The  question  of  muffled  detail  is  particularly  noticeable  in  the  wings.  In  Verrocchio's
figure  the  feathers  are  distinct,  at  Melbourne  they  are  little  more  than  suggested.  There
is,  of  course,  the  inferiority  of  the  artists  in  lead  as  modellers.  It  would  seem,  however,
that  in  many  cases  the  figures  have  been  modelled  with  an  intentional  roughness,  ajjpro-
priate  to  lead,  which  would  be  coarse  in  bronze.      Com[)are,  for  example,  the  bronze  Cupid


Fig.   258. — Melbourne.
Fig.  259. — i\[ell)ourne.
by  Donatello  which  is  in  the  National  Museum  at  P'lorence,  with  the  lead  aniflrini  at
Melbourne.  The  fine  lines  and  detail  of  the  Donatello  would  lose  if  reproduced  in  lead.
Even  if  attempted,  they  would  soon  be  blurred  by  the  battery  of  time  and  gently  effaced
by  lichens.  Impossible,  too,  in  lead,  that  exquisite  delicacy  of  expression  which  Donatello
gave  to  his  bronze,  the  impish  gaiety  which  a  surface  defect  would  destroy.  The
Melbourne  ajnorini  are  from   2   feet   3   inches  to   2   feet  6  inches  high.
At  the  bottom  of  the  Melbourne  gardens,  one  on  each  side  of  the  "  Birdcage,"  an
exquisite  garden-house  of  open  ironwork,  stand  Pe7'seus  and  Andromeda,  facing  the
fish   [)ond.      They  have  been   painted  white,   and   have  a  ghostly  look  against  the  back-


lp:ad  figures  genp:rally


165


ground  of  yew.  Perseus  Fii^. )
260)  is  holding  out  an  affrighting
Medusa  head,  and  turns  awav
with  a  rather  unconcerned
manner,  not  dexoid  of  swagger.
His  clothing  is  .somewhat  nonde-
script, and  looks  Roman  rather
than  Argive,  but  the  artist  has
been  careful  to  give  him  the
winged  .sandals  and  the  helmet
of  Hades.  He  is  a  heavy  figure
compared  with  such  a  Perseus  as
the  Canova  in  the  \'atican,  or  the
Benvenuto  Cellini.  Andromeda
is  rather  more  interesting  (Fig.
