DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61542#0139
34551 CORONATION OF THE LOUVRE
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work Angelico has lavished the richest ornament and
the most radiant colour on the angels who stand before
the throne, each with a spark of fire on his forehead
and glittering stars on his purple wings. The broad
flight of steps leading up to the throne of Christ
heightens the solemnity of the imposing ceremonial,
and the long sweep of the Virgin’s flowing mantle
gives an air of youthful charm and lovely humility to
her kneeling form. Foremost among the hosts of
the blessed are St. Louis, with crown and fleur-de-lis,
St. Thomas Aquinas, with rays of light issuing from
his book, St. Dominic, with the star on his brow and
the lily in his hand, fixing his eyes in adoring love on
the face of Mary; and on the right a group of virgin-
martyrs—Agnes with her white lamb, Katharine with
her wheel, and Magdalen in red robes, with long
yellow locks, and the vase of precious ointment in her
hand. “ So, and no otherwise, do the blessed saints
appear,” exclaims Vasari, in his enthusiasm, “could
we see them in their place in Heaven! But the
expression on their faces and the colour of their robes
could only be painted by a saint or angel like them-
selves ! ” The employment of flat tones and pure
colour, the absence of shadow and lavish use of gold
with which Angelico seeks to represent the glories of
heaven, give the picture a primitive air ; but the care-
fully thought-out space-construction and structure of
the figures show a degree of scientific knowledge little
inferior to Masaccio’s own. Another smaller, but
hardly less beautiful, Coronation was painted by Fra
Angelico for the hospital of S. Maria Nuova—an
institution closely connected with the Dominicans of
San Marco—and is now in the Uffizi. Here we have
D 2
IO5
work Angelico has lavished the richest ornament and
the most radiant colour on the angels who stand before
the throne, each with a spark of fire on his forehead
and glittering stars on his purple wings. The broad
flight of steps leading up to the throne of Christ
heightens the solemnity of the imposing ceremonial,
and the long sweep of the Virgin’s flowing mantle
gives an air of youthful charm and lovely humility to
her kneeling form. Foremost among the hosts of
the blessed are St. Louis, with crown and fleur-de-lis,
St. Thomas Aquinas, with rays of light issuing from
his book, St. Dominic, with the star on his brow and
the lily in his hand, fixing his eyes in adoring love on
the face of Mary; and on the right a group of virgin-
martyrs—Agnes with her white lamb, Katharine with
her wheel, and Magdalen in red robes, with long
yellow locks, and the vase of precious ointment in her
hand. “ So, and no otherwise, do the blessed saints
appear,” exclaims Vasari, in his enthusiasm, “could
we see them in their place in Heaven! But the
expression on their faces and the colour of their robes
could only be painted by a saint or angel like them-
selves ! ” The employment of flat tones and pure
colour, the absence of shadow and lavish use of gold
with which Angelico seeks to represent the glories of
heaven, give the picture a primitive air ; but the care-
fully thought-out space-construction and structure of
the figures show a degree of scientific knowledge little
inferior to Masaccio’s own. Another smaller, but
hardly less beautiful, Coronation was painted by Fra
Angelico for the hospital of S. Maria Nuova—an
institution closely connected with the Dominicans of
San Marco—and is now in the Uffizi. Here we have
D 2