Page:The painters of Florence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century (1915).djvu/124

96 poor mother and child begging for alms, in the one subject, the lame beggar in the other, the famous shivering youth standing on the brink of Jordan, and the still finer figure of the boy who kneels to receive baptism, are admirable examples of successful realism. The difficult perspective of the steep street in the background of St. Peter giving alms, is not quite correctly rendered, but is interesting as a proof of the artist's eagerness to grapple with new problems, even when they were beyond his grasp. On the other hand, the hilly landscape on the banks of Jordan is charmingly painted, and shows his accuracy of observation and genuine delight in natural beauty. These qualities are still further developed in the large fresco of the Tribute Money, on the left-hand wall, which Vasari justly pronounced to be Masaccio's master-piece. Here we see the great painter in the fulness of his powers. Three separate scenes are introduced, but are happily combined by the skilful management of the architecture and the beautiful landscape which forms the setting of the picture. The chief incident, St. Peter's dispute with the tax-gatherer and appeal to Christ, occupies the centre, while the minor incidents of Peter taking the coin from the mouth of the fish, and delivering it to the collector, are kept in the background, and not allowed to interfere with the main subject. Nothing can exceed the dramatic force with which the story is told. The eager insistence with which the tax-collector urges his claim, the indignation of Peter and the surprise of the Apostles at the command of Christ, are all vividly painted. Equally striking is the action of Peter as, his face flushed with the