Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 1.djvu/201

Rh saint as a youth playing on the Psaltery, while young girls, with graceful forms and beautiful countenances, richly adorned in the costume and head-dresses of that time, are dancing to the music. Ranieri, having been reproved for this sin, is next seen with his head bent down, tears on his cheeks, and his eyes red with weeping, in deep repentance of his error, whilst the Almighty appearing in the air, surrounded by celestial light, seems extending his pardon to the penitent. In the second picture, Ranieri, about to embark on shipboard, divides his possessions among the poor; he has a crowd of lame beggars, women and children, around him, all eager to press forward, and displaying extreme animation both in imploring aid and returning thanks. The saint is again seen in the same picture receiving the garb of a pilgrim in the Temple, where he stands before an image of the Virgin, who, surrounded by angels, promises Ranieri that at Pisa he shall find repose in her bosom. All these figures are full of life, and the expression of the heads is beautiful. In the third picture, Simon has painted the saint returned after seven years absence from beyond the seas. He has passed thrice forty days in the Holy Land, and is now standing in the choir attending Divine service; a number of singing boys are near; the saint is here tempted by the devil, but the fiend is driven away by the firm determination not to offend the laws of God, which is manifested in Ranieri. who is aided by a figure which Simon meant to represent Constancy. The old adversary is thus compelled to depart, not only in confusion, but great fear; he covers his face with his hands, bows down his head, and steals off with shrinking form, exclaiming, as is seen by the writing which proceeds from his mouth, “ I can do no more.” Finallv, Ranieri is once more seen in this picture, when, kneeling on Mount Tabor, he miraculously beholds Christ with Moses and Elias. These, and many other parts of this work, which I will not further describe, prove that Simon possessed great power of