Anecdotes of Painters, Engravers, Sculptors and Architects, and Curiosities of Art (Vol. 2 of 3)Spooner, Shearjashub
History
Anecdotes of Painters, Engravers, Sculptors and Architects, and Curiosities of Art (Vol. 2 of 3)
Spooner, Shearjashub
Art -- Anecdotes; Artists -- Anecdotes
Count Algarotti relates, that Annibale Caracci was so deceived by a book
painted upon a table by Jacopo da Ponte, that he stretched out his hand
to take it up. Bassano was highly honored by Paul Veronese, who placed
his son Carletto under him as a pupil, to receive his general
instructions, "and more particularly in regard to that just disposition
of lights reflected from one object to another, and in those happy
counterpositions, owing to which the depicted objects seemed clothed
with a profusion of light."
GIOVANNI ROSA.
Giovanni Rosa, a Fleming who flourished at Rome in the first part of the
seventeenth century, was famous for his pictures of animals. "He painted
hares so naturally as to deceive the dogs, which would rush at them
furiously, thus renewing the wonderful story of Zeuxis and his Grapes,
so much boasted of by Pliny."
CAV. GIOVANNI CONTARINI.
This artist was a close imitator of Titian. He was extremely accurate in
his portraits, which he painted with force, sweetness, and strong
likeness. He painted a portrait of Marco Dolce, and when the picture was
sent home, his dogs began to fawn upon it, mistaking it for their
master.
GUERCINO'S POWER OF RELIEF.
The style of Guercino displays a strong contrast of light and shadow,
both exceedingly bold, yet mingled with great sweetness and harmony, and
a powerful effect in relief, a branch of art so much admired by
professors. "Hence," says Lanzi, "some foreigners bestowed upon him the
title of the Magician of Italian painting, for in him were renewed those
celebrated illusions of antiquity. He painted a basket of grapes so
naturally that a ragged urchin stretched out his hand to steal some of
the fruit. Often, in comparing the figures of Guido with those of
Guercino, one would say that the former had been fed with roses, and the
latter with flesh, as observed by one of the ancients."
BERNAZZANO.
Lanzi says, "In painting landscape, fruit, and flowers, Bernazzano
succeeded so admirably as to produce the same wonderful effects that are
told of Zeuxis and Apelles in Greece. These indeed Italian artists have
frequently renewed, though with a less degree of applause. Having
painted a strawberry-bed in a court yard, the pea-fowls were so
deceived by the resemblance, that they pecked at the wall till they had
destroyed the painting. He painted the landscape part of a picture of
the Baptism of Christ, and on the ground drew some birds in the act of
feeding. On its being placed in the open air, the birds were seen to fly
towards the picture, to join their companions. This beautiful picture is
one of the chief ornaments in the gallery of the distinguished family of
the Trotti at Milan."
INVENTION OF OIL PAINTING.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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