"
No, says Giotto,--not that.
"They advanced to meet, in a manner conformable to the strictest laws
of composition; and with their draperies cast into folds which no one
until Raphael could have arranged better."
No, says Giotto,--not that.
St. Anne has moved quickest; her dress just falls into folds sloping
backwards enough to tell you so much. She has caught St. Joachim by his
mantle, and draws him to her, softly, by that. St. Joachim lays his
hand under her arm, seeing she is like to faint, and holds her up. They
do not kiss each other--only look into each other's eyes. And God's
angel lays his hand on their heads.
Behind them, there are two rough figures, busied with their own
affairs,--two of Joachim's shepherds; one, bare headed, the other
wearing the wide Florentine cap with the falling point behind, which is
exactly like the tube of a larkspur or violet; both carrying game, and
talking to each other about--Greasy Joan and her pot, or the like. Not
at all the sort of persons whom you would have thought in harmony with
the scene;--by the laws of the drama, according to Racine or Voltaire.
No, but according to Shakespeare, or Giotto, these are just the kind of
persons likely to be there: as much as the angel is likely to be there
also, though you will be told nowadays that Giotto was absurd for
putting _him_ into the sky, of which an apothecary can always
produce the similar blue, in a bottle.
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