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
On the rise of the new Bolognese School, the pupils of Calvart for the most
part changed their manner, attaching themselves some to one master, and
some to another. Those who preserved most evident traces of their former
education, in other words, who continued more feeble and less natural than
the Caracceschi, were but few. Malvasia enumerates Gio. Batista Bertusio in
this list, who vainly aspired at resembling Guido, leaving a variety of
paintings both at Bologna and its villages, displaying beauties more
apparent than real. Two other artists, Pier Maria da Crevalcore, a painter
in oil, and Gabriel Ferrantini, known by his frescos, called also Gabriel
degli Occhiali, seem both to have seen, and attempted to imitate the
Caracci. Emilio Savonanzi, a Bolognese noble, attached himself to the art
when nearly arrived at manhood, but he attended Cremonini more than
Calvart; and strongly addicted to changing masters, entered the school of
Lodovico Caracci, next that of Guido at Bologna, of Guercino at Cento, and
finally the studio of Algardi, an excellent sculptor at Rome. By such means
he became a good theorist and an able lecturer, applauded in every
particular of his art; nor was he wanting in good practice, uniting many
styles in one, in which however that of Guido most prevails. Still he was
not equally correct in all his pieces, even betraying feebleness of touch,
and not scrupling to denominate himself an artist of many hands. He resided
at Ancona, next at Camerino, at which places, as well as in the adjacent
districts, he left a variety of works. Of another Bolognese, who flourished
at the same period, there remains at Ancona a picture of the offering of
the Infant Jesus at the Temple, ornamenting the larger altar of S. Jacopo.
The inscription shews him to have resided at Brescia, _F. Tiburtius
Baldinus Bononiensis F. Brixiæ_, 1611. This date proves him to have
belonged to the present epoch. His taste, from what I am informed by Sig.
Cav. Boni, extremely well informed on subjects of the fine arts, reminds us
of the excellent school that flourished in 1500: magnificence in the
architecture, great copiousness of composition, and clearness of effect,
except that in the general tone of his tints, and in his fleshes, he is
somewhat cold. One artist there was, who declared that he had laid down for
himself a maxim, never to alter with other styles that of Calvart; and this
was Vincenzo Spisano, called likewise Spisanelli. He however is inferior in
solidity and truth of design, and displays quite as much caprice and
mannerism as any of the practitioners of his time. Nor does he always
preserve the colours peculiar to his school; but deadens them with a leaden
hue, which is still not unpleasing. His altar-pieces, executed at Bologna,
and in the neighbouring cities, are less celebrated than his small pictures
for private ornament, which abound in Bologna, and which he was in the
habit of enlivening with very attractive landscape. It has already been
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