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 young artists educated in his school reflected credit upon it; Carlo
Vimercati, who owed his success to the most pertinacious study of Daniele's
works at the Certosa, which he daily visited for a long period while at
Milan, and Antonio Busca, who likewise employed his talents upon the best
models both at Milan and Rome. Vimercati exhibited few of his pictures in
public at Milan; he painted more at Codogno, and in his best manner, as
well as in a new one in which he was greatly inferior. Busca assisted his
master, and at S. Marco also was employed in competition with him. There,
placed opposite to some histories by Procaccini, is seen his picture of the
Crucifixion full of pious beauty, surrounded with figures of the Virgin, of
Mary Magdalen, and S. John, who are all weeping, and almost draw tears from
the eyes of the spectator. But he did not always succeed as in this
specimen; the gout deprived him of the use of his feet, and he fell into a
weak and abject style, the result of mere mechanic practice. In this state
of health, I imagine, he must have conducted two holy histories, placed
opposite each other, in the chapel of S. Siro at the Certosa in Pavia, in
which he idly repeated in the second the same features as distinguished the
first, so greatly is an artist sometimes in contradiction with himself. A
similar complaint might be alleged for a different reason, in regard to the
style of Cristoforo Storer, a native of Constance. A pupil to the same
Ercole, he also produced works of solid taste, as in the instance of his S.
Martino, which I saw in possession of the Ab. Bianconi, a picture much
valued by its intelligent owner. Subsequently he became a mannerist, and
not unfrequently adopted gross or common ideas. In other points he displays
much spirit, and is one of the few belonging to that age who may lay claim
to the title of a good colourist. I am uncertain whether Gio. Ens, of
Milan, sprung from the same school, as well as at what precise time he
nourished; I know that he was an artist of less talent, whose delicacy
often bordered upon weakness, as we may perceive at S. Marco in Milan.
Lodovico Antonio David of Lugano, a scholar of Ercole, of Cairo, and of
Cignani, resided at Rome. There he produced some portraits, and at one
period made the tour of Italy. The city of Venice possesses one of his
Nativities at S. Silvestro, conducted in a minute manner, that betrays a
disciple of Camillo more than of any other of the Procaccini. He wrote too
upon painting, and compiled some account of Coreggio, for which the reader
may consult Orlandi under the head of that artist,[59] or perhaps in
preference, Tirasboschi, in his life of him.
Footnote 59: In the additions to the Dictionary, made by
Guarienti, following the article Orlandi, we find Lodovico
David of Lugano, of whose pencil he could only trace the
picture at S. Silvestro in Venice. This is one of the
mistakes committed by this continuator.
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