The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 2 (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. 2 (of 6): From the Period of the Revival of the Fine Arts to the End of the Eighteenth Century
Lanzi, Luigi
Painting -- Italy -- History
Gubbio possessed two painters, brothers of the family de' Nucci;
Virgilio, who was said to be the scholar of Daniel di Volterra, whose
Deposition he copied for an altar at S. Francis in Gubbio; and
Benedetto, a disciple of Raffaellino del Colle, considered the best of
the painters of Gubbio.[67] Both of them have left works in their native
place, and in the neighbouring districts; the first of them always
following the Florentine, and the second the Roman School. Of the latter
there are many pictures at Gubbio, which shew the progress he had made
in the style of Raffaello; and to see him in his best work, we must
inspect his S. Thomas in the Duomo, which would be taken for a picture
of Garofalo, or some such artist, if we were not acquainted with the
master. A little time afterwards flourished Felice Damiani, or Felice da
Gubbio, who is said to have studied in the Venetian School. The
Circumcision at S. Domenico has certainly a good deal of that style; but
in pencil he inclines more to the Roman taste, which he, perhaps,
derived from Benedetto Nucci. The Decollation of St. Paul, at the Castel
Nuovo, in Recanati, is by him: the attitude of the saint excites our
sympathy: the spectators are represented in various attitudes, all
appropriate and animated: the drawing is correct, and the colours vivid
and harmonious. It is inscribed with the year 1584. About ten years
afterwards, he painted two chapels at the Madonna de' Lumi, at S.
Severino, with subjects from the life of Christ; and there likewise
displayed more elegance than grandeur of style. His most studied and
powerful work is at S. Agostino di Gubbio, the Baptism of the Saint,
painted in 1594, a picture abounding in figures, and which surprises by
the novelty of the attire, by its correct architecture, and by the air
of devotion exhibited in the countenances. He received for this picture
two hundred scudi, by no means a low price in those times; and it should
seem that his work was regulated by the price, since in some other
pictures, and particularly in one in 1604, he is exceedingly negligent.
Federigo Brunori, called also Brunorini, issued, it is said, from his
school, and still more decidedly than his master, followed the Venetian
style. His portraits are natural; and he was a lover of foreign drapery,
and coloured with a strong effect. The Bianchi have an Ecce Homo by him,
in which the figures are small, but boldly expressed, and shew that he
had profited from the engravings of Albert Durer. Pierangiolo Basilj,
instructed by Damiani, and also by Roncalli, partakes of their more
delicate manner. His frescos, in the choir of S. Ubaldo, are held in
esteem; and at S. Marziale, there is by him a Christ preaching, with a
beautiful portico in perspective, and a great number of auditors: the
figures in this are also small, and such as are seen in the compositions
of Albert Durer. The pictures appear to be painted in competition.
Brunori displays more energy, Basilj more variety and grace.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account