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
Next to the nephew of the best Procaccini, I may place the son-in-law of
one of the others. This is the Cav. Federigo Bianchi, on whom, after
affording him his instructions, Giulio Cesare bestowed the hand of one of
his daughters. He derived from his father-in-law his maxims, rather than
his forms and attitudes, which display an original air in Bianchi, and are
at once graceful and beautiful without affectation. Some of his Holy
Families at S. Stefano and at the Passione are held in much esteem, besides
some of his other pictures exhibiting few, but well conceived figures. Such
is that of a Visitazione at S. Lorenzo, every way creditable to one of the
favourite pupils of Giulio Cesare. He was not distinguished in compositions
of a grander character; but he was full of ideas, united to harmony and
good keeping, and altogether one of the first Milanese artists in the
present age. He was much employed in Piedmont, and we are indebted to him
for notices of many artists which he communicated to P. Orlandi, by whom
they were made public. This artist is not to be confounded with one
Francesco Bianchi, a friend and almost inseparable companion of Antonmaria
Ruggieri. They painted together for the most part in fresco, and without
the least dispute consented to share all the emolument, all the praise and
blame they might receive. They belong to the present age, to which they
have bequeathed a more noble example of mutual attachment than of the art
they professed.
The greater part of the Procaccini disciples sprung from the school of
Camillo. He had likewise taught at Bologna, though his only pupil known
there is Lorenzo Franco, who, with his instructions, afterwards became an
excellent imitator of the Caracci. In the opinion of P. Resta, however, his
style was somewhat too minute; this artist resided and died at Reggio. The
school of Camillo at Milan was always full, and no one reflected upon it
greater credit than Andrea Salmeggia of Bergamo, of whom we treated in the
preceding book. Becoming a follower of Raffaello at Rome, he occasionally
returned to his native place, where he attracted admiration by his
productions. Like the rest Gio. Batista Discepoli, called Zoppo di Lugnano,
was at one time the disciple of Camillo, but afterwards added much of other
styles, and was one of the most natural, powerful, and rich colourists of
his time. For the rest he is to be included in the rank of the naturalists,
rather than among the lovers of the ideal. Several of his pictures are at
Milan, in particular that of his Purgatorio at S. Carlo, executed with much
skill; and he painted a good deal for his native place and its confines, as
well as at Como, where he ornamented Santa Teresa with a picture of the
titular saint, with lateral squares, esteemed one of the best altar-pieces
belonging to the city. Carlo Cornara acquired equal reputation, though in
an opposite style. He produced few works, but all conducted with an
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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