Much that is repulsive in the pictures of the Pollajuoli and Andrea del Castagno, the leaders in this branch of realism, is due to admiration for the newly studied mechanism of the human form.

They seem to have cared but little to select their types or to accentuate expression, so long as they were able to portray the man before them with fidelity.[165] The comeliness of average humanity was enough for them; the difficulties of reproducing what they saw, exhausted their force.

Thus the master-works on which they staked their reputation show them emulous of fame as craftsmen, while only here and there, in minor paintings for the most part, the poet that was in them sees the light.

Brunelleschi told Donatello the truth when he said that his Christ was a crucified _contadino_.

Intent on mastering the art of modelling, and determined above all things to be accurate, the sculptor had forgotten that something more was wanted in a crucifix than the careful study of a robust peasant-boy.
A story of a somewhat later date still further illustrates the dependence of the work of art upon the model in Renaissance Florence.