264			214
                                                                      
                                                                      	          ST MARK’S NICHES.
                                                                      	southern side;  but thierfigues are far inferior and
                                                                      more modern - their a ches also in the management of
                                                                      the cusp -
                                                                      The final one, however,  next the Ducal palace, which is
                                                                      here - most strangely - as on the other side - is the
                                                                      best of the series;  it i[a]s nearly the same in outer con-
                                                                      tour of arch as its beautiful opposite - it has the same
                                                                      shallow cavetto of section:  the arch point is however
                                                                      run a little against or into the cornice dentil:  - in
                                                                      the second niche - the intermediate one of south side
                                                                      the arch point is squeezed up into the dentil block, and
                                                                      in the third - the angle niche south west, it is fairly
                                                                      run in to the half of cornice dentil - as in all the
                                                                      niches to the front.
                                                                      The third stage of difference is in the front niches, whose
                                                                      figures are comparatively quite modern - - forced, theatria
                                                                      	cal and poor - more especially the two kneeling ones at
                                                                      the angles.  Their capitals are for the most part
                                                                      far inferior - more rudely cut and more florid in
                                                                      design - except those of the north west angle already
                                                                      noted - p 60 St M.  and their cusps far inferior in
                                                                      line, as also those of the three towards piazzetta - Their
                                                                      line is given at p 9 1 St M.  We have thus three marked
                                                                      periods in the working of the pure gothic of
                                                                      St Marks:(without counting the red and vulgar traceries
                                                                      of the lower facade and windows) and

[Version 0.05: May 2008]