Thence we went to the Church of the Capuchins, and saw Guido's Archangel.
I have been several times to this church, but never saw the picture
before, though I am familiar with the mosaic copy at St. Peter's, and had
supposed the latter to be an equivalent representation of the original.
It is nearly or quite so as respects the general effect; but there is a
beauty in the archangel's face that immeasurably surpasses the copy,--the
expression of heavenly severity, and a degree of pain, trouble, or
disgust, at being brought in contact with sin, even for the purpose of
quelling and punishing it. There is something finical in the copy, which
I do not find in the original. The sandalled feet are here those of an
angel; in the mosaic they are those of a celestial coxcomb, treading
daintily, as if he were afraid they would be soiled by the touch of
Lucifer.
After looking at the Archangel we went down under the church, guided
by a fleshy monk, and saw the famous cemetery, where the dead monks of
many centuries back have been laid to sleep in sacred earth from
Jerusalem.
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