who were under consideration for the bronze doors of San Giovanni, although he was not in the foremost rank when the trial was made: that great work was however adjudged to another, as will be related in its proper place. After these things Niccolo proceeded to Milan, when he was made inspector of the works in the cathedral of that city, where he executed certain sculptures in marble, which were considered very good.* Finally, being recalled by the Aretines to his native city, for the purpose of constructing a tabernacle for the sacrament, he set off on his return thither, but was compelled to halt at Bologna, and erect the tomb of Pope Alexander V, who had finished the course of his years in that city: this work Niccolo at first declined to undertake, but eventually completed it, as aforesaid, in the convent of the Friars Minors, not being able to refuse the request of the Aretine Messer Leonardo Bruni, who had been a highly-favoured secretary of that pontiff. On this tomb our artist placed the portrait of Pope Alexander, taken from nature; it is true that the difficulty of procuring marble and other stones compelled him to construct the sepulchre, and form the ornaments, of stucco and terra-cotta; and in the same materials was executed the statue of the pontiff, placed on the tomb, which last is situated behind the choir in the church of the Friars Minors aforesaid. After completing this work, Niccolo fell mortally sick, and shortly expired, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. He was buried in the above-named church, in the year 1417. The portrait of this master was taken by Galasso of Ferrara, his very intimate friend, who was at that time painting in Bologna, together with the two Bolognese painters Jacopo and Simone, § and a certain Cristofano,-J * Cicognara doubts that Niccolo executed sculptures for the cathedra of Milan, since the writers on that Basilica do not name him, although Baldinucci also affirms that he did so. The archives of Milan preserve memorials of a certain Niccolo Selli, of Arezzo (who is, perhaps, our Niccolo di Piero), who was in the service of Giovanni Galeazzo Visconti, when that ruler was erecting the Certosa of Pavia. † In the first edition of Vasari is the following epitaph on this sculp. tor: "Nicolaus Aretinus Sculptor. Nil facis impia mors, cum perdis corpora mille, Si manibus vivunt sæcla, refecta meis."-Ed. Flor. 1846-9. The life of Galasso will be found in this second part of our work. § Jacopo Avanzo, of whom further notice will be found in the Life of know not whether of Ferrara, or, as some affirm, of Modena* -who all painted many works, in fresco, in a church called "Casa di Mezzo", situated beyond the gate of San Mammalo. Cristofano, for example, depicted various events from the Old Testament on one of the walls, beginning with the Creation of Adam, and ending with the Death of Moses. Thirty stories were composed by Simon and Jacopo, for other portions of the work, the subjects taken from the life of Christ, commencing with his birth, and ending with the Last Supper. Galasso then painted the Crucifixion of Jesus, as may still be seen from the name of each painter inscribed beneath his work. These pictures were executed in the year 1404; the remainder of the church being afterwards painted by other masters, with stories from the life of David, very tolerably done. And it must needs be admitted that the Bolognese have some reason for the high estimation in which they hold these works, not only because they have considerable merit, for works of that period, but also because the colours have maintained their brilliancy and freshness, a circumstance which renders them worthy of high praise.t Some affirm that the above-named Galasso, when he had become very old, painted in oil also, but I have not been able to discover any work from his hand, except paintings in fresco, whether in Ferrara or elsewhere. One of the disciples of Galasso was Cosmè, who painted a chapel in the church of San Domenico at Ferrara, and the foldingdoors which close the organ of the Duomo, with many other works, which are superior to the paintings of his master Galasso. Vittore Scarpaccia and Simone Benvenuti, called Simon of the Crucifixes.-Ed. Flor. 1846-9. * Vidriano calls this artist a Modenese ; Baldi, Bumaldo, and Masini, on the contrary, consider him to belong to Bologna; while the people of Ferrara claim him for themselves. The remains of the pictures by which this church, now called that of the Madonna di Mezzaratta, was adorned, have been freed from the whitewash, and diligently restored.-Ed. Flor. 1846-9. Cosme, or Cosimo Tura, court painter to Borso D'Este. He painted a kind of history in fresco, in one of the halls of the palace at Schivanoja; the work is in twelve compartments, and Borso himself is its hero. These paintings were whitened over in the last century, but have lately (1840) been in great part restored to view by Alessandro Campagnoni, a meritorious painter of Bologna. Niccolo di Piero drew well, as may be seen in our book, where there is the figure of an Evangelist by his hand, with three heads of horses, admirably drawn.* THE FLORENTINE PAINTER, DELLO. ALTHOUGH the Florentine Dellof was called a painter only while he lived, and has been so considered since his death, he was, nevertheless, attached to the art of sculpture also,— nay, his first works were in this branch of art, seeing that he worked in terra-cotta long before he began to paint: the Coronation of Our Lady, which is represented in terra-cotta over the door of the church of Santa Maria Nuova, being from his hand.‡ The Twelve Apostles, within the church, are also by him,§ as is the group in the church of the Servites, which represents the dead body of Christ, laid in the lap of the Virgin. But Dello, beside that he was somewhat capricious, perceived that he gained but little by working in * Gaye, Carteggio Inedito &c. vol. i, p. 82, et seq. gives a letter from the Signoria of Florence to the Doge Michael Steno, dated 8th June 1403, from which we learn that the Venetian Republic had sought to secure the services of Nicolo di Piero, for the construction of a certain hall in the ducal palace of Venice, but that this master, engaged to the Guild of Notaries, and occupied with various labours for the Florentine Cathedral, was not able to comply with the wishes of the Venetians. Other memorials of this sculptor have been collected by Gaye, from documents relating to the works of the Duomo of Florence. Among them is one by which hath been awarded to Niccolo Piero Lamberti, Donato di Niccolo Betti Bardi (Donatello), and to Nanni d'Antonio (di Banco),-to each a figure in marble, for the four Evangelists, on condition that the fourth figure shall be executed by him who shall best have completed that here assigned to him.” Dello di Niccolo Delli is the name under which he is registered in the Guild of the Apothecaries, in the year 1417. Dello is probably tha diminutive of Leonardello.-Ed. Flor. 1846-9. This work still exists.-Ibid. Of these figures no trace can now be found.- Thi terra-cotta; and, finding his poverty to demand some more effectual resource, he resolved, as he was a good designer, to give his attention to painting. In this pursuit he succeeded with no great difficulty, and soon acquired considerable facility in colouring, of which there are proofs in the many pictures which he left in different parts of his native city, more particularly in the smaller figures, to which he imparted a much better grace than is perceptible in the larger ones.* And this peculiarity he turned to very good account, since it was the custom at that time for all citizens to have large coffers or chests of wood in their chambers, made in the manner of a sarcophagus, and having the covers or tops variously formed and decorated. There were none who did not cause these chests to be adorned with paintings; and in addition to the stories which it was usual to depict on the front and cover of these coffers, the ends, and frequently other parts, were most commonly adorned with the arms and other insignia of the respective families. The stories which decorated the front of the chest were, for the most part, fables taken from Ovid, or other poets; or narratives related by the Greek and Latin historians; but occasionally they were representations of jousts, tournaments, the chase, lovetales, or other similar subjects, according as it best pleased the different owners of the chests. The inside of these coffers was then lined with linen, woollen, or such stuffs as best suited the condition and means of those who caused them to be made, for the better preservation of the cloth vestments and other valuable commodities stored in them. But what was more to the purpose for our artist, these chests were not the only movables adorned in the manner described, since the balustrades and cornices, the litters, elbow-chairs, couches, and other rich ornaments of the chambers, which in those days were of great magnificence, were beautified in like manner, as may be seen from numberless examples still remaining throughout all parts of our city. And this custom prevailed to such an extent for many years, that even the most distinguished masters employed themselves in painting and gilding such things. Nor were they ashamed of this occupation, as many *Two small pictures, attributed to Dello, are still to be seen in the Florentine gallery. The one, an adoration of the Magi; the other, the death of St. Peter. in our days would be. The truth of what is here said may be seen at this day, among other instances, in certain coffers, elbow-seats, and cornices, in the chambers of the magnificent Lorenzo the Elder, of the house of Medici, on which were depicted—not by men of the common race of painters, but by excellent masters-all the jousts, tournaments, hunting parties and festivals, given by the duke, with other spectacles displayed, at that period, with so much judgment, such fertility of invention, and such admirable art. Such things, in brief, may be seen, not only in the palace and older houses belonging to the Medici, but relics of them remain in all the most noble dwellings of Florence. Nay, there are many of our nobles still attached to old usages, who will not permit these decorations to be removed for the purpoose of being replaced by ornaments of modern fashion. Dello, therefore, of whom we have said that he was a good painter, more especially of small figures, which he finished with much grace, devoted himself to this occupation for many years, to his great profit and advantage. He was almost exclusively employed in painting coffers, elbow-chairs, couches, and other things in the manner above described; insomuch that this may be said to have been his chief and peculiar profession. But, as nothing in this world remains fixed, or will long endure, however good and praiseworthy it may be, so, refining on this first mode of ornament, the custom prevailed, after no long time, of forming richer decorations, by carvings in natural wood, covered with gold, which did indeed produce most rich and magnificent ornaments; it also became usual to paint such matters of household use, as are above described, in oil, the subjects being beautifully depicted stories, which then proved, and still continue to make manifest, the riches and magnificence of the citizens who possessed, as well as the ability of the painters who adorned them.* But let us come to the works of Dello, who was the first to devote himself diligently, and with good success, to undertakings of this character. In particular, he painted the entire furniture of a chamber for Giovanni dei Medici; a work which was then considered of rare excellence, and very beautiful of its kind; as certain relics which still remain * A chest of the last-mentioned character, with exceedingly beautiful carved work. is preserved in the Royal Museum of Berlin.-Schorn. |