^Esthetic Evolution. 



In PAINTING, the beauty as to devotional expression 

 and religious conception of Fra Angelico and painters 

 of kindred schools was of course marred by a defective 

 knowledge of anatomy and many technical defects. Yet 

 how superior are such works in religious expression to 

 later works, in other respects so superior ! The process 

 of evolution in this art has now already given us two 

 distinct styles sources of endless enjoyment the land- 

 scape and the historical picture. The third style, the 

 religious, is yet in embryo ; but we have already its 

 conception the idea of painting consciously Christian, 

 and separate from other styles to a degree never thought 

 of before, yet making use of all the improvements 

 which the last three centuries have introduced. 



Nevertheless, purely realistic painting and naturalism, 

 most suitable for landscape and historical subjects, are 

 now recognised as inappropriate, save as regards subor- 

 dinate details, in attempts to pourtray what is infinitely 

 beyond human imagination. Purely religious subjects, it 

 is recognised, can only be pourtrayed symbolically ; and 

 in order so to pourtray them, more may be learnt from 

 the devotional treatment and expression of earlier days 

 than from the artistic triumphs of later centuries. 



Precisely the same considerations apply to SCULPTURE. 

 A development of this art may well, however, take place 

 in connection with religion beyond anything seen in 

 former days. It may do so, because when the absurdity 



