The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 3 (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. 3 (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. 3 (of 6): From the Period of the Revival of the Fine Arts to the End of the Eighteenth Century
Lanzi, Luigi
Painting -- Italy -- History
of the naked parts, a harmony of colours, forming a mixture of different
schools, in which the Roman predominates, and least of all the Venetian.
Further we would refer the reader to what has already been stated at
page 57.
To these Venetian professors, or at least, established in Venice, it
will be proper to add several educated by Giovanni, in the provinces,
and in this way resume the thread of our pictoric history of the state.
There was no place in the whole dominion which did not boast either of
his disciples or imitators. We shall proceed to treat severally of
these, beginning with the name of Conegliano, which he derived from a
city in the Marca Trevigiana, his native place, whose mountainous views
he has introduced into his paintings, as if to serve for his device.
The artist's name, however, is Giambatista Cima, and his style most
resembles the better part of that of Gian Bellini. The professors indeed
may often be confounded together, to such a degree do we find Conegliano
diligent, graceful, lively in his motions and his colouring, although
less smooth than Bellini. Perhaps one of his best pieces that I have
seen, is in the cathedral at Parma, though it is omitted in the
catalogue of his works. That at the church of Santa Maria dell' Orto,
one of the most rich in paintings, in all Venice, possesses less
softness; but in point of architecture, in the air of its heads, and in
the distribution of its colours, there is something so extremely
attractive, that we are never weary of contemplating it. The different
collections in Italy, no less than those in other parts, are many of
them in possession, or said to be in possession, of specimens from this
artist's hand; and if we add to these his altarpieces, sufficiently
numerous, they will be found to amount to a very considerable class. We
are informed, however, by Padre Federici, that one of Cima's sons, of
the name of Carlo, imitated so closely the style of his father, that
there are pictures which ought often to be attributed to the former
instead of to the latter.
This artist resided but a short time in his own province; and the
altarpiece placed by him in the cathedral of his native place, in 1493,
is considered a youthful performance. He continued to exercise his art
until the year 1517, according to Ridolfi, and died in the maturity of
his powers. The date of 1542, which we find at San Francesco di Rovigo
placed upon an altarpiece of Conegliano, (if it be not a copy,) marks
only the era of the erecting of the altar, which was painted afterwards.
He is said by Boschini to have been the tutor of Vittor Belliniano, by
Vasari called Bellini; the same who represented in the college of St.
Mark's, the martyrdom of the saint. The best portion of this history is
the architecture it displays.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account