Dissertation on the Paintings of the middle Age. 171 



4, 6, 3, 5, 14, by successive steps of the index L : then, on 

 examination of the second or shilling column, 16 will be 

 found beneath the index, and the nearest red figure which 

 it has passed by will be 1, denoting 1 pound 16 shillings: 

 16 therefore is set down, and the pin x still kept in the 

 same hole to denote that one is carried forwards ; the circle 

 is again brought to the zero, by bringing it back as far as 

 it will go; and lastly, the column of pounds is added, in 

 exactly the same manner. 



XXVII. Dissertation on the Paintings of the middle Age^ and 

 those called Gothic. Extracted from an unpublished fVbrk 

 on Painting, by M. Paillot de Montabert. 



[Continued from p. 44.] 



Of the various Schools of the middle Age. — Roman School 

 of the middle Age. — Greek School of Coiistaiitinople from 

 the ninth to the sixteenth Century exclusiuely. — Floren- 

 tine School of the viiddle Age. — Fenetian School of the 

 middle Age. — Gothic School of the North. 



Roman School of the middle Age. 



v_^ONSTANTiNOPLE for a long period gave laws to Europe 

 in the arts; but in spite of the influence which this school 

 may have had over the painters of Rome, the ancient 

 models, always reviving in this rich capital of ihe world, 

 presented nourishment too abundant and too wholesome to 

 encourage a preference for the new style of paintings sent 

 from the East, lo which they conformed occasionally 

 merely out of condescension. All the artists of Rome, in 

 short, down to the time of Raphael, knew how to profit 

 by the innumerable sculptures and subterranean paintings 

 which were daily discovered in that famous city. There 

 cannot be a doubt, therefore, that the character of this 

 school consisted at all times in a correct style, in clear and 

 expressive pantomimes, forcible and yet agreeable, as well 

 as in draperies of a good taste; and we ought therefore to . 

 regard this school as the first preserver of the true ancient 

 style of painting*. 



Greek 



* All the Christian sarcopba^ of Rome are executed exactly In the stylo 

 pf the last iculpture* of Paj^aiiism : and it is turprisiii); enoue^li to see upon 

 these sepulchral ornamenta Moses striking the rock, Jesus entering into 

 Naj-.arefh, or standing in the midst of his apostle";, and so m:iny other sa- 

 ^ed eiibjccts, similar in tlie costume and workiiunvhip to tlie reprc.enta- 



tious 



