Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Raffaellino del Garbo

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE FLORENTINE PAINTER, RAFFAELLINO BEL GARBO.

[born 1473—died 1524.]

Raffaello del Garbo, having received the name of Raffaellino, as a nom de caresse, in his childhood, retained it ever after, and was so called through his whole life. The expectation of what he would ultimately accomplish in art was so highly raised in his youth that he was numbered among the most eminent masters at a very early period of life, a distinction attained by few. But to still fewer is ordained the fate which finally befell Raffaellino, seeing that from an excellent commencement and almost certain hopes, he arrived at a most insignificant conclusion. We may indeed remark for the most part, that it is in the productions of nature as in those of art, the best arise from small beginnings, increasing little and little by slow degrees, until they attain to their highest perfection.

But the causes of many an appearance as well in art as in nature are totally unknown to us, nor can the same rule be always successfully applied to what may appear to be similar cases; a state of things by which the human judgment is often rendered uncertain in its decisions: nay, men are not unfrequently compelled to admit themselves wholly at fault, as was manifest in the instance of Raffaellino del Garbo. In him art and nature appeared to have united their efforts for the production of an extraordinary commencement, the results of which were nevertheless beneath mediocrity in the middle of his career and absolutely nothing at its close.

In his youth, Raffaellino studied drawing as industriously as any of the painters, who have laboured by long practice to attain perfection in their art, and there still remains a vast number of drawings by his hand, which one of his sons is always ready to sell for the meanest price to any purchaser, they may therefore be found wherever there is a lover of art. These designs are partly in chalk, partly done with the pen; some are in water-colours, but all are on tinted paper, the lights being added in white lead, they are executed with extraordinary boldness and admirable facility: many beautiful examples of them, in a very fine manner, are to be found in our own book of drawings. He also acquired the power of painting in tempera and fresco, which he did so well that his first works gave proof of an almost inconceivable care and patience, as I have already remarked.

Among other works performed by Raffaellino del Garbo, at this early period of his life, is the ceiling of the vaulted recess in the Church of the Minerva, within which is the tomb of Cardinal Caraffa, and which he decorated with such delicacy of manner that it might be taken for the work of a miniaturist;^[1] for this cause he was at that time held in the highest esteem among artists, insomuch that Filippo^[2] his master considered Ilaifaellino to be in some respects a much better painter than himself. Ilaifaellino had indeed acquired the manner of his master to such perfection that there were few who might not have taken his work for that of Filippo himself. Nay, after having left the latter, Eaffaellino added still further softness to his manner in the draperies which he depicted, and a higher perfection of finish to the hair, with increased delicacy to the features, &c., from all which the artists formed such flattering expectations of him, that while he continued to pursue this manner, he was considered to be the first among the young painters of his time.

It happened at this time, that the Capponi family had caused a chapel, called the Paradise, to be constructed on the declivity beneath the church of San Bartolommeo, on the Monte Oliveto, which is at a short distance from the gate of San Friano; when they entrusted the altar-piece of this chapel to Rafiaellino, whom they commissioned to paint it in oil. He accordingly represented the Resurrection of Christ, and in this work some of the soldiers who have fallen, as if dead, around the sepulchre, are figures of extraordinary truth and beauty: the heads also are as graceful as it is possible to imagine, and among them is the portrait of Niccolb Capponi, Avhich is indeed admirable. A figure of equal excellence is that of one on whom the stone cover of the sepulchre has fallen, he is crying aloud, and the head is as remarkable for the beauty as for the peculiarity of the expression.^[3] The Capponi family, perceiving the excellence of the work which Rafiaellino had produced, caused a richly carved frame to be placed around it, with a further decoration of round columns magnificently gilt, on a ground of burnished bole. Now it chanced some years after the work was completed, that the tower of the building was struck by lightning, which perforated the vault and fell close to the picture of Rafiaellino. The work being in oil, remained nevertheless entirely uninjured, but where the fluid had passed near the frame, the gold was totally destroyed and nothing was left remaining on the wood, but the ground of bole. I have thought this a fitting occasion to say thus much respecting oil painting, to the end that all may see how important it is that works of art should be secured so far as may be, against such accidents, which have happened not in this place only but in many others.

At the corner of a house situated between the Ponte Carraja and the Cuculia, and now in the possession of Matteo Botti, Raff* * * §aellino painted a small Tabernacle in fresco, the subject selected being the Yirgin with the Infant Jesus in her arms: on one side of Our Lady is Santa Caterina, on the other Santa Barbara, both kneeling, the whole work an exceedingly graceful one and very carefully executed.^[4] For the Villa Marignolle, which belongs to the Girolamo family, this master painted two very fine pictures representing the Madonna with San Zanobi, and other Saints: the predellas also are decorated with historical scenes (the figures very small), setting forth events from the lives of the abovementioned saints, and all executed with the utmost care.^[5] On the wall above the door of the church, which belongs to the nuns of San Giorgio, Bafiaellino painted a Pieta, with the Maries grouped around the Virgin; and in an arch beneath he painted another Madonna, a work entirely worthy of praise, which he completed in the year 1504.^[6]

In the church of Santo Spirito in Florence, Eaffaellino painted a picture, over that which Filippo his master had executed for the Nerli family;^[7] the subject is a Pieta, and the work is held to be a good and praiseworthy performance,^[8] but in another, representing San Bernardo, he has not . succeeded so well.^[9] Beneath the door of the Sacristy there are two paintings by his hand, the one represents the Pope St. Gregory, reading mass, when Christ appears to him, an imdraped figure, the blood flowing from the side, and the cross borne on the shoulders; the Deacon and Sub-deacon, in their proper costume, are “serving the mass,” while two angels hold thuribles whence incense ascends over the figure of Christ. In a chapel lower down the church, this master painted the Madonna with St. Jerome and St. Bartholomew, a work on which he certainly bestowed pains, and not a few.^[10]

But his manner now deteriorated from day to day, nor do I know to what cause we are to attribute this misfortune, for the poor Raffaellino did not want knowledge of his art, and was careful and industrious; yet all availed him but little. It has sometimes been supposed that the support of his family taxed his resources too heavily; being compelled to live in disheartening dependence on the gains of the day, his courage failed him, he probably accepted works at diminished prices, and thus became constantly more degenerate: there is nevertheless always a something of good to be seen in his works.

For the monks of Cestello, Raffaellino painted a large historical picture in fresco, on the wall of their refectory, and in this work he depicted the miracle which was performed by Our Saviour, with the five loaves and two fishes, satisfying therewith five thousand persons.^[11] From the Abbate de’ Panichi, this artist received a commission to paint the picture of the high altar for the church of San Salvi, which stands near the gate of Santa Croce; the subject chosen is the Madonna with San Giovanni Gualberto, San Salvi, and San Bernardo, a Cardinal of the Uberti family, and San Benedetto the Abbot.^[12] On each side of the picture are two niches between which it is enclosed; in one of these, Raffaellino painted San Battista, and in the other San Fedele. In the predella there are numerous stories, the figures very small, which represent scenes from the life of San Giovanni Gualberto. As respects the execution of this work, Raffaellino acquitted himself extremely well, being aided in his penury by that abbot, who had compassion on his wretchedness, and was not without consideration for his abilities. Of this dignitary the painter depicted a portrait in the predella of the picture, as he also did that of the General of his Order, who was at that time governing the community.

In the church of San Piero Maggiore, there is a picture by this master, on the right hand as you enter the church,^[13] with one in the Murate, representing the king St. Sigismund. In the church of San Pancrazio, Raffaellino painted a fresco for Girolamo Federighi, whose place of sepulture was in that church. P'he subject of this work is the Trinity, and here the painter may be perceived to have commenced his decline into minuteness of manner; among other figures, is the portrait of Girolamo Federighi with that of his wife, both of whom are kneeling.^[14]

Raffaellino painted two figures in tempera for the monks of Cestello, the one represents San Rocco, the other Sant’ Ignazio, they are both in the chapel of San Sebastiano.^[15] In a poor little chapel situate on that side of the Ponte Rubaconte, which looks towards the Mills, this painter depicted Our Lady with San Lorenzo and another saint.^[16] He was reduced at last to the acceptance of the meanest works, preparing drawings in chiaro-scuro, to serve as patterns in embroidery for certain nuns and other people; for at that time, there were many who employed themselves in decorating vestments, for the service of the altar, and making other ornaments used in churches; for these Ratfaellino made borderings and designs representing diiferent saints or historical scenes; he laboured for the lowest prices, and was now constantly falling from bad to worse.

But although the artist had thus deteriorated, there still occasionally proceeded from his hand very beautiful designs and admirable fancies; of this we find ample proof in the number of drawings which were sold and scattered here and there, after the death of those who had used them for their embroidery. In the book of the Signor Spedalingo,^[17] for example, there are several of them, which suffice to show how much Ratfaellino was capable of effecting in the matter of design. A large number of the ecclesiastical vestments and other church ornaments prepared at that time, were executed from his drawings, nor were these confined to the churches of Florence, or even to those of the Florentine states; they were sent to Rome, for the bishops and cardinals, being considered exceedingly beautiful. But this mode of embroidery, that namely which was practised by Pagolo of Verona, the Florentine Galieno and others like them, is now-a -days almost abandoned, or even lost, seeing that another method has been discovered, whereby the work is done in long stitches: but this last has neither the beauty nor the exactitude of the former; it is besides much less durable. For the advantage thus secured to the ecclesiastical ornaments by his means, Raffaellino certainly merits considerable acknowledgment, and though borne down by the poverty which oppressed him in life, he must not be deprived after his death of the credit due to his talents. This artist was truly unfortunate in his connections, being constantly surrounded by very poor people of a low degree. It was with Raffaellino, as though feeling himself to have degenerated, he had become ashamed of himself, remembering the high expectations that had been formed of him in his youth, and conscious of the great difference between his later performances and the works so admirably executed in his earlier day.

Thus becoming old, he constantly declined more and more, departing to such an extent from the excellence of his first manner, that the works he produced no longer seemed to be by his own hand: daily forgetting somewhat of his art, he descended at length to painting, not the ordinary frescoes and oil paintings of his profession only, but all sorts of things, even the meanest. In this state of his circumstances, every effort became a burden to him, and all things gave him pain; he was overwhelmed by his large family of children, all his distinction in art finally disappeared, and his practice beame debased to coarseness. Bowed down by infirmities, and sunk into the extreme of poverty, EafPaellino del Garbo miserably finished his life at the age of fifty, when he was buried by the brotherhood of the Misericordia at San Simone in the city of Florence: this happened in the year 1524.

Raffaellino left many disciples who were able artists; among them the Florentine painter Bronzino,^[18] who had in his childliood acquired the first principles of the art under his care, and afterwards continued his studies under Jacopo da Pontormo, acquitting himself so well that he produced works equal to those of Jacopo his master.^[19]

The portrait of Eaffaellino is taken from a design which was in the possession of Bastia.no da Monte Carlo, who was also his disciple, and was a clever, experienced master, considering that he had but little knowledge of design.

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1. Of this work Vasari has already spoken in the life of Filippo Lippi. — See ante, p. 280.
2. Filippino that is to say, the son of Fra Filippo Lippi.
3. This picture, still in perfect preservation, is novv' in the Florentine Academy of the Fine Arts, and is considered the best work of Raffaellino del Garbo. There is a Dead Christ in the Uflfizj, formerly ascribed to Raffaellino del Colie, but which is now considered to be by Raffaellino del Garbo. —.Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
4. The picture of this Tabernacle, having been ruined by time, was entirely repainted by Cosimo Ulivelli. — Bottari.
5. Of this work no authentic information can now be obtained.— Schorn.
6. The church of St. George, now called the church of the Spirito Santo sulla Costa, was almost entirely rebuilt in the year 1705, when all the mural paintings were destroyed.—Ed. Flor., 1832.
7. See ante, p. 278.
8. The pictures painted by Raffaellino del Garbo for the church of Santo Spirito, are declared by Italian writers to be there no longer, although Rumohr, Italienische Forschungen, vol. ii. p. 276, speaks of an importjuit work by this master as existing in one of the transepts of that church
9. The painting now in the chapel of San Bernardo is said to be a copy executed by Felice del Riposo, of a work by Perugino or Raffaellino del Garbo; by which of these masters the authorities do not appear to decide.
10. We learn from Bottari that the picture representing San Gregorio, &c., was removed to the Antinori Palace; the Madonna, with San Girolamo, to the chapter-house of the second cloister in the convent of Santo Spirito. Nothing certain is now known respecting them, but that is the less to be regretted, as Vasari, in his first edition, declares Raffaellino to have “declined so greatly from his first good manner, that these things do not appear to be by his hand.”
11. This monastery, situate in the Borgo Pinti, now belongs to the Nuns of Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi. —Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
12. Now in Paris, whither it was transported in 1812.— Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
13. The church of San Piero Maggiore was demolished in 1784, but the painting here mentioned was not to be found in the church even at that time, as we gather from a remark of Bottari.
14. These buildings, the Murate as well as the church of San Pancrazio, have been taken for secular purposes, and the works of Raffaellino have perished or been lost.
15. The figures of San Sabastiano still retain their place in the church.
16. The paintings here described have been destroyed.
17. Spedalingo, director or superintendent of a hospital; the person here meant is the learned Benedictine Monk, Vincenzio Borghini, to whom, as well as to his book, Vasari makes frequent reference. This deservedly distinguished man of letters, is believed to have assisted our author in the work now before us.
18. Angiolo Bronzino, of -whom Vasari speaks at some length in the later pages of his work.— Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
19. This artist also commenced his career as a painter in a manner which awakened the admiration of Michael Angelo and the jealousy of Andrea del Sarto, but finally closed it in a fashion not unlike that of Raffaellino del Garbo. —Ibid.