These look down upon us still from the east end of the church.
Giotto died in 1337, and for the next fifty years painters in Italy did little but imitate him.

Scenes from the life of St.Francis and incidents from the legends of other saints remained in vogue, but they were not treated in original fashion by succeeding artists.

The new men only tried to paint as Giotto might have painted, and so far from surpassing him, he was never even equalled by his followers.
We need not burden our memories with the names of these 'Giottesque' artists; and now, after this glimpse of an almost vanished world, we will turn our attention to England and to the first picture of our choice..