Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/121

 Tin: noYAL atjchaeological institute. 9;i peculiar features of dross by which he is usually chai-acterisod. This specimen of early art of the Greek school has been given by Cicognara. in his Ti-catise on Tainting. " Another representation of the I'aptisni, treated in like manner, has been given in the History of our Lord, commenced by the late Mrs. Jameson and completed by Lady Eastlake. In the first volume, p. 29.J, will be found tlio subject in question, from a MS. at Bologna, of the thirteenth century. St. John here appears in long flowing garments, the skirt of his mantle floating in the wind to a considerable distance from his person, according to the conventional mode of treating the draperies at the ])eriod. In the general details this illumination bears much resemblance to that above mentioned, from the Vatican MS. " Li another example, an Italian painting on a triptycli of the thirteenth or fourteenth century, likewise to be found in the great series selected by Cicognara, the Baptist may be seen in ample garments ; the figure is veiy long and meagre in its proi)ortions, as in the sculptured figure found at Easton. In one hand he holds a scroll inscribed Ecce Angnus (sic), Dei (Cicogn, pi. cxij.) The draped figure of the Precursor is familiar in works of the later painters in Italy. Mrs. Jameson gives an example in a j>ainting by Verrochio, in the Academy at Florence (History of Our Lord, vol. i. p. 297). " A question of considerable interest may be suggested in regard to the sculpture for which the Institute is indebted to Mr. Woilehouse, namely, at what place, or under the influence of what class and school of artificers were such decorations destined for altars and for shrine work executed. Numerous small tablets of alabaster have been noticed and figured in archtoological works, and of these several have been brought before the Institute, in which various figures of saints are found intro- duced, mostly as accompaniments of a peculiar subject that has been x-egarded sometimes as the vernicle, or the verum icon, the head of our Lord, V)ut which appears undoubtedly intended to represent the severed head of St. John the Baptist in a charger — the caput Johannis in disco — a subject of freipient occurrence in various works of an ornamental cha- racter, and amongst these upon seals and personal appliances. It may be here remarked that certain objects of this description have been re- garded, it is believed with much probability, as having been associated with some special feeling of veneration connected with the cnltus of St. John the Baptist. " It may deserve notice that in the Museum of the Society of Anti- quaries of Scotland there is a figure of the Baptist, carved in limestone, that bears resemblance to that at Easton in some features of its design, — the stern asjjcct of the countenance, the long hair, draped dre.-;s and bare feet. It was drcilged up from the bottom of the Firth of Forth. It is rough and hollowed at the back, and perforated at the bottom, as if for fixing it on a peg, in a niche, or the like. This figure appears to be seated : in the left hand is the Agnus, upon a square object, possibly a book, and witii the riglit the Brocursor points towards the sacred symbol. This curious relic is figured in the Proceedings of the Society, vol. vii. J). :VJ7." After some comments by Mr. J. (J. "W.m.lfr and the Kev. Greville CuKSTKR, the Chairman remarked that the scul[)turo was certainly not English work but perhaps Flemish or Italian. There was great beauty iu