Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Andrea Mantegna

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE FLORENTINE PAINTER, ANDREA MANTEGNA.

[born 1431— died 1506.]

The powerful effect produced on talent by revrard, is known to every man who, having laboured conscientiously, lias received the due return for his works. He who has ground to hope for honour and reward from the effort he is making, feels no inconvenience, suffers no pain, acknowledges no weariness; he becomes daily more confirmed in power, and his talents attain evermore increased worth and brightness. It is, indeed, true that merit does not always find those who perceive and estimate its value, as did that of Andrea Mantegna. Born in the neighbourhood of Mantua,^[1] of a very lowly race, and occupied during his childhood in the tending of flocks, he was eventually so exalted by fate and his own abilities that he at length attained the condition of knighthood, as in its due place will be related. When he had nearly reached his full growth, Andrea was taken to the city, where he studied painting under Jacopo^[2] Squarcione, of Padua, who took him into his own house, and, a short time after, perceiving his remarkable abilities, adopted him as his son. This we learn from a letter written in Latin by Messer Girolamo Campagnuola^[3] to Messer Lionico Timeo,^[4] a Greek philosopher; wherein he gives the latter notices respecting certain old painters who had executed works for the Carrara family, of Padua. But as Squarcione knew himself to be not the most distinguished painter in the world,^[5] and to the end that Andrea might know more than he did himself, he caused him to work diligently from casts moulded on antique statues, and after pictures on canvas, which he had brought from various places, more particularly from Tuscany and Rome. By these and other methods of the same kind Andrea Mantegna acquired a fair amount of knowledge in his youth: he was also assisted and stimulated in no slight degree by his emulation of Marco Zoppo, of Bologna,^[6] Dario, of Treviso,^[7] and Niccolb Pizzolo,^[8] of Padua, all disciples of his adoptive father and master. Mantegna was not more than seventeen years old when he painted the picture for the High Altar in the Church of Santa Sofia, in Padua, a work which might he taken for that of an old experienced master rather than that of a youth, and Squarcione, who was then commissioned to paint the Chapel of San Christofano (one of those in the Church of the “Eremite Brothers” of Sant’ Agostino, in Padua), gave this work to the above-named Niccolb Pizzolo and to Andrea. For his part, Niccolb painted a figure of Cod the Father enthroned in majesty between thes Doctors of the Church, and this part of the work was considered to be no less meritorious than that executed by Andrea. There is, indeed, no doubt that Niccolb, who produced very little, but all whose works are very good, would have been an excellent master had he delighted in painting as he did in martial exercises: in that case he might besides have lived much longer than he did; but having constantly arms in his hands, and making many enemies, he was one day attacked as he returned from his work and treacherously slain^[9]]; Pie left no other production, that I am acquainted with, but a second figure of God the Father, which is in the Chapel of Urbano Prefetto.^[10]

Andrea Mantegna was then left alone to complete the chapel, and he painted there the figures of the four Evangelists, which are considered very beautiful.^[11] These and other works caused great expectations to be awakened respecting the future excellence of their author, and hopes were then conceived that he would in time attain the eminence to which he afterwards did, in fact, rise. Measures were therefore adopted by the Venetian painter, Jacopo Bellini, father of Gentile and Giovanni, and rival of Squarcione, to the end that Andrea might take his daughter and the sister of Gentile for his wife.^[12] But when this was told to Squarcione he was so much displeased with Andrea that they were ever afterwards enemies: and whereas Squarcione had previously much extolled the works of Andrea, he from that time always publicly censured them with violence equal to his former warmth. He found fault more especially with those in the above-named Chapel of San Cristofano, affirming that they had nothing good in them because Andrea had therein copied from antique marbles, from which no man can perfectly acquire the art of painting, seeing that stone must ever retain somewhat of the rigidity of its nature, and never displays that tender softness proper to flesh and natural forms, which are pliant and exhibit various movements. He added that Andrea would have done much better with those figures if he had given them the tint of marble and not all those colours: they would then have been nearer to perfection, since they had no resemblance to the life, but were rather imitations of an- (dent statues in marble, and so forth. Andrea was deeply wounded by these disparaging remarks, but they were, nevertheless, of great service to him in some respects; for, knowing that there was much truth in what Squarcione said, he began to draw from the life, and soon obtained so much advantage from the practice, that in a painting which still remained to be executed in the Chapel of San Cristofano, he proved himself no less capable of reproducing and extracting the best parts from living and natural objects than from those formed by art.^[13] But notwithstanding this, Andrea was always of opinion that good antique statues were more perfect and displayed more beauty in the different parts than is exhibited by nature, which rarely assembles and unites every beauty in one single form, wherefore it becomes necessary to take one part from one and another part from another. He thought, moreover, that the muscles, veins, nerves, and other minute particulars were more distinctly marked and more clearly defined in statues than in nature, wherein the tenderness and softness of the flesh, concealing and covering a certain sharpness of outline, thus causes them to be less apparent. There is, without doubt, an exception, in the case of old and much attenuated forms, but these are avoided by artists from respect to other considerations. That Andrea was firmly wedded to his opinion is, indeed, obvious from his works, the manner of which is certainly somewhat hard, and not unfrequently recalls the idea of stone rather than of living flesh. But, be this as it may, in the last of the paintings above described he gave infinite satisfaction; and, among other figures, he there delineated that of Squarcione himself, a large corpulent man, having a spear in one hand and a sword in the other.^[14] In the same work he portrayed the Florentine Noferi, son of Messer Palla Strozzi, with Messer Girolamo della Valle, an eminent physician; Messer Bonifazio Fuzimeliga,^[15] doctor of laws; Niccolb, goldsmith to Pope Innocent VIIL, and Baldassane, da Leccio, all of whom were his intimate friends. These figures Mantegna clothed in glittering armour, shining and polished precisely as armour is in reality, and this picture is certainly in a very fine manner. The cavalier Messer Bonramino,^[16] is also among the portraits in this work, as is, moreover, a certain Hungarian Bishop, a man altogether witless, who went rambling about Rome all day, and at night would go to sleep in the stable with the beasts. In the same chapel Andrea likewise depicted Marsilio Pazzo in the figure of the executioner, who cuts off the head of San Jacopo, together with a likeness of himself.^[17] The excellence of this work, in fine, obtained a very high reputation for its author.

While Andrea was occupied with the paintings of the Chapel of San Cristofano, he also executed a picture which was placed on the Altar of San Luca, in the Church of Santa Justina,^[18] and he afterwards painted the Arch over the door of Sant’ Antonino, in fresco, a work to which he affixed his name.

In Verona he painted the altar-piece of San Cristofano and that of Sant’ Antonio,^[19] with certain figures on one side of the Piazza della Paglia. In Santa Maria in Organo, Andrea Mantegna painted the picture of the high altar for the monks of Monte Oliveto, an exceedingly beautiful thing; and in like manner he executed that for the altar of San Zeno.^[20] Among other works performed by Andrea during his stay in Verona, were many which he sent into different places: one of these, obtained by an abbot of the abbey of Fiesole, his friend and relation, was a half-length figure of Our Lady with the Child in her arms, and heads of angels singing, which are painted with infinite grace: this picture is now in the library of the abbey, and has always been considered an extraordinary work.^[21] At the time when he was living in Mantua, Andrea had been frequently employed by the Marquis Ludovico Gonzaga, who always favoured him and esteemed his talents very highly. That noble caused him therefore to paint, among other works, a small picture for the chapel in the castle of Mantua;^[22] the figures in this work are not very large, but are exceedingly beautiful. In the same j)ainting are various forms, which, as seen from below, are foresliortened in a manner that has been much extolled; and although the draperies are somewhat hard, and the work has a certain dryness of manner, the whole is nevertheless seen to be executed with much art and great care. For the same marquis, Andrea painted the Triumph of Cassar, in a hall of the palace of San Sebastiano, in Mantua. This is the best work ever executed by his hand.^[23] Here are seen in most admirable arrangement the rich and beautiful triumphal car,^[24] with the figure, who is vituperating the triumphant hero;^[25] as also the kindred,^[26] the perfumes, the incense-bearers, the booty, and treasures seized by the soldiers, the well-ordered phalanx, the elephants, the spoils of art, the victories, cities, and fortresses, exhibited in admirably counterfeited forms, on huge cars, the numerous trophies borne aloft on spears, an infinite variety of helmets, corslets, and arms of all kinds, with ornaments, vases, and rich vessels innumerable. Among the multitude of spectators, there is a woman who holds a child by the hand, the boy has got a thorn in his foot, and this he shows weeping to his mother, with much grace and in a very natural manner.^[27]

This master, as I may have remarked elsewhere, has displayed much judgment and forethought in this work, for the plane on which the figures stand being higher than the point of sight, he therefore placed the feet of the foremost on the first line of the plane, causing the others to recede gradually. so that their feet and legs are lost to view in the exact proportions required; and in like manner with the spoils, vases, and other accessaries and ornaments, of which he permits only the lower part to be seen, the upper part being lost to view, as the rules of perspective demand,—a precaution observed with equal care by Andrea degl’ Impiccati^[28] in the Last Supper, which he painted in the refectory of Santa Maria Nuova. We perceive, then, that these excellent masters carefully enquired into the various properties of natural objects, and imitated the life with studious care. As to this work of Mantegna, to say all in one word, it could not possibly be superior or more perfectly executed, wherefore if the marquis esteemed our artist before, lie valued and lionoured him much more highly ever after. But what is more, Andrea so increased his reputation thereby, that Pope Innocent VIII., having finished the building of the Belvidere, and having been informed respecting the excellence of this master in painting, hearing also of the other good qualities with which he was admirably endowed, sent for him, as he did for many other artists, to the end that he might adorn the fabric with his paintings.

Repairing to Rome, therefore, Andrea Mantegna went much favoured and highly recommended by the marquis, who, to do ]]im the more honour made him a knight. He was very amicably received by the pontiff, by whom he W'as immediately commissioned to decorate a small chapel which is in the palace. This he accomplished with so much care and goodAvill, that the walls and ceiling, minutely and elaborately adorned as they are, would rather seem to be painted in miniature, than decorated in fresco.^[29] The largest figures of this work, like all the rest in fresco, are those above the altar, where the master has depicted the Baptism of Christ by St. John: around the principal figures are numbers of people who, divesting themselves of their clothing, show their intention to be baptized. Among others, there is one, who is attempting to draw off his stocking, but the dampness of the skin from the heat of his person, causing it to cling to the leg, he has turned it over, laying his foot over the other leg, and drawing off the stocking with such labour and difficulty, that both are clearly apparent in his countenance—a curious conceit which at the time awakened admiration in all who saw it. We are told that the pope, occupied with his numerous avocations, neglected to give money to Mantegna so often as he could have desired it.^[30] The artist, therefore, having to paint certain Virtues in terretta among the figures of his work, represented that of Discretion with the rest; and the Pope, going one day to see the work, inquired of Andrea what that figure might be. To which Mantegna, replied, That is Discretion.” Whereupon the pontiff rejoined: “If thou wouldest have her to be well accompanied, set Patience beside her.” The painter understood what his holiness intended to convey, and never afterwards uttered a word; but when the work was finished, the Pope dismissed him with much favour, and sent him back to the duke with honourable rewards.

While Andrea worked in Pome, he painted, besides the chapel above named, a small picture of Our Lady with the Child sleeping^[31] in her arms. The landscape is a mountainous country with caverns, wherein are stone-cutters preparing stone for various kinds of work; all which is so elaborately depicted, and finished with so much patience, that one finds it difficult to conceive how so much can be effected by the point of a pencil. This picture is now in the possession of the most illustrious Signor Don Francesco Medici, prince of Florence, by whom it is accounted among his most valued rarities.^[32] Among the drawings in my book, is one in chiaro-scuro, on a half sheet (royal folio), by the hand of Mantegna: the subject, a Judith placing the head of Holofernes in a wallet held by a black slave. The manner of the chiaro-scuro there adopted is one no longer used, the artist having left the Avhite paper to serve for the lights, and this is done with so much delicacy, that the separate hairs and other minutiae are as clearly distinguishable as they could have been, if ever so carefully executed with the pencil; insomuch that one might in a certain sense rather call this a painting than a drawing.^[33]

Andrea Mantegna found great pleasure, as did also Pollaiuolo, in engraving on copper; and, among other things, he engraved his Triumphs—a work of which much account was then made, because better engravings had not then been seen.^[34] One of the last works executed by this artist, was a picture painted at Santa Maria della Vittoria, a church built after the design and under the direction of Andrea, for the Marchese Francesco, in acknowledgment of the victory obtained by the latter on the river Taro, when he was captain-general of the Venetians against the French. In this picture, which was placed on the high altar, is the Virgin with the Child, seated on a pedestal, and at her feet are St. Michael the archangel, St. Anna, and Joachim; they are recommending the marquis—who is portrayed from the life so admirably well, that he seems alive—to the protection of Our Lady, who extends her hand towards him.^[35] And this work, as it then pleased every one, and still continues to please all who behold it, so it satisfied the marquis himself so entirely, that he rewarded the skill and labour of Andrea most liberally, and the artist being well recompensed by princes for all his works, was enabled honourably to maintain his con dition of a cavalier to the end of his days.

One of the competitors of Andrea was Lorenzo da Lendinara, who was considered by the people of Padua to be an excellent painter, and executed various works in terra-cotta also, for the church of Sant’ Antonio in that city.^[36] There were besides, some others who flourished at the same time but of no great eminence. With Dario da Treviso and Marco Zoppo, of Bologna, Andrea Mantegna constantly maintained the most friendly relations, having been brought up with them under the discipline of Squarcione. For the Friars Minors, this Marco painted a Loggia in Padua, which serves them for a chapter-house;^[37] and in Pesaro he painted a picture which is now in the new church of San Giovanni Evangelista,^[38] with a portrait of Guido Baldo da Montefeltro, who was at that time captain-general of the Florentines. The Ferrarese painter, Stefano, was also a friend of Mantegna; the works of this artist are few, but all tolerably good. The ornaments of the Sarcophagus of Sant’ Antonio, in Padua, are by his hand; and he likewise painted a Madonna, which is called the Virgin of the Pillar.^[39]

But to return to Andrea; this master built and adorned use; this he enjoyed while he lived.^[40] He departed to a better life in the year 1517, and was buried with honourable obsequies in Sant’ Andrea; on his tomb,^[41] over which is his likeness in bronze, was placed the following epitaph: —

“Esse harem hunc novis, si nan praeponis Apelli
Ænea Mantineae qui simulacra vides”

Andrea Mantegna was so kindly in all his actions, and in every way so estimable, that his memory must ever be held in cordial respect, not only in his own country, but through the whole world; he therefore well merited, no less for the purity of his life and gentle courtesy of his manners, than for the excellence of his paintings, the distinction of being celebrated by Ariosto, who, in the commencement of his xxxiii canto, enumerates him among the most illustrious painters of his time, as thus:

“Leonardo, Andrea Mantegna, Gian Bellina”

This master taught a much improved method of executing the foreshortening of figures from below upwards, which was, without doubt, a remarkable and difficult invention.^[42] He also took great pleasure, as we have related before, in the reproduction of figures by engraving on copper, which is indeed a truly valuable acquisition to art; for by this means not only has the whole world obtained the power of seeing many of his works, as, for example, the Bacchanalia, the Battle of Marine Monsters, the Deposition from the Cross, the Sepulture of Christ, and his Resurrection, with Longinus and Sant’Andrea, all engraved by Mantegna himself, but in like manner every one is now enabled to judge of tlie manner of all the masters who have ever lived.

1. The question, whether Mantua, or Padua, was the birth-place of Mantegna, has been much disputed: the Marchese Selvatico of Padua has written at some length on this subject, and gives it in favour of Padua, as do Brandolese, the Abbate Gennari, and others.
2. He was called Francesco, not Jacopo. —Ed. Flor. 1832-8.
3. The writer of many Greek and Latin tracts, and as some say, a painter himself.—See Zani, Enciclopedia Metodica, vol. v, p. 318. Parma, 1819-22.
4. Tomeo, not Timeo, a native of Albania, living in Venice, but afterwards professor of Greek in Padua. The letter here alluded to is lost.—Ed. Flor.j 1832.
5. If Francesco Squarcione was not the first painter, he was the best teacher of his time, and was called the father of painters, for his skill in forming pupils, of whom 137 are attributed to his care.—Masselli.
6. A disciple of Lippo Dalmasio, according to Lanzi, and called by some writers, the head of the Bolognese School. For further details respecting this master, see Malvasia, Felsina Pittrice. Edition, 1841.
7. See Lanzi, History of Painting, vol. ii. p. 116.
8. According to some authorities, the most able of Mantegna’s competitors.
9. The work of Pizzolo is behind the altar of the chapel, it is an Assumption of the Virgin, who is surrounded by numerous angels. Beneath are the apostles, and above is the figure of God the Father, also surrounded by angels. This painting has been engraved by Francesco Novelli, after the design of Luca Brida; it was intended for the Padova Pittrice, a work promised for many years by the late Abate Francesconi, but which never appeared.
10. Of the Prefetto Urbano, the chapel of the city, or Urban Prefect, that is to say, a slight error of the copyist, for which the verbal critics of our author fall on him with little mercy.
11. They are on the ceiling.
12. We learn from the will of Mantegna, that this lady, Niccolosa Bellini, died before him, since he commands the continuation of a yearly mass for her soul to be celebrated in the chapel of Sant’ Andrea of Mantua, which he had himself founded.
13. These works are becoming constantly more and more injured by the humidity of the walls. The Commune of Padua has consequently permitted the able artist. Signor Gazzotto, to take a copy the size of the original, which he is now executing with fidelity and judgment. —Ed. Flor., 1849.
14. The picture in question is that of the Martyrdom of St. Christoplier. Squarcione (the figure of a soldier clothed in green) stands near the saint.
15. This name is without doubt, Frigimelica: a distinguished family of that name became extinct in Padua during the last century. — Salvatico.
16. Here also there is most probably an error in the name, which should be Borromeo. — Ibid.
17. Supposed to be the young soldier with a spear in his hand, who stands close to St. Christopher in the Martyrdom. —Moschini, Guida di Padova.
18. Now at Milan, in the Brera.
19. The fate of these works cannot be ascertained.
20. Taken to France with many other valuable works in 1797, and when restored to the city in 1814, w^as found to have been deprived of three out of six of the original compartments.
21. This picture is not to be found.
22. The place here indicated by Vasari, is that vast chamber of the Castle which llidolfi calls La Camera degli sposi. The frescoes have suffered great injury from various causes, but some parts of them are still in tolerable preservation.
23. The paintings composing this work, are now, as our readers will remember, at Hampton Court; they were sold, as is said, under Cromwell, for £1000, but were afterwards recovered by the crown. —See Walpole, Anecdotes of Painting. See also Passavant and Waagen.
24. Gethe quarrels with Vasari for commencing his description of this triumph at the wrong end, but admits that he speaks of it as one might who had the picture before his eyes.
25. This is thought by certain commentators to be the figure bearing the banner with the motto, Veni, vidi, vici. And writers dispute as to whether he meant to reprove the arrogance, or flatter the vanity of Caesar. Vasari, it may be well to observe, does not himself indicate this figure as “colui che vitupera il trionfante.”
26. Of the hero, that is to say. This part of the work is believed by some writers to be among those engraved by Mantegna himself (see Bartsch, Peintre Graveur, No. 11), but is not to be found in what we possess of the “triumph.”
27. Certain critics affirm Vasari to be mistaken in the attitude of this child, whom they declare to be merely ‘‘desiring to be carried by his mother.”
28. See the life of Andrea dal Castagno, ante, p. 104, note.
29. These paintings were destroyed when Pope Pius VI. enlarged the gallery of the Vatican by the addition of the Nuovo Braccio, that Pontiff conamanding the chapel to be demolished in spite of all the efforts made to deter him from so barbarous an act. — See Platner and Bunsen, Beschreibung der Stadt Rom. Vasi, Itinerario di Roma, vol. ii. p. 518, affirms that there are still paintings on a ceiling of one of the rooms in the Borgia apartments, ascribed to Mantegna.
30. In a letter written from Rome to the Marchese Francesco, and dated June 31, 1489, Mantegna complains of this circumstance, and declares that it would have been better for him to have remained at home: and in a second to the same person, under date of May 15, in the same year, he reiterates this complaint. —Lettre Pittoriche, tom. viii.
31. The Child is not sleeping, its eyes are open, and turned towards the Mother. - Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
32. Still in good preservation in the Gallery of the Uffizj. — Masselli.
33. This precious drawing makes part of the collection in the Uffizj. — Masselli.
34. See Ottley, History of Eng raving, for numerous details respecting the engravings of Mantegna. See also Zani, Materiali per servire alla storia dell'intaglio; and Bartsch, Le Peintre Graveur.
35. This admirable picture was carried off by the French in 1797, and ia still at Paris (in the Louvre). An engraving will be found in Count Pompeo Litta’s Familie celebri d’Italia, under the name Gonzaga, part iv. The Saints behind and around the Virgin are not precisely as given by Vasari, they are SS. Michael, Andrew, Maurice and Longinus, patron saints of Mantua. St. John, as a child, stands by the Virgin. The Marquis is accompanied by his wife Isabella d’Este, and on the pedestal is the Fail of Man, —See Lanzi, vol. ii. p. 326.
36. Lorenzo Canozo da Lendinara, with his brother Cristoforo, produced admirable Intarsiatura, some of which are happily still in the Sacristy of Sant’ Antonio in Padua; but others, unfortunately, perished in 1747.—See Brandolese, Pitture di Padova, &c., pp. 31, 269. In the Cathedral of Lucca, are other specimens of Intarsia by the same masters; but their finest work of this kind is on the seats around the choir of the cathedral of Modena. —See Morelli, Anonimo. See also Tiraboschi, Blblioteca Modenese, tom. vi. p. 455, et seq.
37. The Marchese Selvatico declares Vasari to have fallen into a gross error in this assertion, the chapter-house of the Friars Minors having been painted partly by Giotto, and partly by able followers of that school.” He adds that these frescoes were whitened over many years since, but some portions of them had with great pains and labour been freed from the whitewash, when who could have imagined it? ” he asks, in wellfounded amaze, “those Friars who are mad for the candido; on their walls,” that is to say, “took the whitening brush and covered them over again!”
38. The picture of Marco Zoppo was sold, ‘‘Ah, wretched that we are,” says the grieving Italian, and sent to Berlin, where it still remains.
39. Still in existence, but sometimes attributed to Fra Filippo. — See Brandolese, ut supra. According to Buruffaldi, the family name of the Stefano here mentioned was Falzagalloni. —See Vite dei Pittori Ferraresi, Ferrara, 1844, tom. i. p. 155.
40. The later Italian commentators insist on making us believe their less encouraging declaration, that Mantegna passed the latter part of his life, not in the ease described by Vasari, but in grinding poverty; they further maintain, that he was not able to continue in the house he had built.
41. The date of Mantegna’s death is well-authenticated. He died in 1506. The date, 1516, is placed over the bust which surmounts his tomb, but is not the date of the master’s death.
42. See Ottley, Italian Schools of Design, p. 16. One of the most remarkable instances of the pleasure taken by Mantegna in contending with the difficulties of foreshortening is said to be that of the Dead Christ at Milan (in the Brera). There are four paintings by this master at Hampton Court, besides the Triumph of Caesar: and in the Pembroke Gallery is that of Judith and Holoferncs, described in the text, see p. 271.