The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 5 (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. 5 (of 6): From the Period of the Revival of the Fine Arts to the End of the Eighteenth Century
Lanzi, Luigi
Painting -- Italy -- History
by Malvasia.
Next to the five heads of schools hitherto recorded, ought to be mentioned
Sisto Badalocchi; and the more as he was Annibal's disciple, and long
resided with him at Rome. He was fellow citizen, and a faithful companion
too of Lanfranco, whose style he approached very nearly. Sisto designed
admirably, being preferred by Annibal in this branch to any of his fellow
pupils, and even, with singular modesty, to himself. Ample testimony of his
ability is proclaimed in the engravings of Raffaello's _loggie_, executed
in conjunction with Lanfranco, and dedicated to Annibal; besides the six
prints of Coreggio's grand cupola, a work which, to the public regret, was
left incomplete. He was also selected by his master to decorate the chapel
of S. Diego, where he directed him to paint from one of his cartoons a
history of that saint. In point of invention he was not equal to the
leaders of his school; so that, employed in filling up the secondary parts,
he assisted Guido and Domenichino at S. Gregorio; and attended Albani at
the Verospi palace; although his picture of Galatea left there is worthy of
the hand of a great master. He appears to advantage in competition, and
mostly excels, as we may gather from the church of St. Sebastian at Rome,
where he painted along with Tacconi; and at Reggio, where he rivalled some
of the less distinguished artists of Bologna. Besides his other works, that
city has to boast the rich cupola of S. Giovanni, on which Sisto conducted
a small, but very beautiful copy of that in the cathedral at Parma. Other
of his specimens are to be met with in the Modenese state, particularly in
the ducal palace at Gualtieri, where he represented in one chamber the
Trials of Hercules. Of his pictures at Parma the most celebrated is that of
St. Francis, at the Cappuccini; a painting, both in point of figures and
landscape, composed in the best taste of the Caracci. For the rest, we may
add what has been said of Lanfranco, that he most frequently executed much
less than he knew.
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