The most justly celebrated landscape painter of this epoch is Carlo Antonio Tavella, the scholar of Tempesta in Milan, and of Gruenbrech, a German, who, from the fires he introduced into his landscapes, was called Solfarolo. He at first emulated this artist; he then softened his style, from studying the works of Castiglione and Poussin, and the best Flemish painters. Amongst the Genoese landscape painters he ranks the next after Sestri. His works are easily distinguished in the collections of Genoa, particularly in the palace Franchi, which had more than three hundred pictures by him, and acquired for him the reputation of one of the first artists of the age. We are there presented with warm skies, beautiful distances in the landscape, pleasing effects of light; the trees, flowers, and animals are gracefully touched, and with wonderful truth of nature. In his figures he was assisted by the two Pioli, father and son; and oftener by Magnasco, with whom he was associated in work. He sometimes inserted them in his pictures himself, copying them indeed from the originals designed by his comrades, but identifying them by a style peculiarly his own. Tavella had a daughter of the name of Angiola, of a feeble invention, but a good copyist of her father's designs. He had also many other imitators; amongst whom one Niccolò Micone, or as he is commonly called by his fellow-citizens Lo Zoppo, most nearly resembles him. Alessandro Magnasco, called Lissandrino, was the son of one Stefano, who was instructed by Valerio Castello, afterwards resided many years in Rome, and died young, leaving behind him few pictures, but extreme regret for the death of an artist of so much promise. His son was instructed by Abbiati in Milan; and that bold and simple stroke of the pencil, which his master used in his larger pictures, he transferred to his subjects of humour, shows and popular meetings, in which he may be called the Cerquozzi of his school. His figures are scarcely more than a span large. Ceremonies of the church, schools of maids and youths, chapters of friars, military exercises, artists' shops, Jewish synagogues, are the subjects he painted with humour and delight. These eccentric pieces are not rare in Milan, and there are some in the Palazzo Pitti at Florence, where Magnasco resided some years, a great favourite with the Grand Duke Gio. Gastone and all his court. When he accompanied other painters in their works, as often happened to him, he added very apposite subjects; this he did, not only in the landscapes of Tavella and others, but also in the ruins of Clemente Spera in Milan, and in other pictures of architecture. This artist was more esteemed by foreigners than by his own countrymen. His bold touch, though joined to a noble conception and to correct drawing, did not attract in Genoa, because it is far removed from the finish and union of tints which these masters followed; hence Magnasco worked little in his native country, and left no scholar there.