Giotto . nights and ladies too muchdelighted in. Nevertheless, Giottos main idea abouthim is clearly that he sits in the gate ^ pacifically, witha cloak thrown over his chain armour (you can just seethe links of it appear at his throat) and a plain citizenscap for a helmet, and his sword sheathed, while allrobbery and violence have way in the wild places abouthim—he heedless. The types of feature and expression chosen for Justiceand Injustice are peculiarly suggestive when consideredin mutual opposition. Both are distinguished andintellectual ; but the one broad and placid, serenelymeditating
Giotto . nights and ladies too muchdelighted in. Nevertheless, Giottos main idea abouthim is clearly that he sits in the gate ^ pacifically, witha cloak thrown over his chain armour (you can just seethe links of it appear at his throat) and a plain citizenscap for a helmet, and his sword sheathed, while allrobbery and violence have way in the wild places abouthim—he heedless. The types of feature and expression chosen for Justiceand Injustice are peculiarly suggestive when consideredin mutual opposition. Both are distinguished andintellectual ; but the one broad and placid, serenelymeditating upon large and distant issues, the other alertand keen, watching sharply for the immediate materialadvantage. Faith and Infidelity. Faith is very nobly represented. She is a tall figure,but the staff in her right band, which the Cross sur-mounts, is taller than she. Its end rests upon a brokenidol, which Faith further spurns with her right first words of the Creed appear upon a scroll, that i I. Photo, Alinari\ INFIDELITY iArena ChapelTo face p. 159 THE ARENA CHAPEL AT PADUA 159 is raised in her left hand, and instead of falling, seems,of its own accord, to rise as it unrolls. This heavenwardtendency is a marked characteristic of the whole figure,and with the crown or mitre, which rises to a peak aboveher head, sets her in clear relation to the spirit, which,in church architecture, finds expression in the angels bend from heaven to converse with key hangs at her waist. She treads upon cabalisticbooks, and slits in her robe are probably to be taken assigns of martyrdom. Infidelity offers a perfect contrast. According toRuskin and Lord Lindsay he totters upon his feet, anidea reasonable enough in itself, and repeated by laterwriters; but surely not the idea Giotto intended toconvey. Infidelity, like Injustice, is regarded by Giottoas a peculiarly masculine vice, with sordid self-satisfactionfor its essence. He presents to the world a miniatureidol of
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