PREFATORY VERROCCHlO is perhaps the . least known and appreciated of the great masters of the fiftccnth century. "l"he ~uprcme excdlcnce of those works which are proved by documen~ iJlry evidence to be authentic i!; disregarded as the standard of judgment as to quality and style, and a quantity of inferior sculpture and painting is attributed to him for whil"h his feeble imitators are responsible. No quattrocento artis~ with the exception of Donatellot exercised so strong or so prolonged an influen~ on li"lorentine art; but unfortuna~ly the greater part of . those so influenced were impressed only by ("-ertain daring innovations, and were incapable of understanding his true aiDl~ and ideals. Thcse aims were first and foremost scientific ~ his ideals. to present with absolute truth the human form in its fullest perfection, not only of physical strength (as was the case with Andrea del Cas~(Y(lo and Antonio Pol1aiuolo, the chicfs of the so-called Naturalistic SchooTable of Contents...