But it is hard not to conclude that the parisians have had the better deal : the paintings on display reveal all the subtle sophistication of fra angelico 's art , lively survivors of a spiritual age on the brink of discovery .
There nearly 25 exquisite carefully lit paintings by fra angelico ( mostly from italian museums and churches ) bulked out with a similar number of works by his early renaissance contemporaries have been beguiling visitors at a rare exhibition outside the friar 's native tuscany .
In another painting , " episodes from the life of st nicholas : birth , vocation and gift to three poor young girls " , fra angelico places his figures in full renaissance costume surrounded by different-coloured cubes , walls and pillars .
