Memoirs of the early Italian painters / by Anna Jameson; thoroughly revised and in part rewritten by Estelle M. Hurll.
- Anna Brownell Jameson
- Date:
- 1899
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.
43/335 page 9
![much of animation and significance as are absolutely necessary to render the story or action intelligible. There is no variety, no express imitation of nature. Being recalled by his affairs to Florence, about 1270, he painted there the most celebrated of all his works, the Madonna and infant Christ, for the chapel of the Ruccellai in the church of Santa Maria Novella. This Madonna, of a larger size than any which had been previously executed, had excited in its progress great curiosity and interest among his fellow-citizens, for Cimabue refused to uncover it to public view : but it happened about that time that Charles of Anjou, brother of Louis IX., being on his way to take posses- sion of the kingdom of Naples, passed through Florence, and was received and feasted by the nobles of that city ; and among other entertainments, they conducted him to visit the house of Cimabue, which was in a garden near the Porta San Piero: on this festive occasion the Madonna was uncovered, and the peo- ple in joyous crowds hurried thither to look upon it, rending the air with exclamations of delight and astonishment, whence it is said this quarter of the city obtained and has kept ever since the name of the Borgo dei Allegri.1 The Madonna, when finished, was carried in great pomp from the house of the painter to the church for which it was destined, accompa- nied by the magistrates of the city, by music, and by crowds of people in solemn and festive procession. This well-known anecdote has lent a venerable charm to the picture, which is yet to be seen in the church of Santa Maria Novella; but it is difficult in this advanced state of Art to sympathize in the naive enthusiasm it excited in the minds of a whole people six hun- dred years ago. Though not without a certain grandeur, the form is very stiff, with long lean fingers and formal drapery, little varying from the Byzantine models ; but the infant Christ is better, the angels on either side have a certain elegance and dignity, and the coloring in its first freshness and delicacy had a charm hitherto unknown.2 After this Cimabue became 1 Hut according to others the street derived its name from the family of the Allegri. 2 We have lately [1857] added to our National Gallery a picture by Cimabue, the originality of which has been disputed, but, as it appears to me, on no suffi- cient grounds. Its antecedents are well authenticated, and its resemblance to the undisputed pictures in the Belle Arti and the Ruccellai chapel, at Florence, is quite satisfactory. If one of the hard, melancholy, lifeless Greek Madonnas could be placed beside it, the observer would better appreciate the advance made by Cimabue in gentleness and dignity. As an historical document the specimen is invaluable. It was formerly in the Santa Croce at Florence.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24877888_0043.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
