Lives of the most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 06 (of 10): Fra Giocondo to Niccolo SoggiVasari, Giorgio
History
Lives of the most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 06 (of 10): Fra Giocondo to Niccolo Soggi
Vasari, Giorgio
Art, Italian; Artists -- Italy -- Biography
But when Giovan Francesco became old, he began gradually to lose his
mastery over art, as may be seen from the organ-doors in S. Maria della
Scala, from the panel-picture of the Movi family, wherein is a
Deposition from the Cross, and from the Chapel of S. Martino in S.
Anastasia. Giovan Francesco had always a great opinion of himself, and
not for anything in the world would he have ever copied another man's
work in his own. Now Bishop Giovan Matteo Giberti wished him to paint
some stories of the Madonna in the great chapel of the Duomo, and had
the designs for these drawn in Rome by Giulio Romano, who was very much
his friend (for Giberti was Datary to Pope Clement VII). But, when the
Bishop had returned to Verona, Giovan Francesco would never consent to
execute these designs; at which the Bishop, in disdain, caused them to
be put into execution by Francesco, called Il Moro.
Giovan Francesco held an opinion, in which he was not far from the
truth, that varnishing pictures spoiled them, and made them become old
sooner than they otherwise would; and for this reason he used varnish in
the darks while painting, together with certain purified oils. He was
also the first who executed landscapes well in Verona; wherefore there
are some by his hand to be seen in that city, which are very beautiful.
Finally, when seventy-six years of age, Giovan Francesco died the death
of a good Christian, leaving his grandchildren and his brother, Giovanni
Caroto, passing well provided. This Giovanni, after first applying
himself to art under his brother, and then spending some time in Venice,
had just returned to Verona when Giovan Francesco passed to the other
life; and thus he took a hand with the grandchildren in inspecting the
things of art that had been left to them. Among these they found a
portrait of an old man in armour, very beautiful both in drawing and in
colour, which was the best work by the hand of Giovan Francesco that was
ever seen; and likewise a little picture containing a Deposition from
the Cross, which was presented to Signor Spitech, a man of great
authority with the King of Poland, who had come at that time to some
baths that are in the territory of Verona. Giovan Francesco was buried
in the Madonna dell' Organo, in the Chapel of S. Niccolo, which he
himself had adorned with his paintings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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