that of Titian. It is vigorous and noble, but rarely to the same degree refined and beautiful. The workmanship is comparatively coarse and sketchy, and far removed from the delicacy of French carving. The best parts of these statues are the heads, which, for the most part, more finely wrought than other parts, display much individual character. They are apparently real portraits of living men, and as such possess an interest independently of that which their other qualities give. Taken as a whole, this sculpture of Wells lends an unique impressiveness to the façade with which it is associated; and, faulty as both are, they constitute a monument which must always rank among the grand achievements of art.
Perhaps the sculpture next in importance in England is that of the Presbytery of Lincoln, which dates from the second half of the thirteenth century. Within this building the spandrels of the triforium are enriched by figures of angels in high relief, from which the structure is commonly known as the Angel Choir. The situation is a bad one for the display of the work. The sculpture is so high above the pavement as to be seen with difficulty, both on account of its distance, and because the width of the aisle is not sufficient to allow it to be viewed otherwise than very obliquely. The light, too, falling from the opposite clerestory, is, for each relief, directly in front—the worst light possible for the exhibition of form. This sculpture, though important as occupying a conspicuous position in one of the most elaborate of Anglo-Norman pointed buildings, has, I think, no considerable merit, notwithstanding that it has been extravagantly praised.[1] Several of the figures appear to be symbolical, though their precise meaning is uncertain. Most of them are represented as playing on musical instruments. The south door of this presbytery—which has more of the character of a French Gothic doorway than is common in England—has in its tympanum more effective sculpture, though it is too much mutilated to admit of a satisfactory judgment of its
- ↑ Mr. Cockerell, in the Appendix to his Monograph on the Sculpture of Wells, says: "The sculpture of the angel choir is displayed (sic) with most admired learning and taste, and may not only challenge, in these respects, the works of sculpture or painting of any country in the thirteenth or succeeding century, but will possibly be found to establish a priority of merit in the English school, hitherto little suspected."
