“THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN ART” 223

Titian, that we can look back to the Giotteschi-to see those children

“Sport upon the shore

And hear the mighty waters rolling evermore.”¹

We believe Giotto himself felt this-unquestionably he could have carried many of his works much farther in finish, had he so willed it; but he chose rather to multiply motives than to complete details. Thus we recur to our great principle of Separate gift.² The man who spends his life in toning colours must leave the treasures of his invention untold-let each have his perfect work; and while we thank Bellini and Leonardo for their deeply wrought dyes, and life-laboured utterance of passionate thought; let us remember also what cause, but for the remorseless destruction of myriads of his works, we should have had to thank Giotto, in that, abandoning all proud effort, he chose rather to make the stones of Italy cry out with one voice of pauseless praise, and to fill with perpetual remembrance of the Saints he loved, and perpetual honour of the God he worshipped, palace chamber and convent cloister, lifted tower and lengthened wall, from the utmost blue of the plain of Padua to the Southern wildernesses of the hermit-haunted Apennine.³

53. From the head of the Dramatic branch of Art, we turn to the first of the great Contemplative Triad, associated, as it most singularly happens in name as well as in heart; Orcagna = Arcagnuolo; Fra Giovanni-detto Angelico; and Michael Angelo:-the first two names being bestowed by contemporary admiration.

“Orcagna was born apparently about the middle of the (14th) century, and was christened Andrea, by which name, with the addition of that of

¹ [Wordsworth’s ode, Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood:

“Hence in a season of calm weather

Though inland far we be,

Our souls have sight of that immortal sea

Which brought us hither,

Can in a moment travel thither,

And see the children sport,” etc.]

² [See above, § 34, p. 203.]

³ [Compare Giotto and his Works in Padua, § 18: “Thus he went, a serene labourer, throughout the length and breadth of Italy.”]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]