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
A still higher station in this profession was attained by Marcantonio
Chiarini, an excellent architect as well as writer in that department. He
had frequent invitations from Italian princes and lords, and even from
Germany, where he painted along with Lanzani in the palace of Prince Eugene
of Savoy. Many of his pictures, conducted in perspective for noble
Bolognese families, still remain, and are held as models of a sound and
true taste, imitating the ancient colouring and design, without giving
admission to certain marbles, which appear like gems, but please only the
inexperienced. From Chiarini's manner was derived that of Pietro
Paltronieri, universally known under the name of the _Mirandolese dalle
prospettive_. He was the Viviano of this latter age, and his architectural
pieces on the ancient model are met with, not only in Bologna, where he
resided, but in Rome, where he long continued, and in a number of other
cities. They consist of arches, fountains, aqueducts, temples, ruins,
tinged with a certain reddish colour, which serves to distinguish them
among many others. To these he adds skies, fields, and waters, which appear
real; nor do they want appropriate figures, introduced by Graziani and
other select young artists at Bologna. We must not confound Mirandolese
with Perracini, also known in Bologna by the name of Mirandolese, who
flourished at the same period, but with no sort of reputation beyond that
of a tolerable figurist.
The school of Cignani increased that of the perspective painters. It first
presented them with Tommaso Aldrovandini, nephew to Mauro; both of whom
accompanied Cignani's figures in the public palace of Forli. Tommaso was
employed with Cignani himself at Bologna and Parma. Conforming himself,
under the eye of this celebrated master, to his best style, he so far
succeeded, that the whole appears the work of Carlo alone, more especially
in the chiaroscuro. His ornamental portion, too, is there conducted so that
neither the precise extent of the light, nor of the shade, is apparent, but
only an effect resulting from them, as we see it in nature. He executed the
architectural ornaments in the grand hall of Genoa, painted, as we have
said, by Franceschini; and he left other works in that capital. It was his
invariable custom to modify his style, alternately soft or strong, in the
manner of the figurist. He instructed in the art Pompeo, son of Mauro, and
his cousin, who, after having displayed some specimens at Turin, Vienna,
Dresden, and in many other foreign cities, resided, and died at Rome, with
the reputation of a very elegant artist. From the school of Pompeo sprung
two ornamental painters, Gioseffo Orsoni, and Stefano Orlandi, who, in
conjunction, painted some able frescos in various Italian cities, besides
many theatrical pieces for the same places.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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