All this side of the picture is kept in glowing colour—­the four Doctors of the church have golden mitres and mantles; except the Cardinal, St. Jerome, who is in burning scarlet, his naked breast glowing, warm with noble life,—­the darker red of his robe relieved against a white glory.

Opposite to Michael, Gabriel flies towards the Madonna, having in his hand the Annunciation lily, large and triple-blossomed.  Above him, and above Michael equally, extends a cloud of white angels, inscribed “Serafini;” but the group following Gabriel, and corresponding to the Throni following Michael, is inscribed “Cherubini.”  Under these are the great prophets, and singers, and foretellers of the happiness or of the sorrow of time.  David, and Solomon, and Isaiah, and Amos of the herdsmen.  David has a colossal golden psaltery laid horizontally across his knees;—­two angels behind him dictate to him as he sings, looking up towards Christ; but one strong angel sweeps down to Solomon from among the cherubs, and opens a book, resting it on the head of Solomon, who looks down earnestly, unconscious of it;—­to the left of David, separate from the group of prophets, as Paul from the apostles, is Moses, dark-robed;—­in the full light, withdrawn far behind him, Abraham, embracing Isaac with his left arm, and near him, pale St. Agnes.  In front, nearer, dark and colossal, stands the glorious figure of Santa Giustina of Padua; then a little subordinate to her, St. Catharine, and, far on the left, and high, Saint Barbara leaning on her tower.  In front, nearer, flies Raphael; and under him is the four-square group of the Evangelists.  Beneath them, on the left, Noah; on the right, Adam and Eve, both floating unsupported by cloud or angel; Noah buoyed by the Ark, which he holds above him, and it is this into which Solomon gazes down, so earnestly.  Eve’s face is, perhaps, the most beautiful ever painted by Tintoret—­full in light, but dark-eyed.  Adam floats beside her, his figure fading into a winged gloom, edged in the outline of fig-leaves.  Far down, under these, central in the lowest part of the picture, rises the Angel of the Sea, praying for Venice; for Tintoret conceives his Paradise as existing now, not as in the future.  I at first mistook this soft Angel of the Sea for Magdalene, for he is sustained by other three angels on either side, as the Magdalen is, in designs of earlier time, because of the verse, “There is joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repenteth.”  But the Magdalen is on the right, behind St. Monica; and on the same side, but lowest of all, Rachel, among the angels of her children gathered now again to her for ever.