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 — John Shaqi
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
Lorenzo, an artist, as is elsewhere observed, of Venice more probably than
of Bologna,[4] who produced the history of Daniel, on which he inscribed
his name, painted during the same period, and attempted copious
compositions. He was greatly inferior to the Memmi, to the Laurati, to the
Gaddi, though he is represented as their equal in reputation by Malvasia.
He betrays the infancy of the art, no less in point of design than in the
expressions of his countenances, whose grief sometimes provokes a smile;
and in his forced and extravagant attitudes in the manner of the Greeks.
Hence it is here out of the question to mention Giotto, in whose school,
cautiously avoiding every kind of extravagance, there predominates a
certain gravity and repose, occasionally amounting to coldness; described
by the author of the Bolognese Guide as the statuary manner; and it is one
of those marks by which to distinguish that school from others of the same
age.
Footnote 4: Vol. iii. p. 16.
At a later period flourished Galasso, who is to be sought for in the list
of artists of Ferrara, along with the three supposed disciples of Vitale;
namely, Cristoforo, Simone, and Jacopo; all of whom, in mature age, were
engaged in pictures to decorate the church at Mezzaratta, which were
completed in 1404. Vasari writes that he is uncertain whether Cristoforo
belonged to Ferrara, or da Modena; and whilst the two cities were disputing
the honour, the Bolognese historians, Baldi, Masini, and Bumaldo, adjusted
the difference by referring him to their own Felsina. For me his country
may remain matter of doubt, though not so the school in which he
flourished; inasmuch as he certainly resided, and painted a great deal,
both on altar-pieces and on walls, at Bologna. At that period, he must have
attracted the largest share of applause; since to him was committed the
figure of the altar, which is still in existence, with his name. The
Signori Malvezzi, likewise, are in possession of one of his altar-pieces,
abounding with figures of saints, and divided into ten compartments. The
design of these figures is rude, the colouring languid; but the whole
displays a taste assuredly not derived from the Florentines, and this is
the principal difficulty in the question.
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