The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 1 (of 6): From the Period of the Revival of the Fine Arts to the End of the Eighteenth Century — John Shaqi
The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 1 (of 6): From the Period of the Revival of the Fine Arts to the End of the Eighteenth CenturyLanzi, Luigi
History
The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 1 (of 6): From the Period of the Revival of the Fine Arts to the End of the Eighteenth Century
Lanzi, Luigi
Painting -- Italy -- History
[Footnote 46: We read, in the preface to the Sienese edition of Vasari's
Lives, (p. 17) as follows: "To Giunta and to the other artists of Pisa,
as heads of the school, was given the principal direction of adorning
the Franciscan church; and Cimabue and Giotto are known to have been
either disciples or assistants in their school, in which they produced
several important works. Giunta had the direction of his assistant as
long as he resided there, which may have been even subsequent to 1236.
But how are we to suppose that he could have been at Assisi so long as
to permit Cimabue (who was born in 1240, and went to Assisi about 1265)
to assist, to receive instructions from, and to succeed him? Such a
supposition is still more untenable as regards Giotto, who was invited
to Assisi many years afterwards." (Vasari.)]
[Footnote 47: To the testimonies in favor of Cimabue, may be added one
of no little weight, from the manuscript given to the public a few years
since, by the Abbate Morelli. We there find that Cimabue painted in
Padua, in the church del Carmine, which was afterwards burnt; but that a
head of S. Giovanni, by him, being rescued from the flames, was inserted
in a frame, and preserved in the house of Alessandro Capella. Would a
painter, who had done neither good nor harm to the Florentine school,
and to the art, have been invited to Padua? Would the remains of his
works have been held in such esteem? Would he have been so highly
valued, after so great a lapse of time, by Vasari, to whose arts he
seems to wish to ascribe the reputation of Cimabue. Other proofs of this
reputation may be seen in the defence of Vasari, in the present Book,
third Epoch. The writer of history ought completely to divest himself of
the love of system and party spirit.]
[Footnote 48: Vasari, tom. i. p. 322.]
[Footnote 49: A book is mentioned by Baldinucci ornamented by Giotto
with miniatures, with histories from the Old Testament, and presented to
the vestry of St. Peter, by Cardinal Stefaneschi; of this he neither
adduces any proof, nor can I find any record. From the evidence, rather,
of an existing necrology, where, among the presents made by Stefaneschi
to the cathedral, the pictures and the mosaic by Giotto are noticed
without any other work of this artist, the gift of the book is very
doubtful. See Sig. Ab, Cancellieri _De Secretariis Veteris Basilicæ
Vaticanæ_, p. 859, and 2464. Some miniatures of the martyrdom and
miracles of St. George, in another book, are ascribed to him; but I am
uncertain whether there is any ancient document for this; and they
might, possibly, be the work of Simone da Siena, who is often confounded
with him.]
[Footnote 50: See his first volume, pp. 131 and 202; and also P. della
Valle in the preface to Vasari, p. 27; also Signor da Morrona in his
Pisa Illustrata, p. 154; besides many other authors.]
[Footnote 51: D. Valle's preface to Vasari, p. 36.]
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