Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Ercole Ferrarese
THE PAINTER, ERCOLE[1] FERRARESE.
[born about 1463[2]—died 1531.]
Some time before the death of Lorenzo Costa, his disciple. Ercole Ferrarese, had attained considerable reputation, and had been invited to many places to exercise his calling; he would, however, not consent to abandon his master (a thing that happens but very rarely), and preferred remaining with him, making inferior gains, and, receiving a smaller amount of praise, to working alone with higher credit and larger profits. This gratitude on the part of Ercole deserves all the more commendation for the rarity with which it is found among men; but he, knowing himself to be indebted to Lorenzo, postponed all thought of fiis own interest to consideration for his master, towards whom he conducted himself as a brother or son, even to the extremity of his life.
The drawing of Ercole being superior to that of Costa, the former painted certain stories in tempera,—the figures of which are small,—beneath the painting executed by Lorenzo, for the chapel of San Vincenzio, in the church of San Petronio, and these are so well done, they exhibit a manner so good and so beautiful, that it is not possible to see anything better, nor even to imagine the amount of care and labour bestowed by Ercole on that work.[3] The Predella, therefore, is a much better performance than the picture, although both were executed at the same time, during the life of Costa. After the death of the latter, Ercole was appointed by Domenico Garganelli to finish the chapel in San Petronio, which, as we have before related, Lorenzo had begun, but had completed only a small part of it.[4] For this work Garganelli engaged to give Ercole four ducats per month, with his own expenses, and those of an assistant, supplying him, moreover, with all the colours required for the painting, to which Ercole set himself diligently, and which he completed in such a manner, that he greatly surpassed his master, not in the drawing only, hut in the colouring and invention also. In the first compartment, or, properly speaking, on the first wall, is the Crucifixion of Christ, depicted with much judgment; for, besides the figure of Christ himself,—there seen already dead,—the tumult caused by the Jews, who have thronged to behold the Messiah on the Cross, is represented most admirably. Among this crowd is an extraordinary variety of admirably executed heads, and it is obvious that Ercole laboured with infinite pains to make them all as different as possible one from another, so that they should not resemble each other in any manner. There are likewise certain figures bursting into tears of sorrow, which prove clearly how earnest were the efforts made by this artist to imitate nature. Very touching is the swooning of the Madonna likewise, and still more so is the aspect of the Maries, as they turn towards her with looks full of compassion; but almost beyond imagination is the expression of profound sorrow with which they regard what they best loved, lying dead before them, while they see themselves on the point of losing her whom, next to the Saviour himself, they hold most dear. Among other remarkable parts of this work is also a figure of Longinus, mounted on a meagre horse, which is foreshortened, and in admirable relief; his countenance betrays consciousness of the impiety which he has committed in piercing the side of Jesus, with the penitence which accompanies his enlightenment and conversion. The attitudes in which the Soldiers, who play for the vestment of Christ, are placed, are likewise remarkable, and the expression of their faces is appropriate, while their dresses are singular and fanciful. The Thieves, suspended each on his cross, are admirably depicted. Ercole delighted much in foreshortening, which, if it be well done, is certainly of excellent effect; and he has painted a Soldier in this work, seated on a Horse, which rears its fore feet into the air, and comes out in such a manner that it appears to be in full relief: the rider holds a Standard in his hand, which the wind is bending, and the effort made by the Soldier to maintain it in its position is most admirably expressed. The figure of San Giovanni, wrapped in a linen cloth, is seen flying from the place; and the soldiers who appear in this picture, are all perfectly well delineated, with movements more natural and more appropriate than any that had ever been seen up to that time. All these varied and powerful attitudes, which it would be scarcely possible perhaps to present more effectually, may serve to show the great knowledge of art possessed by Ercole, and the earnest pains which he bestowed on his works.[5]
On the wall, opposite to that whereon he painted the Crucifixion, Ercole depicted the Death of the Virgin. Our Lady is surrounded by the Apostles, who stand in very beautiful attitudes, and among them are six figures, which are the portraits of persons, declared, by those acquainted with them, to be most animated likenesses. In the same work our artist painted his own portrait, with that of Domenico Garganelli. the owner of the chapel, who, when the whole was completed, for the love he bore to Ercole, and moved by the praises which he heard bestowed upon the work, presented to the master one thousand livres at Bologna. It is said that Ercole devoted twelve years to this work; seven to painting it in fresco, and five more to retouching it a secco. He executed other works, it is true, within that period: we know more particularly of one, the Predella of the High Altar of San Giovanni—in Monte namely, whereon he depicted three stories from the Passion of Christ.[6]
Ercole was somewhat eccentric in character, and it was his custom when he was at work to refuse every one, whether painters or others, permission to see his labours; he was therefore much disliked in Bologna by the artists of that city, who have, indeed, always been moved by envy to the hatred of strangers invited thither to work;[7] nay, they sometimes exhibit the same feeling in rivalry among themselves, but this may indeed be considered a vice common to the professors of our arts in all places.[8] Certain Bolognese painters, therefore, agreed one day with a joiner, and having, by means of this man, shut themselves up in the church, near the chapel where Ercole was wmrking, they entered the latter by force on the following night. Not content with examining the work, which ought to have sufficed them, they proceeded to carry off all the cartoons, sketches, drawings, and every other useful thing that they could find, a thing which caused Ercole so much vexation, that when the work was completed he quitted Bologna without further delay, taking with him Duca Tagliapietra, a sculptor of considerable renown,[9] by whom the beautiful foliage in marble was executed, which decorated the front of the chapel wherein the above-described work of Ercole was painted. The same sculptor likewise executed all the stone-work of the windows in the palace of the Duke at Ferrara, which are exceedingly beautiful.[10] In company with this artist, therefore, Ercole, having become weary at length of abiding at a distance from his home, remained ever after in Ferrara, where he performed many works.[11]
Ercole da Ferrara had an inordinate love of wine, and was frequently intoxicated, insomuch that his life was shortened by this habit. He had attained, without accident, to his fortieth year, when he was suddenly struck by apoplexy, which in a short time put an end to his existence. He left behind him his disciple Guido of Bologna,[12] by whom a Crucifixion in fresco was painted in the year 1491, under the portico of San Piero in Bologna,[13] as may be seen from his name, which he inscribed on the work. In this picture are the Maries, the Thieves, Horses, and other figures, all tolerably well done; and as Guido earnestly desired to be esteemed in his native city, as his master had been, he studied so zealously, and subjected himself to so many hardships, that he died in the thirty-fifth year of his age. Had this painter begun to acquire the art«in his childhood, instead of in his eighteenth year as he did, he would not only have equalled his master without difficulty, but would even have surpassed him by very much. In our book there are some very good drawings by Ercole and Guido, executed with much grace and in a very good manner.
- ↑ The name of this artist was Ercole Grandi.
- ↑ Much dispute has arisen respecting the year of Ercole^s birth, which Baruffaldi considers to have been 1491, but further research makes it obvious that this is not the correct date, and the best authorities agree to accept that given above (1463, circa), as the closest approximation to the true one at which we can now arrive.
- ↑ The Predella with the picture was removed to the Aldovrandi palace. See ante, p. 148, note.
- ↑ An error of the copyist, or the press, for San Piero, as Vasari has written it in the Life of Lorenzo Costa. See ante, p. 150.
- ↑ ”After this animated description who,” inquires a Florentine commentator, “who shall say that Vasari was a malignant writer, anxious to conceal the merit of all artists, the Tuscans only excepted?” Certainly no one who reads his work with unprejudiced eyes, will accuse him of any such partiality; instances to the contrary appearing in every part.
- ↑ Some writers lament this Predella as lost; but Gualandi (note to Baruffaldi’s Life of Ercole Ferrarese) believes two of the three stories to have been sold to the king of Poland, in 1740, and to be now in the Royal Gallery of Dresden, See Lettere Pittoriche, vol. iv. p. 380. Milanese edition of 1822.
- ↑ Who knows but that this remark may have procured for Vasari the harsh censures of Malvasia, and the virulent diatribes of Caracci?—Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
- ↑ Lanzi remarks, that if Vasari speaks of the envy of foreign artists, neither does lie conceal that of the Florentines. Witness his own life, that of Donatello, and still more strikingly, that of Pietro Perugino.
- ↑ “Now,” remarks Bottari, “but little known.”
- ↑ Probably the ancient palace of the Este family, opposite to the Duomo, since the Castello has no windows richly decorated with marble. —Ed. Flor.y 1849.
- ↑ For details respecting these works, see Baruffaldi, ut supra.
- ↑ Guido Aspertini, according to Malvasia, Felsina Pittrice. He was a competitor and rival, not a disciple of Ercole da Ferrara. There is an Adoration of the Magi, by this master, in the Gallery of Bologna.
- ↑ This picture was destroyed when the portico was demolished, and the whole façade rebuilt.