Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/120

 dZ rnOCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF symbol, as commonly to be seen in other representations in accordance with his testimony, — ' Behold the Lamb of God.' '• The IViptist is usnally pourtraj-ed of tall, nicai^re frame, as if wasted by his desert life near the waters of Knon : his hair and beard are nsually in disan-ay, and his scanty garb is a shagiry hide, the head of the animal hanj^'ing at his side ; ^Tcat jiart of his pei"Son, his limbs and breast, are seen inicovcred. Such is the characteristic and most ancient type, derived, it is probable, from the artists of the (Ireck school ; it is often grandly severe and even majestic : in later middle-age art, the love of beauty and grace in design jtrevailed, and the figure of the Precui-sor nssumcs a mure benign and Apostolic character : a long mantle some- times shrouds the conventional raiment of skin ; sometimes this last, as in the example under consideration, is altogether superseded by a flowing robe reaching almost to the feet. The proportions of the figure arc com- monly, as in the sculpture, of unusually tall and attenuated character : the familiar symbol is constantly the Lamb, usuall}' ]>laced on the Book of the Gospels, and towards this Agnus Dei the Baptist ])oints, as in the figure brought to light at ICaston. The long proportions of every j)art — the head, the taper fingei-s, the pointed bare feet, the narrow parallel folds of the drapery — all are conformable to the style of a period of art, when there was much skill in expression, rather tiian perfect knowletlge of the jirinciples of design. At the same time, if we were disposed to criticise severely the somcwliat exaggerated lengthiness of the figure before lis, it must be remembered that this sculiiture was doulttless destined to fill a space in some tall, narrow niche of tabernacle work, on the reredoi-se, it may bo, of an altar, or for the enrichment of a shrino. The alabaster still bears traces of vivid opaque colouring : the robe seems to have been yellow ; the lining of the mantle was of brilliant ver- milion ; the ground imder the feet was green. This painting, even of 80 ornamental a material as alabaster, was in accordance with tiie imper- fect taste of the period ; it extended occasionally to the liiiijig or inner sides only of the garments, the gra.ss, or the jiaved flooring at the feet, and the like, and was not always carried ovei' the entire surface, whilst the margins of the dress were sometimes edged or diapered with gilding. It has been ob.serveil that the feet are bare, in precise accordance with the practice in pourtraying sacred j)ersonages, and even our Lord himself; this iisjigc, that probably may bo traced to the (Jreek school, was doubt- less significant. In tho times to which the figure from Kaston may be ascribed, it was no longer invariably observed ; it may havo betokened that tlic grouml was holy whereon they tro(l ; in the ca.so of tho Pre- cursor it may have been th(jught suitable to his ascetic life in the wilder- ness, wliilst, again, ho who Kiiid of hiniHelf that he was unworthy to iiidoobc the latchotH on the feet of the Saviour, might well lie i)ouitraye«l with such token of his humility as uncovered feel. "The f St. .bdin theBa])tist, is, as has been ])oiulcd out, comparatively umisual, Imt by no means witii- out jjrecodent. •' in a ^LS. Kvan;,'eliary, in the Vatican, aseribcil to the twelfth century, there is an illumination that ]iourlrayH the Baptism of our liord in Jordan ; Ijc is seen divested of his garments, which are held by attendant angels ; the Baptist appears ]»o -ing the w:iter upon tho Saviour's head. St. John is clothed in a long (lowing robe and mantle, without any of tho