262 General Discussion of the Crosses 



nearly parallel to Elizabeth's, but above it. The bodies are represented 

 as very short, one might say squatty, and the knees project somewhat.^ 

 • The analogies between the treatment of these 12th century groups 

 and that of the corresponding subject on the Ruthwell Cross are 

 too evident to be insisted on.^ 



According to Venturi's reproductions,^ the type of the Visitation 

 at St. Benoit and Ruthwell occurs at least seven times in Italy, all 

 the examples presumably belonging to the 12th century, besides 

 three others in which the attitudes are different. The seven are 

 respectively at Piacenza (Cathedral, architrave of left side-door of 

 the facade) ,^ Ferrara (Cathedral, lintel of main portal),^ Fano (Archie- 

 piscopal Palace, fragment),^ Padua (Santa Giustina, architrave of 

 portal of the old monastery, now in sacristy),'^ Alatri (Santa Maria 

 Maggiore, sacristy),^ Monreale (Cloister, capital at north-east angle), ^ 

 and Gaeta (Cathedral, panel of candelabrum). i<* Of these, that at 

 Piacenza is, according to Venturi, by Wihgelmus ^^ ; that at Ferrara, 

 by Nicholas^^ ; that at Fano, perhaps of the school of Nicholas ; while 

 those at Padua, Alatri, Monreale, and Gaeta are probably later. 

 The three other examples are that at Nonantola (San Silvestro, 

 jamb at right of portal),^^ by Wilige]mus, that at Verona (San Giovanni 

 in Fonte, font),^* and that at Benevento (Cathedral, bronze door 

 dating from end of thirteenth century). ^^ 



C. The Flight into Egypt.^e 

 The Fhght into Egypt is not known in Christian art till the 10 th 

 century at earhest, and does not appear in the monuments before 

 the 11th century. 



The Flight into Egypt . . . belongs ... to the regular series of the 

 Life of Christ, which first make their appearance in Christian art in 

 about the tenth or eleventh century. . . . The sculpture shows the 

 Virgin and Child seated upon an ass, which is being led by Joseph. . . . 



1 The descriptions are from personal inspection on July 26, 1911, and 

 from sketches made by my wife on the same day. 



2 If we may trust Bulteau (3. 163), Mary is always seated in the Annun- 

 ciation till the end of the 12th century, while from 1150 to 1350 Mary and 

 the angel are both standing. This is important in its bearing on the date 

 of the Ruthwell Annunciation. 



3 Storia delVArte Ital, Vol. 3. « P. 175. ^ p. 190. 6 p. 276. 

 ' P. 339. 8 p^ 385. 9 p, 629. 10 P. 649. " See p. 144. 

 12 See p. 144. is p. 159. i4 p. 228. ^^ p. gg?. i« See p. 22. 



(50) 



