Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Alfonzo Lombardi, Michelagnolo, Girolamo Santa Croce, Dosso, and Battista

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE SCULPTORS ALFONSO LOMBARDI OF FERRARA, MICHELAGNOLO OF SIENA, AND GIROLAMO SANTA CROCE OF NAPLES; AND DOSSO AND BATTISTA, PAINTERS OF FERRARA.^[1]

[The last decade of the 15th century, and the earlier part of the 16th.]

Alfonso of Ferrara,^[2] working in his earliest youth in stucco and wax, was accustomed to make vast numbers of portraits from the life in small medallions for different noblemen and gentlemen of his native city, and some of these works, which are still to be seen in wax and white stucco, give proof of the intelligence and judgment possessed by their author; such, for example, are the busts of Prince Doria, of the Duke Alfonso of Ferrara, of Pope Clement VII., the Emperor Charles V., Cardinal Ippolito de’ Medici, Bembo, Ariosto, and other personages of similar distinction.

This artist being in Bologna at the time of the coronation of Charles V., was employed to prepare the decorations which were placed before the entrance of San Petronio, and was held in so much consideration from his having been the first to introduce the good method of executing such portraits from the life in medals^[3] as I have mentioned above, that there was no personage of distinction in the imperial court from whom he did not receive some commission, to his great profit as well as honour. But not content with the glory and advantage which accrued to him from his works in terra-cotta, in wax, and in stucco, Alfonso set himself to labour in marble, and made such remarkable progress in certain affairs of no great importance which were confided to his care, that he received a commission for the erection of the tomb of Ramazzotto,^[4] in San Michele-in-Bosco, immediately without the gate of Bologna, a work by which he acquired very great fame and honour. After having completed that tomb, Alfonso prepared various stories in mezzo-rilievo, to decorate the sepulchre of San Domenico; these are on the predella of the altar;^[5] they are in marble, and the figures are very small; he likewise executed a Resurrection of Christ,^[6] which is exceedingly beautiful, for the door of San Petronio; this also is in marble, and the figures are in like manner small ones: it is on the left hand on entering the church.

But the work which more than all these delighted the people of Bologna was that of the death of Our Lady, in a composition of clay and gypsum made excessively stiff; the figures of this representation were in full relief, and it was placed in an upper apartment of the Spedale della Vita.^[7] There is one thing to be remarked among many others which are worthy of admiration in this performance, the story of the Jew namely, who leaves his hands appended to the bier of the Madonna.^[8] In the same material Alfonso likewise executed a large figure of Hercules with the Hydra dead beneath his feet; this work was destined for the Palazzo Publico or Town Hall, and was placed in an upper chamber of the governor’s apartments; it was made by the artist in competition with Zaccaria da Volterra,^[9] who was on this occasion very much surpassed by the ability and excellence of Alfonso.

For the Madonna of the Baracane^[10] this master executed two Angels in stucco, they are in mezzo-rilievo and are supporting a canopy. In the middle aisle of the church of San Giuseppe, Alfonso also executed half-length figures of the twelve Apostles in full relief; they are in medallions placed between the arches; these figures are in terra-cotta.^[11] In the same city he made four figures larger than life, and also in terra, for the angles of the vaulting in the church of the Madonna del Popolo; San Petronio namely, San Procolo, San Francesco, and San Domenico, all exceedingly beautiful figures and in a very grand manner.'^[12] There are moreover certain works in stucco by this artist at Castel Bolognese, with some others which belong to the Brotherhood of San Giovanni at Cesena.^[13]

Now let no man marvel if up to this time what we have said of this master has been confined to the enumeration of works in clay, wax, and stuccoes, with very little mention of anything in marble, for not only was Alfonso always more disposed to the first-named manner of art than to any other, but furthermore it is to be observed, that after a certain age he exercised his art principally for his amusement, and to gratify a sort of vain-glory; thus he had no great desire to devote himself to the chiselling of stones. Alfonso was a person of attractive and youthful appearance, it was his custom always to wear ornaments of gold and other trifling decorations on his arms, neck, and clothing, proving himself thereby to be rather the vain and idle follo-wer of a court, than a meritorious artist, conscientiously seeking the acquirement of an honest fame; and of a truth, by as much as these ornaments are becoming and proper to those who from their station, their riches, and the nobility of their blood, may wear them without reproach, by so much are they worthy of reprehension in artists and others, who are called on, some from one respect and some from another, to refrain from measuring themselves with great personages; certain it is moreover, that all who forget this, do not only fail of obtaining the admiration they expect, but in place thereof they incur the censure, and become much lowered in the esteem of all judicious and thoughtful men.

But Alfonso, charmed with himself, considered none of these things, he overpassed the bounds of moderation, permitting himself such indulgences as were unworthy of a good and upright artist, and thus diminishing the reputation which he had obtained by his earlier labours, since he no longer bestowed the attention which he had at first given to his vocation. One evening he chanced to be present at a wedding in the house of a Bolognese Count, when it so happened that he was invited to dance the torch-dance, by a gentlewoman of very honourable condition, for whom he had long permitted himself to entertain sentiments of excessive admiration, wherefore, dancing as we have said with this lady, and losing sight of all propriety in his vain conceit, he ventured to regard his partner with eyes full of adoration, and sending forth a never-ending sigh, inquired with a trembling voice:—

“What is it then, that thus I feel! what is it, if not love?”^[14]

Which the gentlewoman hearing, and being a person of good sense, was resolved to make him feel the full extent of the great impertinence whereof he had been guilty; she therefore turned a look of contempt on her adorer and replied, “Without doubt some flea^[15] or a viler animal.” And this response, being repeated by not a few, was soon spread through all Bologna, Alfonso becoming the object of not a little scorn and mocking accordingly.^[16] It is nevertheless to be regretted that this artist had not devoted himself to the labours of his art rather than to the vanities of the world, seeing that he would in such case have produced without doubt very admirable works, for since he accomplished so much and that wdth the slight pains which he took, what might he not have done had he set himself conscientiously to the fitting duties of his vocation?

When the Emperor Charles V. was in Bologna, the portrait of His Majesty was taken by the most excellent Tiziano of Cadore, which Alfonso seeing, desired to try his skill likewise in a portrait of the same monarch. But having no other means of accomplishing this desire than hy favour of Tizian himself, he applied to the latter, yet without saying a word of what he had in his mind, begging that he would permit him to enter the presence of his Majesty, in the jdace of one of those who were wont to bear his colours. Tizian was always exceedingly obliging, and as he also liked Alfonso very much, he permitted that artist to accompany him to the apartment of the emperor. Alfonso there chose his place immediately behind Tizian in such a manner that the latter, being deeply intent on his occupation, did not observe what he was doing; and thus taking a small case in his hand, he modelled a portrait of the monarch in a medallion of gypsum and completed his work, exactly at the moment when Tizian had also finished his portrait. The emperor then rising, Alfonso concealed the little case within which was the medallion, and had already slipped it into his sleeve, to the end that Tizian might not perceive it, when his Majesty said to him, “Show what it is that thou hast been doing.” Whereupon he was compelled to place his work humbly in the hand of the sovereign. Charles examined it therefore, and having- highly commended the execution, he inquired, “Wouldst thou have courage to attempt the same in marble?” “Yes, your sacred Majesty,” replied Alfonso. “Do it then,” rejoined the emperor, “and bring me the work to Grenoa.”

How extraordinary all this appeared to Tizian may be easily conceived by every one. For my own part, I cannot but think that he must have felt his own credit compromised by such an occurrence; but what must have appeared to him the most singular part of the story was this, that when the emperor sent the present of a thousand scudi to Tizian, he desired the latter to give five hundred of the same to Alfonso; whereat, whether Tizian felt aggrieved or not, we may all imagine. Alfonso immediately applying himself to his work with the utmost diligence, did, of a truth, execute the marble bust with so much delicacy, that it was acknowledged by every one to be a most admirable work: wherefore, having taken it to the emperor, he received from that monarch an additional three hundred scudi.

The gifts and commendations bestowed on our artist by Charles V. very greatly increased the fame of Alfonso, and Ippolito, Cardinal de’ Medici took him in his train to Rome, where he kept him about his person, as he did many other men of ability, both sculptors and painters. Among other things, the Cardinal commissioned him to make a copy from a very fine antique, representing the Emperor Vitellius, and which has ever been greatly renowned; this Alfonso did in a manner which confirmed the opinion entertained of him by Cardinal Ippolito, and which had begun to be shared by all* Rome; he therefore received a command from the same cardinal to execute a bust in marble of Clement YIL, the portrait being taken from the life, with one of Giuliano de’ Medici, father of the above-named cardinal; but this last was not entirely finished. These heads were afterwards sold in Rome, and were purchased by myself, together with certain pictures, in obedience to the commands of the illustrious Ottaviano de’ Medici, and the Signor Duke Cosimo has now caused them to be placed in the new apartments of his palace; they are in that hall namely which I have myself adorned with paintings, both on the ceiling and walls, representing events from the life of Pope Leo X. They have been placed, I say, in the above-named hall, and are over the doors made of that red marble which is found in the neighbourhood of Florence, and where those heads are accompanied by the busts of other illustrious men of the house of Medici.^[17]

But to return to Alfonso; this artist continued in the favour of the Cardinal Ippolito, for whom he executed numerous works, but they were of no great importance and are for the most part lost. Then succeeded the death of Pope Clement YII.; when the sepulchral monument of that Pontiff* having to be constructed, as also had that of Pope Leo, the work was entrusted by the Cardinal de’ Medici to Alfonso.^[18] The latter, therefore, having prepared certain models with figures in wax, after sketches made by Michelangelo,^[19] and which were considered to be exceedingly beautiful, repaired to Carrara with money for the purchase of the requisite marbles: but the Cardinal Ippolito, having left Rome to proceed into Africa, died himself at Itri no long time afterwards; the work was then taken out of Alfonso’s hands, and was made over to the Florentine, Baccio Bandinelli, by the Cardinals Salviati, Ridolfi, Pucci, Cibo, and Gaddi, to whom the command of the whole had been confided, and who were induced thus to dispossess Alfonso, by the favour which Baccio Bandinelli received from the recommendations of Madonna Lucrezia Salviati, daughter of the great Lorenzo de’ Medici and sister of Pope Leo. Bandinelli had indeed prepared the models for that work even during the lifetime of Pope Clement VI.

Alfonso, therefore, being thus deprived of his ofiftce, was almost beside himself; but his pride being brought down, he determined to return to Bologna. In his way he passed through Florence, and having arrived there, he presented an exceedingly beautiful bust in marble of the Emperor Charles V. to the Duke Alessandro; this is now in Carrara, whither it was sent by Cardinal Cibo, who, on the death of the Duke Alessandro, removed it from the guardaroba of that prince.

Now, it chanced that at the time when Alfonso arrived in Florence, the Duke Alessandro had formed the design of having a portrait of himself put in hand; he had already been portrayed for medals by Domenico di Polo,^[20] the carver of gems, and by Francesco di Girolamo dal Prato. Benvenuto Cellini had taken his likeness for the coins, and he had been depicted by Giorgio Vasari of Arezzo, and by Jacopo da Pontormo, among the painters; but he would now have himself portrayed by Alfonso likewise; wherefore the latter, having prepared a head in relief, which was very beautiful and greatly superior to that by Danese of Carrara,^[21] received all that was needful to the execution of the same in marble, to the end that as he would absolutely return to Bologna, he might complete the work which he had undertaken in that city. Having obtained many presents and marks of favour from the Duke Alessandro, Alfonso then returned to Bologna accordingly, but with the death of the Cardinal Ippolito still weighing on his mind, and unable to get over the loss he had sustained in being deprived of the occupation which he had anticipated from the sepulchral monuments, he fell into a very bad state of health, and was attacked by a grievous cuticular disease of the most violent character: this was after a time pronounced incurable; and being gradually consumed by its virulence, he was thereby overcome in the forty-ninth year of his age, and passed to a better life, bewailing himself continually and complaining of fortune, for that she had deprived him of a prince, from whom he might have reasonably hoped to obtain all that could render life happy: better had it been, he would declare, that this cruel destiny had closed the eyes of himself—of him, who was to be reduced to such misery, rather than of so prosperous a noble as was the Cardinal Ippolito de’ Medici. Alfonso died in the year 1536.^[22]

---

The Sienese sculptor Michelagnolo had spent the greater part of his best years with other excellent sculptors in Sclavonia, when he repaired to Home on the following occasion. Pope Adrian had died, and the Cardinal Hincfort, who had been the protege of that pontiff, and was his most trusted friend, not unmindful of the many benefits he had received from him, resolved to erect a marble monument to his memory, and entrusted the care of the undertaking to the Sienese painter Baldassare Peruzzi. That artist therefore having prepared the models, desired that his friend and compatriot Michelagnolo, should proceed to the execution of the work; the latter commenced the sepulchre in question accordingly, placing a figure of Pope Adrian, of the size of life, extended on the sarcophagus, the portrait having been taken from the life. Beneath this figure he then sculptured the story of his arrival and public entrance into Pome, also in marble, showing the Roman people, who are proceeding to meet and offer the homage of their adoration to the Pontiff. Around the tomb, in four niches, are figures of four virtues in marble, Justice, Fortitude, Peace, and Prudence namely, all of them being executed with great care by Michelagnolo, who was assisted by the Counsels of Baldassare.

It is true that some parts of this work were by the hand of the Florentine sculptor Tribolo, who was then very young, and that these have been considered the best of the whole but Michelagnolo gave the most zealous attention to the minor details thereof, finishing the small figures with the most subtle delicacy; these therefore deserve more commendation than all the other parts. Among those portions worthy of being more particularly remarked, are certain decorations in vari-coloured marbles, which are executed with so much elegance, and are so carefully conjoined, that better work could scarcely be desired,^[23] For these labours Michelagnolo received his due and just reward from the above-named cardinal, and was ever treated with great favour by that prelate all the days of his life. Nor was this more than justice or without good reason, seeing that the cardinal has obtained no less renown from that monument, and for the gratitude which he displayed therein, than did Michelagnolo himself, to whom it gave a name in life and much glory after his death. No long time had elapsed after its completion, before Michelagnolo passed from this life to another, which he did when he was at about the fiftieth year of his age.

The Neapolitan sculptor, Girolamo Santacroce, although torn from us by death in the very best of his days and at a time when very great hopes had been conceived of his future progress, yet gave full evidence of what might have been expected from him, had he been permitted to live longer, in the works which he performed in Naples during the few years of his life, seeing that the sculptures by his hand, still to be seen in Naples, are executed and finished with all that love and diligence which could ‘be desired in a youth who is eager to surpass by far all those who have previously held the first rank in the noble art to which he has devoted himself.

This artist constructed the chapel of the Marchese di Vico, in the church of San Giovanni Carhonaro^[24] at Naples, which has the form of a circular temple divided bj columns, between which are various niches, and comprising several tombs which are sculptured with much care. The altar table in that chapel is decorated wkh a mezzo-rilievo by the hand of a Spanish sculptor, which represents the Magi oifering their adoration to the divine Child; and in emulation of this, Girolamo Santacroce executed a figure of San Giovanni in full relief, which was placed in one of the niches, and gave ample proof that the Neapolitan was not inferior to the Spaniard, whether in boldness or judgment.^[25]

Now at that time the sculptor Giovanni da Nola^[26] was held in high estimation by the Neapolitans, who considered him their best master in his vocation; he was already well advanced in years and had executed a large number of works in that city, where it is very much the custom to construct chapels and carve pictures in marble. Girolamo Santacroce was nevertheless not afraid to enter into competition with Giovanni, and undertook to erect a chapel in the church of Monte Oliveto in Naples, that immediately vrithin the door of entrance into the church namely, and on the left hand, while Giovanni was to construct another exactly opposite and of similar design. In his chapel therefore, Girolamo executed a figure of the Virgin in full relief and of the size of life; this is a work of acknowledged beauty, and the master has given infinite pains to the execution of the hands, the draperies, and other parts, perforating the marble in certain places and finishing the whole to such perfection that the general opinion declared him to have surpassed all who up to that time had used irons on marble in the city of Naples. The figure of the Madonna here in question is erected between those of San Giovanni and San Pietro,^[27] which have also great merit, evincing much judgment, and being executed § T and finished in a very admirable manner. As much may be said for certain figures of Children which are placed above those just described.

In the church of Capella, which belongs to the monks of Monte Oliveto, Girolamo Santacroce executed two large figures in full relief, which are exceedingly beautiful. At the time when the Emperor Charles V. returned from Tunis, he commenced a statue of that monarch, the sketch was completed, and some parts of the figure were chiselled out, but the work remained only half accomplished, seeing that fortune and death, envying the world so good an artist, took him from us when he had but reached his thirty-fifth year. Had the life of Girolamo endured longer, there are sufficient reasons for believing that, as he had surpassed all the sculptors of his own country, so he might, as had been hoped, have excelled eventually all the artists of his time. His death caused infinite sorrow to the Neapolitans, and the rather as he had been endowed by nature not only with a most admirable genius, but also with a disposition of so much gentleness, modesty, and excellence, that better could not be desired in man; it is therefore not to be wondered at if all who knew him are unable to restrain their tears whenever they speak of the no less estimable than admirable Girolamo Santacroce. The last works of this sculptor were performed in the year 1537, in which year he was interred at Naples with the most honourable obsequies.

Giovanni da Nola, who was an old man, as I have said, when Girolamo was a youth, survived the latter. He was a tolerably practised sculptor, as may be seen by many works which he executed in Naples, and which exhibit much facility, but are not remarkable for any great force of design. He was employed by Don Pietro di Toledo, Marquis of Villa Franca, who was then Viceroy of Naples, to construct a sepulchral monument for himself and his wife; and in this work Giovanni produced a large number of stories, representing the victories obtained by that commander over the Turks, with numerous figures in full relief for the same work, and which are completely isolated; all of them, moreover, being executed with great care. This tomb was to have been taken into Spain, but as Don Pietro did not cause the removal to be effected during his life-time, it remained in Naples.^[28] Giovanni da Nola died at the age of seventy, and was buried at Naples, in the.year 1558.

Now^, about the same time that Heaven presented to Ferrara, or rather to the world, the divine poet, Ludovico Ariosto, the painter Dosso^[29] was born, in the same city of Ferrara; and although the latter cannot be accounted so great among painters as was Ariosto among poets, he did nevertheless acquit himself in his vocation to such purpose, that not only has Ferrara ever held his works in the highest estimation, but himself also was adjudged to merit a most honourable mention in the renowned writings of the great poet above-named, who was indeed his tried and trusted friend. The name of Dosso has thus obtained greater fame from the pen of Messer Ludovico, than from all the pencils and colours consumed by himself in the whole course of his life.^[30] Wherefore, I, for my part, confess that the good fortune of those who are thus celebrated by great men is, in my opinion, much to be extolled, since the force of the pen compels many to concur in a degree of praise, which all those who receive it may not entirely deserve.

Dosso was highly favoured by the Duke Alphonso of Ferrara; first, because of his abilities in art, and next on account of his excellent qualities as a man, and the pleasantness of his manners, which were advantages always highly acceptable to the Duke Alphonso. In Lombardy Dosso obtained the reputation of painting landscapes better than any other artist, whether in fresco, in oil, or in water-colours; and this opinion of the master was held even more firmly after the German manner in that branch of art had become known. In the cathedral church of Ferrara, Dosso Dossi painted a picture in oil with figures, which were considered sufficiently meritorious; and in the Ducal Palace he decorated several apartments, in company with a brother of his called Battista, but these two, although they thus worked together by command of the Duke, were nevertheless always the enemies of each other. They painted the history of Hercules in chiaroscuro, around the court of the above-named palace, covering the walls with a vast number of nude figures.^[31] Pictures innumerable, whether on panel or in fresco, were also painted by these artists, for all Ferrara. There is a painting by them in the Cathedral of Modena; and at Trent they executed numerous works in the Palace of the Cardinal,^[32] but these last they painted in company with other painters. At that time, the painter and architect, Girolamo Genga,^[33] was preparing various decorations in the Palace of the Imperiale, above Pesaro,^[34] for Francesco Maria, Duke of Urbino, as will be related in its proper place; and among the many painters who were invited thither by command of the above-named Francesco Maria, were the Ferrarese Dosso and Battista, who were employed principally to delineate landscapes,^[35] other paintings of various kinds having long before been executed in that palace by Francesco di Mirozzo^[36] of Forli, Eaffaello dal Colle, of the Borgo-a -San Sepolcro, and many others.

Having arrived at the Imperiale, Dosso and Battista, as is the custom with artists of their sort, began to censure and find fault with all that had previously been accomplished, promising the Duke to show him something much better than he there beheld. But Genga, who was a man of judgment, perceived by their deportment in what manner the afiair was likely to end; he therefore gave them an apartment which they were to paint entirely without companions. Whereupon they set themselves to their task, and laboured to the utmost extent of their skill and knowledge, in the hope of obtaining distinction; but, whatever may have been the cause, certain it is, that in all the days of their lives they never exhibited a less praiseworthy, or, to tell the plain truth, a more unworthy performance than in that work.

And how often does it not happen, that when there is the most pressing occasion for effort, and when men have awakened the highest expectations, they are themselves so blinded, and their judgment becomes in some manner so bewildered, that they produce works which are absolutely inferior to their usual manner, and acquit themselves less creditably than they have ever before been seen to do? But in the case now in question, this effect may also very possibly have arisen from the malignity of the artists themselves, and from the evil nature which they betrayed by thus blackening and seeking to depreciate the works of others; or it may be, that the having laid too great a restraint upon their genius may have been the cause of their failure. To proceed quietly and as nature permits, but being at the same time careful to neglect no study, and to exercise all diligence, this appears to me to be a better method than is that of labouring to drag out as it were by force from the genius such things as are not there. It is indeed a wellknown fact, that in all arts, but more especially, perhaps, in that of writing, things far-fetched and affected are easily recognized, seeing that the forced effort of too much study, if we may so speak, is readily perceptible in all things.

The work of the Dossi having been given to view, therefore, was found ridiculous to such a degree that they left the service of the Duke in great disgrace, the latter being compelled to have all they had done destroyed, and to cause the whole to be painted by others, which was effected accordingly after designs prepared by Genga.

A very beautiful picture was painted at a later period by these brothers, in the cathedral of Faenza, for Messer Giovanni Battista, Cavaliere de’ Buosi; the subject is Christ Disputing with the Doctors in the Temple, and in this work they greatly surpassed their previous labours by the adoption of a new manner; more especially in respect of the portrait of that cavalier and those of others, which are also delineated in the painting. The picture was appended in the cathedral above-named in the year 1536.^[37]

Having ultimately attained to considerable age, Dosso Dossi passed the latter part of his life without labour, having received a pension, which was paid to him till the end of his days, from the Duke Alfonso;^[38] his brother Battista survived him, and executed numerous works, after having been thus left alone, maintaining himself in a condition of much comfort.^[39] Dosso was interred in his native city of Ferrara.

At the same period was flourishing the Milanese Bernazzone, who was most excellent in the painting of landscapes, foliage, animals, birds, fishes, and other objects of external nature; but who did not attempt to work much in figures, as knowing that he was but imperfectly competent to do so; he therefore associated himself with Cesare da Sesto, by whom the same were executed with great ability and in a very fine manner.^[40] It is said, that Bernazzone painted some very beautiful landscapes in fresco around a certain court, and that the natural objects therein represented were copied most exactly, insomuch that a strawberry bed with its fruit, some ripe, others green and partly in flower, being there depicted among other things, was so frequently pecked at by some peacocks which were in the court, as to be at length entirely worn away and destroyed.

1. In the first edition the lives of these artists are separate.
2. Late researches have shown that Alfonso was of Lucca; his family name was Cittadelli. See Frediani, Ragionamento Slorico intorno ad Alfonso Cittadella, Lucca, 1834. See also the Marchese Virgilio Davia, Scultura delle porte di San Petronio.
3. Portraits in medals were executed in the fifteenth century, examples of such are to be seen in the Certosa of Pavia, and in St. Anthony of Padua. —Ernst Förster
4. Ramazzotto, chief of the party of Scaricalasino, had his tomb prepared while he was in power, but afterwards falling into poverty and disgi-ace, he was buried in some obscure place without any ceremony. — Masselli.
5. One of these small stories will be found engraved in Cicognara, Storia, &c. vol. i. plate ix.
6. f this work also Cicognara has given a plate. See vol. ii. plate xi. See also the Scultura, &c., of Davia, as cited above.
7. Now in the Church of Santa Maria della Vita. Cicognara remarks that this beautiful example of the plastic art, is preserved as perfectly as it “could have been had it been executed in the hardest marble.”
8. The event here alluded to is related in the apochryphal work, De Transitu Virginis, written in the fifth century.
9. Vasari here speaks of a statue of Pope Paul III. executed by Zaccaria for the Palazzo Publico. — Masselli.
10. The Baracano rather. The angels are no longer in existence. —Ibid.
11. The twelve apostles arr now in the choir of San Giovanni-in-Monte.
12. “The statues of the four Holy Protectors” still retain their places. See Giordani, Memorio Storico intorno al Palazzo detto del Podestà, Bologna, 1832.
13. The Brotherhood of San Giovanni no longer exists in Cesena.— Ed. Flor. 1832-8.
14. The line, as our readers will perceive, is from a sonnet by Petrarch.
15. Let the reader be pleased to excuse this his compelled introduction to’so unwonted an acquaintance.
16. Frediani, Ragionamento, &c., denies the truth of this statement, but without having adduced the shadow of a reason for doing so.
17. The bust of Pope Clement remains over one of the doors here indicated, but that of Vitellius has disappeared.
18. Cardinal Ippolito is supposed to have been poisoned; he died at Itri, on his way to a conference with the emperor Charles V., with whom he had proposed to mediate in favour of the Florentine exiles.—Bottari.
19. Cittadella accuses Vasari of seeking to exalt Michael Angelo by this remark, but the accusations of partiality which he makes against our author are in no case justified. See Massini, Bologna Perlustrata.
20. A disciple of the renowned Giovanni delle Corniole. Vasari mentions him again in the Life of Valerio Vicentino, and some of his letters may be seen in the Lettere Pittoriche, vol. iii.—Bottari.
21. Danese Cattaneo, a disciple of Sansovino; he was a poet also, and his work of Gli amori di Marfisa has been much eulogized by Tasso.—Ibid. See also Frediani, Ragionamento, &c.
22. From the documents cited in the works of Frediani and of the Marchese Davia before mentioned, we learn that Alfonso Lombardi expired towards the end of the year 1537.
23. Of this splendid monument, which is still in the church of Santa Maria dell’ Anima, Vasari has spoken in the life of Baldassare Peruzzi. See ante, p. 165.
24. This should be San Giovanni a Carbonara. —Ed. Flor. 1832-8.
25. The statue of San Giovanni still remains in the above-named chapel. —Ibid.
26. Giovanni Merliano da Nola, who was the disciple, first of Angelo Agnello di Fiore, and afterwards of Michael Angelo Buonarroti. —Ibid.
27. hese figures still retain their place.—Ibid.
28. Still to be seen in the church of San Giacomo.— Ed. Flor. 1832-8.
29. Scannelli affirms Dosso Dossi, and his brother Battista, to have been disciples of Lorenzo Costa. Förster informs us, that the former studied in Rome during six years and in Venice five, and remarks that his efforts to attain the manner of the Venetian school are clearly apparent in his works.
30. Ariosto has merely named Dosso Dossi in the second stanza of his thirty-third canto, but he has placed him in the company of Andrea Mantegna, Leonardo da Vinci, Giovanni Bellini, Michael Angelo, Raphael, Tizian, and Fra Sebastiano del Piombo; which explains the enthusiastic manner in which Vasari has made mention of the fact, and which his compatriots call exaggeration.
31. Frizzi, Memorie della Storia di Ferrara, describes the Ducal Palace of Ferrara as rebuilt by the Duke Ercole II., after the devouring conflagration by which it was reduced to ashes in the year 1594. This is now the palace of the Cardinal-legate. The paintings of Dosso Dossi remain, but have been much restored. In the cathedral also there is a painting on a gold ground by this artist.
32. The Cardinal Bishop of Trent, who, when Bottari wrote, was Cardinal Madruzzi.
33. Whose life follows.
34. The palaces of the Imperiale are described by Bernardo Tasso in two letters, which will be found among the collection published at Padua, by Comino; tom. iii. p. 123.
35. There was another Dosso named Evangelista, according to Scannelli, Microcosmo, who was inferior to Battista, and this last was by no means equal to his brother Dosso. See Lanzi, ut supra, vol. iii. School of Ferrara, Epoch 2nd.
36. Lanzi is of opinion that this should rather be Francesco di Melozzo, who flourished a full century earlier than the Dossi. See Storia Pittorica.
37. There is now only a copy of this work in the Cathedral of Faenza.
38. Dosso Dossi might well have claimed a more extended and less unfavourable mention from our author, but the latter has in part made amends for whatever injustice he may have unintentionally committed in the life of Girolamo da Carpi. See also Lanzi, History of Painting, vol. iii., p. 196, et seq.
39. Lanzi affirms that Dosso survived Battista, the latter having died, according to the above-named authority, in 1545, the former living vmtil 1560.
40. In the possession of the Scotti Galanti family of Milan there is an admirable work by Cesare da Sesto, it exhibits the Baptism of Jesus Christ depicted in a most beautiful landscape, the latter painted by Bernazzone; this is the picture described by Lomazzo, Trattato, p. 118.