Memoirs of the early Italian painters / by Anna Jameson; thoroughly revised and in part rewritten by Estelle M. Hurll.

  • Jameson, Mrs. (Anna), 1794-1860.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Memoirs of the early Italian painters / by Anna Jameson; thoroughly revised and in part rewritten by Estelle M. Hurll. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [some interesting examples of his work. One is] the portrait of a Jesuit [Ercole Tasso], in the gallery of the Duke of Suther- land [Stafford House, London], which for a long time went by the name of Titian’s Schoolmaster; it represents a grave, acute-looking man, holding a book in his hand, which he has just closed; his finger is between the leaves, and, leaning from his chair, he seems about to address you. The very life is warm upon that lip, The fixture of the eye has motion in ’t, And we are mock’d by art! [The National Gallery contains six portraits by Moroni, of which the “ Sailor ” has acquired most celebrity. He died in 1578.] Bonifazio,1 [Veronese] who had studied under Palma and Titian, painted many pictures which are frequently attrib- uted to both these masters. Por example, the “ Finding of Moses,” in the Brera at Milan, was long attributed to Gior- gione. This picture may be called rather a romantic and poet- ical version than an historical representation of the scene. It would shock Sir Gardner Wilkinson. In the centre sits the princess under a tree; she looks with surprise and tenderness' on the child, which is brought to her by one of her attend- ants: the squire or seneschal of the princess, with knights and ladies, stand around; on one side two lovers are seated on the grass; on the other are musicians and singers, pages with dogs. All the'figures are in the Venetian costume ; the coloring is splendid, and the grace and harmony of the whole composi- tion is even the more enchanting from the naivete, of the con- ception. This picture, like many others of the same age and style, reminds us of those poems and tales of the middle ages in which David and Jonathan figure as preux chevaliers, and Sir Alexander of Macedon and Sir Paris of Troy fight tournaments in honor of ladies’ eyes and the “ blessed A ii- gin.” They must be tried by their own aim and standard, not by the severity of antiquarian criticism. [The A7enice Academy possesses the finest of Bonifazio’s works; the most important being u Dives and Lazarus,” Massacre of the Inno- cents,” and an “ Adoration of the Magi.” Bonifazio died in i [Early writers on art referred to but one Bonifazio, attributing to him all the works now distinguished as the productions of three different aitists.]