Englishwoman Anna-Marie Hilling has helped lift the veil hiding an Italian masterpiece - Giotto's Ognissanti Crucifix. ... A vivid example of the change can be seen on the face of the Virgin Mary.

In frame 20 of his series on the life and death of St Francis in the basilica dedicated to the saint in Assisi, the figure with crooked nose, horns and smile can be clearly seen.

On both sides of the nave are three long rows, depicting the lives of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. They are strangely stirring. Giotto used vivid colour and an early form of perspective.

(by Marzia Apice) (ANSA) - Rome, December 15 - The birth of Christ is a theme explored by many of the great masters of pictorial art. From Giotto to Gauguin, these artists have interpreted the ...