Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Domenico Puligo
THE FLORENTINE PAINTER, DOMENICO PULIGO.
[born 1475—died 1527.]
It is a remarkable, nay, it is a wonderful thing, that many practice the art of painting and handle the colours, either by an impulse of nature or by the adoption and pursuit of a good manner, who are yet without any knowledge of design, and are wholly destitute of any fixed principle in art. Nay, they sometimes attain the power of producing works of such merit, that even though the artists themselves be nothing extraordinary, yet their productions compel men to bestow on them the highest praise, and to hold them in the utmost respect. That the most animated and most perfect works have been produced by such of our artists as have been naturally endowed with a fine manner, and are perpetually engaged in studious labour, is a truth exemplified by numerous pictures, and is to be observed in many masters; for that gift of nature has so powerful an effect, that even when those who possess it neglect or abandon the studies of art, follow no other master, and do no more than merely pursue the practice of painting, and handle their colours with that grace which has been imparted to them by nature, yet at the first glance at their works every part is seen to be excellent and admirable, as on minute examination we find to be such, as are produced by those masters whom we hold to be of the best. That what I here say is true has been clearly demonstrated in our own times by the works of the Florentine painter Domenico Puligo, seeing that in them, whoever has acquaintance with art will find all that I have remarked above to be fully exemplified.
At the time when Ridolfo Ghirlandajo was occupied with the many works which he executed in Florence, as will be related hereafter, he constantly, continuing the habit of his father, kept a number of young men painting in his bottega, the result of which was, that labouring thus in emulation of each other, not a few of them became very excellent masters, some distinguishing themselves in taking portraits from the life, some in fresco painting, some in tempera, and others in rapidly painting pictures on canvas. Employing these disciples, therefore, in the execution of works on panel or canvas, Ridolfo, to his no small profit, sent a large number of such pictures, in the course of a few years, to England, Germany, and Spain. Two of these disciples, Baccio Gotti and Toto del Nunziata, were afterwards invited, the one into France by King Francesco, the other into England by the king of that country; both of whom were induced to require their services from having previously seen works executed by them. Two others of his disciples remained many years with Ridolfo, and this because, although they also were invited into Spain and Hungary by many merchants and others, yet they never could be prevailed on, whether by gold or fair promises, to resign the delights of their native land, where they had indeed more labours proposed to them than they were able to accomplish.
One of these last-mentioned artists was the Florentine Antonio del Ceraiuolo, who, having been for many years with Lorenzo di Credi, had learned from him to draw so well from nature, that he made his portraits exactly similar to the life, and that with the utmost facility, although in other things the drawing of Antonio was not particularly good. I have seen heads from the life by his hand, for example, which though they had the nose awry, with one lip large and the other small, or other defects of a similar kind, have nevertheless a very faithful resemblance to the original, because he had the faculty of catching the exact expression and air of him whom he portrayed; while on the other hand, many excellent masters have executed pictures and portraits of the highest perfection as regarded art, but which yet have but little resemblance, or perhaps none at all, to the person for wdiom they are designed. Now it is a truth, that he who takes portraits, should labour, not so much with reference to what is demanded by a perfect figure, as with the determination to make his works resemble those for whom they are intended; but when the portrait, in addition to being a faithful resemblance, is beautiful also, then such works deserve to be called extraordinary, and.the masters who execute them merit the reputation of excellence. But beside these portraits, Antonio painted many other pictures in Florence, whereof, for the sake of brevity, I will not mention more than two. One of these is in the Church of San Jacopo-tra-fossi, at the corner of the Alberti, and here the master has depicted a crucifix, with Santa Maria Maddalena and San Francesco.[1] The other is in the Church of the Nunziata, and the subject is San Michele weighing the souls of the Dead.[2]
The second of the two disciples above alluded to, was Domenico Puligo, who of all we have mentioned above, was most excellent in design and most graceful in colouring. This artist early perceived that his works exhibited a higher degree of relief and increased beauty from the avoidance of all crudity, wherefore, painting with softness, and eschewing all harsh or over-bright colours, he caused his distances to recede by very gentle degrees, and imparted to them the appearance of being half veiled by a sort of mistiness, giving much grace to his pictures; and although the contours of his figures are so slightly defined that they are in a manner obliterated, concealing many defects thereby, the figures being partly lost and indistinct on the ground of the picture; yet, his colouring being very beautiful, and the heads having an exquisite expression, the works of this artist give very great pleasure. He consequently always maintained the same manner, and invariably pursued that mode of treatment, which caused him to be held in estimation during the whole of his life.
I leave out of the account all the pictures and portraits executed by Domenico Puligo while he remained in the bottega of Ridolfo Ghirlandajo, a part of which were sent abroad, while the rest were for persons in the city; I propose to speak solely of those which he painted when rather the friend and competitor of Ridolfo than his disciple, or of such works as he performed when he was so much the friend of Andrea del Sarto, as to have no greater pleasure than that of observing Andrea in his workshop, and learning from his experience. Then Domenico would show to Andrea the attempts he was making, and would take his opinion, the Detter to avoid such defects as those artists frequently fall into who never show any of their performances to the masters exercising the same art with themselves, and who, confiding too implicitly in their own judgment, would rather incur the censure of all men for the completed work, than improve it in its progress by aid of the warning, remarks, and counsels of affectionate friends.
Among the first pictures painted by Domenico Puligo, was an exceedingly beautiful one of Our Lady, for Messer Agnolo Della Stufa, who still retains it at his Abbey of Capalona in the neighbourhood of Arezzo, holding it in the highest estimation for the beauty of its colouring and for the care with which it has been executed. No less beautiful than this just named was another picture of the Virgin which Domenico painted for Messer Agnolo Nicolini, now Archbishop of Pisa and a Cardinal. This is at present in his house at the corner of the Pazzi in Florence; and there is another of similar size and equal beauty which is now in the possession of Filippo dell’ Antella, and also in Florence. In another, which is about three braccia in height, Domenico painted the Madonna a full length, with the Divine Child in her lap; a San Giovanni, also in childhood, and another head; this painting, which is considered to be one of the best ever executed by Domenico, seeing that it is not possible to find anything more beautifully coloured, is now in the possession of Messer Filippo Spini, treasurer to the most illustrious Prince of Florence, a gentleman of a magnificent spirit, and one who delights much in works of painting.
The many portraits taken by Domenico Puligo from the life are all beautiful as pictures, while they are besides good likenesses; but among the most admirable of all is that which he made of Monsignore, Messer Piero Carnesecchi, who was then a singularly handsome youth, and for whom he painted other pictures also, all of which are beautiful and executed with great care. Domenico likewise painted a picture which was the portrait of the Florentine courtezan, Barbara, who was very famous at that time, being exceedingly beautiful and much beloved by many, yet scarcely so much for her beauty as for her good parts and fine manners; she was besides more particularly admired as a most excellent musician, and one who sang divinely.[3] But the best work ever executed by Domenico Puligo, was a large painting in which he depicted a figure of Our Lady, the size of life, together with Angels and Children, and a San Bernardo, who is writing. This picture is now in the possession of Giovanni Gualberto del Giocondo, and Messer Niccolo his brother, who is a canon of San Lorenzo, in Florence.[4]
The same master painted many other pictures which are dispersed among the houses of the citizens; some of these represent the half-length figure of Cleopatra, at the moment when she is causing herself to be bitten by the asp, and others have thQ Roman Lucrezia, stabbing herself with a dagger. There are besides many very beautiful pictures, and some portraits from the life, by the hand of this master, at the Porta a Pinti, in the house of Giulio Scab', a man who possesses no less perfection of judgment as regards works in our arts, than in those of the other high and renowned professions.
For Francesco del Giocondo, Domenico painted a picture representing San Francesco receiving the Stigmata; this the owner destined for his chapel in the Church of the Servites, in Florence; it is exceedingly soft and harmonious in colouring, and is executed with infinite care.[5] In the Church of the Cestello,[6] this master painted Angels in fresco around the tabernacle of the Sacrament, and in a picture painted for a chapel of the same Church, he depicted the Madonna with the Divine Child in her arms. Our Lady is also accompanied by San Giovanni Battista, San Bernardo, and other Saints.[7] Having completed this picture, the monks of that monastery being of opinion that he had acquitted himself exceedingly well in those works, commissioned him to paint certain pictures in a cloister of their abbey of Settimo, situate at a short distance from the gates of Florence, the subject of these being the Visions of Count ITgo, who built seven abbeys.
No long time after this, Domenico Puligo painted a tabernacle, which is at the corner of the Via Mozza da Santa Caterina, wherein he depicted Our Lady standing upright, with the Divine Child in her arms; the latter is in the act of espousing Santa Caterina; there is also a figure of San Piero the martyr.[8] In the Castello d’ Anghiari, Domenico painted a Deposition from the Cross for a certain Brotherhood, and this picture may be justly enumerated among,his best works.[9] He made it his principal profession to paint pictures of Our Lady, portraits and other heads rather than larger works, insomuch that he spent almost all his time in such things. Now if this artist had given more of his attention to the labours of art, and less of it to the pleasures of the world, he would without doubt have made very extraordinary progress in painting, and the rather as he had Andrea del Sarto for his most intimate friend, and was in many things assisted by the advice and even the designs of that master; wherefore many of Domenico’s works are seen to be well designed, as well as coloured in a good and beautiful manner.
But Domenico Puligo was not willing to subject himself to heavy labour, he worked more for the sake of getting through with his task and obtaining the money, than with a view to fame; and this was the cause wherefore he made no further progress in art. Passing his life with joyous companions and lovers of pleasure, musicians, and light women, he resigned himself to the desires of his heart, and died at the age of fifty-two, in the year 1527, of the plague, which he had caught in the house of one whom he loved.
By this artist the colours were handled so well, and in a manner so harmonious, that he merits praise on that account more than on any other. Among his disciples was the Florentine Domenico Beceri, who also coloured exceedingly well, and executed his works in a very good manner.
- ↑ This work is now in the public gallery of Florence: it will be found in the vestibule of the corridor which leads to the Fitti Palace. The figure of the Crucified Redeemer has been almost entirely restored; those of the two saints at the foot of the cross are in better preservation. —Ed. Flor. 1832 -8.
- ↑ This work has been lost.
- ↑ Borghini, in his Riposo, infonns us that the portrait of the courtezan Barhara being in the possession of Giovanni Battista Deti, was altered by him at the desire of his wife, who caused him to have certain pieces of music which she held in her hand removed, and placed the attributes of Santa Lucia ia their stead, but whether these were the lamp and palm, or the awl by which the eyes of this saint were bored out, or those eyes themselves laid on a dish, or the sword, with all which she occasionally appears, Borghini does not inform us.
- ↑ Many of the works of Domenico Puligo are now believed to be scattered among the galleries of Europe, under the name of paintings by Andrea del Sarto. — Ed. Flor. 1832 -8.
- ↑ This painting is no longer in the church of the Servites. — Ed. Flor. 1832-8.
- ↑ Now Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi, as we have before remarked. —Ibid.
- ↑ This is still in the church; an engraving of it may be found in Malvasia, Etruria Pittrice.
- ↑ This work is in so grievous a state of decay that it may be considered lost.— Ed. Flor. 1832.
- ↑ Still in the place above-named, and a very beautiful picture. —Ibid.