Lodovico Mazzolini is not to be confounded with the Mazzolino mentioned by Lomazzo in his "Idea of the Temple or Theatre of Painting;" thus entitling Francesco Mazzuola, as if in sport. Mazzolini of Ferrara was transformed by Vasari into Malini, by a Florentine writer into Marzolini, and by others divided into two, so as to become a duplicate, and answer for two painters--one Malini, another Mazzolini; both of Ferrara, and pupils to the same Costa. To crown his misfortunes, he was not sufficiently known to Baruffaldi himself, who described him as "no despicable scholar of Costa," having probably seen only some of his more feeble efforts. He did not excel in large figures, but possessed very rare merit in those on a smaller scale. At S. Francesco in Bologna is one of his altar-pieces, the Child Jesus disputing in the Temple; to which is added a small history of his birth. It was admired by Baldassare da Siena; and Lamo, in his MS. often before cited, describes it as an excellent production; but this piece was retouched by Cesi. Other little pictures, and among these the duplicates of his histories already recorded, are to be seen at Rome in the Aldobrandini gallery, presented, perhaps, as a legacy by the Cardinal Alessandro, who in Mazzolini's time was legate at Ferrara. Other pieces are at the Campidoglio, formerly belonging to Card. Pio, as I gather from a note of Mons. Bottari. From such specimens, in considerable number and genuine, we may form an idea of Mazzolini's manner, which Baruffaldi laments should continue to be one nearly unknown to the dilettanti. It displays an incredible degree of finish; sometimes appearing in his smallest pictures like miniature; while not only the figures, but the landscape, the architecture, and the bassi-relievi, are most carefully executed. There is a spirit and clearness in his heads, to which few of his contemporaries could attain; though they are wholly taken from life, and not remarkably select; in particular those of his old men, which in the wrinkles and the nose sometimes border on caricature. The colour is of a deep tone, in the style before mentioned; not so soft as that of Ercole; with the addition of some gilding even in the drapery, but sparingly applied. In some collections his name has been confounded with that of Gaudenzio Ferrari, perhaps derived by mistake from Lodovico da Ferrara. Thus, in the royal gallery at Florence, a little picture of the Virgin and Holy Child, to whom S. Anna is seen presenting fruits, with figures of S. Giovacchino and another saint, has been attributed to Ferrari. But it is the work of Mazzolini, if I do not deceive myself, after the comparison made with others examined at Rome.