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
There is a Madonna represented between some saints, which I saw in
possession of the Consiglier Pagave, at whose suggestion I add to the
pupils of Civerchio, a Bartolommeo di Cassino of Milan, and Luigi de'
Donati of Como, of whom authentic altar-pieces remain.
Footnote 45: Lomazzo, in his Treatise, (book i. chap, ix.),
relates that Vinci in his Supper had endued the countenance
of both the saints Giacomo with so much beauty, that
despairing to make that of the Saviour more imposing, he
went to advise with Bernardo Zenale, who to console him
said, "Leave the face of Christ unfinished as it is, as you
will never be able to make it worthy of Christ among those
Apostles," and this Leonardo did.
At the period when these artists were in repute, Bramante came to Milan.
His real name, as reported to us by Cesariani his disciple and the
commentator on Vitruvius, was Donato, and he was, as is supposed, of the
family of Lazzari, though this has been strongly contested in the Antichità
Picene, vol. x. There it is shewn, at some length, that his real country
was not Castel Durante, now Urbania, as so many writers assert, but a town
of Castel Fermignano. Both places are in the state of Urbino, whence he
used formerly to be called Bramante di Urbino. There he studied the works
of Fra Carnevale, though Vasari gives no further information respecting his
education. He continues to relate that on leaving his native place he
wandered through several cities in Lombardy, executing, to the best of his
ability, small works, until his arrival at Milan, where, becoming
acquainted with the conductors of the cathedral, and among these with
Bernardo, he resolved to devote himself wholly to architecture, which he
did. Before the year 1500 he went to Rome, where he entered the service of
Alexander VI. and Julius II., and died there in his seventieth year, in
1514. We may here conjecture that the historian gave himself very little
anxiety about investigating the memoirs of this great man. Sig. Pagave has
proved to be a far more accurate inquirer into the truth. Animated by his
love of this quality, the soul of all history, he at once renounced the
honour his country would have derived from having instructed a Bramante;
nor yet has he referred to him as a pupil to Carnevale, or to Piero della
Francesca, or to Mantegna, like some writers cited by Signor Colucci. He
has properly noticed his arrival at Milan, already as a master, in 1476,
after having erected both palaces and temples in the state of Romagna. From
this period, until the fall of Lodovico, that is until 1499, he remained at
Milan, where he executed commissions, with large salaries for the court,
and was employed as well by private persons in works of architecture, and
sometimes of painting.
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