. The art of the Italian renaissance; a handbook for students and travellers. gical moment. This is notequally the case everywhere. The Libyan Sibyl, one of the last figures on;he ceiling, shows a splendid wealth of line and curve, but the conception)f the figure is superficial. In the same group of later figures is Jeremiah,lunk in profound reverie, and tiiis form, though simpler than any other,;ouches our hearts the most. 4. The Slaves Nude youthful figures are seated above the pillars of the thrones of theirophets. Facing each other, in pairs, each couple has one of the bronzenedallions bet
. The art of the Italian renaissance; a handbook for students and travellers. gical moment. This is notequally the case everywhere. The Libyan Sibyl, one of the last figures on;he ceiling, shows a splendid wealth of line and curve, but the conception)f the figure is superficial. In the same group of later figures is Jeremiah,lunk in profound reverie, and tiiis form, though simpler than any other,;ouches our hearts the most. 4. The Slaves Nude youthful figures are seated above the pillars of the thrones of theirophets. Facing each other, in pairs, each couple has one of the bronzenedallions between them, and seems about to garland it «ith festoons ofruit. These are the so-called Slaves. Drawn on a smaller scale than therophets, their part in the tectonic scheme is to furnish a freely tieatedinial to the pillars. As crowning figures they display the greatest liberty(f gesture. This gives us twenty more seated figures ! Tliey present new possi-)ilities, for they do not sit fiicing the spectator, but in profile and on very F 2 68 THE ART OP THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE. Figures of Slaves, by Michelangelo. (From the first gioup.) low seats. Tliev are also—and this is the most important point—nudefigures. ^Michelangelo wished for once to treat the nude to his heartscontent. Once more he entered the domain which he had trodden in hiscartoon of the Bathing Soldiav. Here, if anywhere in the decoration ofthe ceiling, he threw himself body and soul into the task. Bovs withgarlands of fruit were no unusual subject. ^Michelangelo demanded moreathletic figures. AVe must not inquire too precisely what each is motive was chosen, because it justified an infinite variety of o-esturesincidental to pulling, lifting, or carrying. AAc cannot bind the artistdown to a direct explanation of each gesture. There is no peculiar tension of muscles, but this series of nude figuresseem to ha\e the faculty of infusing currents of \ italitv into the spec-tator ; they constitute a life-com
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