Phillipps, Evelyn March: The frescoes in the Sixtine chapel (London: John Murray, 1901)

THE LAW OF MOSES

43

not consciously recognised by the men who
witnessed its unfolding, and though we
see now that at no stage could Cosimo have
competed with any but the second class, he
was certainly highly thought of, and looked
upon as worthily upholding the Florentine
fame. It is said too that the Pope much
admired the lavish use he made of gold in
decorating his figures. Three of the four-
teen wall frescoes are by his hand, their
mediocrity being to some extent relieved
by the landscape backgrounds of the young
Piero. In many places this fresco has been
repainted and the colours darkened, and we
no longer see the gold which, according to
Vasari, pleased the Pope so much.
Exod. xxiv. 12. And the Lord said unto Moses, Come
up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will
give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments
which I have written ; that thou may st teach them.
13. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua :
and Moses went up into the mount of God.
V. 10. and xxx. v. 18.
In the middle distance we see Moses
receiving the tables from the Father, sur-