The Lives of the Painters, Sculptors & Architects, Volume 1 (of 8) — John Shaqi
The Lives of the Painters, Sculptors & Architects, Volume 1 (of 8)Vasari, Giorgio
History
The Lives of the Painters, Sculptors & Architects, Volume 1 (of 8)
Vasari, Giorgio
Art, Italian; Artists -- Italy -- Biography
I have written the life of Arnolfo with the greatest possible brevity
because, although his works do not nearly approach the perfection of
those of the present time, yet he none the less deserves to be
remembered with affection, since, in the midst of so great darkness,
he pointed out the road to perfection to those who came after him.
The portrait of Arnolfo, by the hand of Giotto, may be seen in S.
Croce, next to the principal chapel, where the friars are mourning
the death of St Francis. He is represented in the foreground as one
of the two men who are talking together. A representation of the
exterior of the church of S. Maria del Fiore, with the dome, by the
hand of Simon of Siena, may be seen in the chapter-house of S. Maria
Novella. It was taken from the actual model of wood which Arnolfo
made. From this representation it is clear that Arnolfo proposed to
begin to vault his space, starting immediately above the first
cornice, whilst Filippo di Ser Brunellesco, desiring to lighten the
weight and make the appearance of the structure more graceful, added
above this the whole of the space which contains the round windows
before he began his vaulting. This matter would be even more obvious
than it is had not the negligence and carelessness of those who had
charge of the works of S. Maria del Fiore in past years allowed
Arnolfo's own model, as well as those of Brunellesco and others, to
be lost.
Niccola and Giovanni Pisani, Sculptors and Architects.
Having discussed the arts of design and painting in dealing with
Cimabue, and that of architecture in the life of Arnolfo Lapo, we now
propose to treat of sculpture, and of the very important
architectural works of Niccola and Giovanni Pisani. Their
achievements in both sculpture and architecture are alike remarkable
for the manner in which they have been conceived as well as for the
style in which they are executed, since to a great extent they
emancipated themselves from the clumsy and ill-proportioned
Byzantine style in both arts, showing more originality in the
treatment of their subjects and arranging their figures in better
postures.
Niccola Pisani was originally associated with some Greek sculptors
who were engaged upon the figures and other ornaments in relief for
the Duomo at Pisa and the church of San Giovanni there. Among the
spoils brought home by the Pisan fleet was a very fine sarcophagus
on which was an admirable representation of the chase of Meleager,
hunting the Calydonian boar. Both the nude and the draped figures of
this composition are executed with much skill, while the design is
perfect. This sarcophagus, on account of its beauty, was afterwards
placed by the Pisans in the facade of the Duomo opposite S, Rocco,
against the principal door on that side. It originally served as a
tombstone for the mother of the Countess Matilda, if we may credit
the inscription cut in the marble:
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