3. Elijah’s Sacrifice (above). No. 41.
4. The Slaughter of the Prophets of Baal (to the right). No. 43.
The small ones:
5. Ahab comes to meet Elijah. No. 46.
6. Elijah sends Obadiah to fetch Ahab. No. 45.
It does not seem to me, however, that the learned writer of the above-referred-to article brings forward any real ground for doubting Beccafumi’s authorship of these designs. The Document quoted, and Scipio Bargagli, both speak of “mandorle,” which appears to have been the technical expression for the lozenges filling up the great hexagon, in contradistinction to the words “tondo” or “esagono,” used to describe the larger sections. The documents dated 6th of September, 1521, and 18th of June, 1524, together expressly mention four tondi and two mandorle, which exactly accounts for the designs in question. It seems unnecessary, therefore, to strain the word mandorle to mean something else than its more obvious meaning: and it is surely much more probable, that the document and quotation, both refer to designs for the remaining four mandorle, which are generally supposed to have been filled in by Carlo Amidei, and Matteo Pini in 1780.[136] However this may be, the smallness of the sum paid for the designs, 75 soldi, makes the idea, that it was a payment for drawings of any size, even more improbable and absurd.
ALINARI PHOTO.]
[DESIGNED BY DOMENICO BECCAFUMI
XIX. ELIJAH’S COMPACT WITH AHAB (No. 42)