, the variety of character, the simple dignity of the forms and attitudes. Masaccio died while at work on this grand picture, and the central group was painted some years later by FILIPPINO LIPPI, the son of Fra Filippo. The figure of the youth in the centre is traditionally said to be that of the painter Granacci, then a boy. Among the figures standing round are several contemporary portraits: Piero Guicciardini, father of the great historian; Luigi Pulci, the poet, author of the Morgante Maggiore;' Antonio Pollaiuolo, the painter; and others.

ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL RESTORING THE DEAD YOUTH.

From the Chapel of the Carmine in Florence.

Page 82.