The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 4 (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. 4 (of 6): From the Period of the Revival of the Fine Arts to the End of the Eighteenth Century
Lanzi, Luigi
Painting -- Italy -- History
are presented with all the natural grace, united to all the skill that can
be required in an imitator of Coreggio. The picture is exquisitely
beautiful, and an engraving of it in large folio was taken by Giorgio
Ghigi, a celebrated artist of Mantua.
Nor did Giulio's admiration of great painters lead him to neglect the study
of nature. It was nature he consulted, and selected from; a study which he
inculcated likewise upon the rest of the Campi. A choice is thus
perceptible in their heads, more especially in those of their women,
evidently drawn from nature, and I may add from national truth, inasmuch as
they express ideas and attitudes that are not usually met with in other
artists; the hair and temples often appearing bound with a ribbon, as was
then customary in the city, and is still in use in some of the villages.
The colouring of the heads approaches near that of Paul Veronese, and in
the whole of their paintings the Campi were accustomed to make use of the
distribution of colours that had prevailed before the time of the Caracci,
though in their manner of disposing and animating them they acquired a
peculiar beauty which Scaramuccio pronounces wholly original. Judging,
therefore, from their colours, and the air of their heads, it is difficult
to discern the individual hands of the Campi; but if we examine the design
we shall more easily distinguish them. Giulio surpasses the rest in point
of dignity; and he likewise aims at displaying more knowledge, both of the
human frame and of the effects of lights and shadows. In correctness too he
is superior to his two brothers, though he is not equal to Bernardino.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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