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
Two only of his disciples, his own sons, as far as I can learn, are known.
At the period when Lomazzo published his treatise, in 1584, they were both
living, and both mentioned by him with commendation. Of Evangelista, the
second brother, he remarks, that in the art of ornamenting and festooning,
he was equally ingenious and fanciful, at the same time giving him a high
rank in other branches of painting; though it is to be regretted that he
did not point out any of his productions. Aurelio Luini is frequently
praised in the same work, as well as in the Teatro, for his knowledge of
anatomy, and for his skill in landscape and perspective. He is subsequently
introduced in the Treatise upon Painting, among the most celebrated artists
of Milan who then flourished, as a successful rival of Polidoro's style, of
which a specimen is praised, consisting of a large fresco, on the façade of
the Misericordia. After the lapse of two centuries, Bianconi has written of
him with more freedom, declaring, that though the son, he was not the
follower of Bernardino, the purity of whose style he was far from
attaining. And, in truth, if we except his composition, there is not much
calculated to please in this artist. We may, indeed, often trace the
paternal manner, much deteriorated however, and tainted with mannerism; his
ideas are common, his attitudes less natural, the folds of his drapery are
minute, and drawn in a mechanical manner. This character prevails in some
genuine pieces of his that I have seen; among which is one in the Melzi
Collection, with his name and the date of 1570. Others, however, which I
have examined at Milan, are in a better taste, especially at S. Lorenzo,
where an altar-piece with the Baptism of Christ, is ascribed to him, that
would have done credit to Bernardino. Aurelio instructed in the art Pietro
Gnocchi; and, if I mistake not, he was surpassed by his pupil, both in
selection and in good taste. A Pietro Luini, having the reputation of a
soft and accurate hand, and esteemed the last of the Luini, being admitted
in history, I doubt whether he be not the Pietro of whom we here treat,
occasionally surnamed from the house of his master, as we find in the case
of Porta, and others of the sixteenth century. To him was ascribed the S.
Pietro, painted for S. Vittore, seen in the act of receiving the Keys; but
in the _New Guide_ it is correctly given to the hand of Gnocchi.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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