The ‘Flagellation,’ by Zuccaro, is seen in the second or Ionic section of the altar screen. This is supposed to be the best work of the painter, who came at the invitation of Philip II. to paint at the Escorial, in the place of Paul Veronese. Zuccaro’s art was so inferior that his royal patron condemned most of his pictures; and Tibaldi, a not very excellent substitute, was bidden to repaint several frescoes. Finally, the Venetian painter was asked to leave the Escorial. Pompeio Leonius, or Leoni, was the designer and caster of the metal statues that ornament the splendid screen, though some of the work was intrusted to the artist’s father, Leon Leoni, sometimes called Arezzo. These two natives of Milan were retained by Philip II. to produce statues at the Escorial, and besides this work on the altar they produced the figures of Charles V., Philip, and other members of the Royal House, which stand between the centre columns. These figures are of bronze gilt, about thirteen feet in height. The Emperor kneels before an altar, his head bare, invoking the assistance of God. Isabella is by him, and the other statues represent the Empress Maria, and the Princesses Eleonora and Maria. On the other side are the figures of Philip II., Anna, Isabella, Doña Maria of Portugal, and Don John of Austria. In the Oratories there are some paintings by Pantoja de la Cruz, who was a pupil of Coello. Pantoja was a native of Madrid; he was Court portrait painter to Philip II., and afterwards to Philip III. Besides his work at the Escorial, he painted several canvases for the Royal Palace at Madrid. In one of the chambers of the Oratories are the table and chair belonging to Philip II. The Sanctuary has some frescoes by Tibaldi, depicting scenes from the Old Testament; the fresco of ‘Elias’ was the artist’s first picture for the Escorial. A handsome tabernacle demands notice, both for its art and the fact that it was destroyed by the French, and afterwards repaired by Ferdinand VII. The work is by Juan de Herrera and Giacomo Trezzo of Milan. In the Relicario few objects survived the plundering of the French; but Carducci’s pictures of saints should be seen, and a metal statue from Messina is of interest. A number of skeletons and precious bones of saints and pious persons are guarded in the Relicario. There are also a part of the gridiron upon which San Lorenzo was martyred; some pieces of the Holy Cross; thorns from the crown of Christ; part of the garment of the Holy Mother; a bone of St. Paul, and many other treasures which cannot be enumerated. In the Ante-Sacrista the vaults were painted by Granelo and Fabricio: a reputed Andrea del Sarto is here; a painting by Van der Velde, San Juan by Giordano, and San Geronimo by the vigorous Spanish artist Ribera, the master of Luca Giordano.