ANIMAL LIFE IN ITALIAN PAINTING 



A panel of the predella shows St. Jerome at the foot of 

 the cross, upon which perches a vulture. There is also 

 a flamingo feeding, a snake, a lion, a mule and rabbit 

 foreshortened from behind ; two other rabbits, one very 

 clumsily painted about the head, and a dog asleep in 

 a cave. The attitude of the lion is very well observed 

 and the details of structure well carried out ; the 

 painting of the paws should be noticed. 



A snail is painted, travelling along with outstretched 

 horns, at the feet of St. Francis in the Madonna and 

 Child Enthroned, dated 1491. Even its sluggish heart 

 is moved. 



The Earl of Northbrook has a Madonna in which 

 the Child holds a goldfinch in both hands. A Virgin 

 and Child at Ancona (Pinacoteca Podesti) contains 

 another goldfinch with a very short neck, which flies 

 at the end of a string held by the Child. 



Crivelli has introduced the common house-fly into 

 at least four paintings. One is in the picture belonging 

 to Lord Northbrook just mentioned ; the child holding 

 the bird looks round at the fly, which is crawling in his 

 direction. Another is in the National Gallery (No. 

 907), a third is at South Kensington, and the fourth 

 belongs to Mr. Benson. 

 Catena, Vincenzo di Biagio, known as Catena (if the St. 



c. 1470-1531 j^YQfyiQ in the National Gallery is by him and not by 



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