Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Paolo Bomano, Maestro Mino, Chimenti Camicia and Baccio Pintelli

by Giorgio Vasari

 

PAOLO ROMANO AND MAESTRO MINO,^[1] SCULPTORS; AND
CHIMENTI CAMICIA AND BACCIO PINTELLI, ARCHITECTS.

[flourished in the fifteenth century; exact date op birth and death unknown.]

We are now to speak of Paolo Romano and of Mino del Regno,! who were contemporaries, and of the same profession, but very different in character and knowledge of art, Paolo being modest and possessing very good ability; Mino greatly inferior to him in talent, but so presumptuous and arrogant, that he not only displayed his self-sufficiency in his conduct, but even exalted and boasted of his own vforks without measure in all his discourse. On a certain occasion, when Pope Pius II. gave a commission to the Roman sculptor Paolo for the execution of a statue, Mino, envious of this good fortune, so persecuted and tormented Paolo, that the latter, who was a most kindly and diffident man, was nevertheless compelled to resent his proceedings; whereupon Mino, falling into sudden rage, offered to bet a thousand ducats that he would execute a statue equal to that of Paolo, and this he said with the utmost audacity and most offensive insolence, knowing the character of Paolo, who was never willing to engage in strife, and whom he did not expect to accept such a challenge. But he was mistaken, Paolo accepted the defiance, when Mino, repenting of his boldness, would bet no more than a hundred ducats, and that merely to save his credit. The statue being finished, victory was adjudged to Paolo, as to an excellent and distinguished artist, which he was, while Mino made himself known as one who would do more in words than in works.

There is a tomb by Mino at Monte Casino, a house of the Black Friars in the kingdom of Naples, with certain works in marble at the city of Naples. The statues of San Pietro and San Paolo, which are at the foot of the steps of St. Peter’s at Rome,^[2] are also by him, as is the Tomb of Pope Paul II.^[3] in the Basilica of St. Peter’s. The statue executed by Paolo, in competition with Mino, was the San Paolo which is to be seen on a marble pedestal at the entrance of the bridge of Sant’ Angelo, and which had for a long time stood before the Chapel of Sixtus IV., its merit being then unperceived. But it chanced one day that Pope Clement VII. remarked this figure, and he being well informed on such subjects, and a most jhdicious critic in art, was much pleased with it; he therefore resolved to have a San Pietro executed of equal size, to stand with the work of Paolo Romano, at the entrance to the bridge of Sant’Angelo, where there were two small chapels in marble, dedicated to those apostles respectively: but these chapels impeded the view of the castle Sant’ Angelo; Pope Clement consequently determined to have them removed, and to substitute 'the statues here alluded to in their place.^[4]

In the work of Antonio Filarete we read that Paolo was not only a good sculptor, but an able goldsmith; and that by him were partly executed the twelve apostles in silver which stood, before the sack of Rome, on the altar of the Papal chapel. On these figures Niccolo della Guardia and Pietro Paolo da Todi also worked; these artists were both disciples of Paolo Romano, and afterwards good masters in sculpture, as may be seen by the tombs of Pope Pius II. and Pope Pius III., on which are the portraits of the two pontiffs taken from nature.^[5] There are also medals of three of the Caesars, with others of other high personages, by the same artists.

Paolo Romano likewise executed a statue of an armed man on horseback, which formerly stood in San Pietro, near the chapel of Sant’Andrea, but is now thrown down.^[6] One of Paolo Romano’s disciples was the Roman Gian Cristoforo,^[7] who was an able sculptor; works from his hand may be seen in Santa Maria Trastevere, and other places.^[8]

Chimenti Camicia, of whose origin nothing more is known than that he was a Florentine, attached himself to the service of the king of Hungary, for whom he erected palaces, laid out gardens, made fountains, constructed churches, built fortresses, and executed other buildings of importance, with decorations of carving in wood and stone, sculpture, and similar ornaments, which were added with much care by Baccio Cellini.^nota After the completion of these various works, Chimenti Camicia, moved by love for his native land, t Bottari tells us that nothing was known of this statue when he wrote (1759), nor are we better informed at the present time.</ref> returned to Florence, whence he despatched to Baccio Cellini, whom he had left behind, certain pictures by the hand of Berto Linaiuolo,^[9] to the end that they might be given to the king. These works were considered by the Hungarians to be exceedingly beautiful, and were highly prized by the monarch. This Berto (of whom I will not refuse to record so much), after having painted many good pictures, which are now in the houses of different citizens, was cut off in the flower of his youth, whereby the fair hopes and expectations which had been entertained of his works, were destroyed. But to return to Chimenti; he remained for a short time only in Florence, and then returned to Hungary, where, still continuing in the service of the king, he was journeying up the Danube to prepare designs for the erection of mills, when the fatigues of travel brought on sickness, which in a few days conducted him to another life. The works of this master were performed about the year 1470.

At the same time lived the Florentine Baccio Pintelli,^[10] who dwelt in Rome during the pontificate of Sixtus IV., and who, in consideration of his abilities in architecture, was employed by that pope in all the fabrics undertaken in his time. It was after a design given by this master that the church of Santa Maria del Popolo was erected; many richly decorated chapels were constructed by him in that edifice, more particularly one belonging to Domenico della Rovere, Cardinal di San Clemente, and nephew of the pontiff above named.^[11] The same pope caused a palace in the Borgo Vecchio to be erected from designs by Baccio Pintelli,^[12] and that building was at the time considered a very handsome and judiciously constructed work. The Great Library, under the rooms of Niccola,^[13] was also built by this master, as was that chapel of the palace called the Sistine, and which is decorated with fine paintings.^[14] He likewise rebuilt the new Hospital of Santo Spirito in Sassia, which, in the year 1471, had been burnt almost to the foundations, adding a very long loggia, with every other accommodation that can be desired for such an edifice. Within the Hospital, Baccio Pintelli caused paintings to be executed throughout its entire length, the subjects chosen being stories from the Life of Pope Sixtus, from his birth to the time when that fabric was completed; or, rather, to the end of the pontiff’s life. He also constructed the bridge, which, from the name of that pope, is called Ponte Sisto, and which was esteemed to be an admirable work, Baccio having made the buttresses so massive, and distributed the weight so judiciously, that the bridge is exceedingly strong and excellently well founded.^[15]

In the year of the jubilee of 1475, many small churches were erected in various districts of Rome; these, which may be known by the arms of Pope Sixtus afiixed to them, were likewise built by Baccio Pintelli; those of Sant’ Apostolo,^[16] San Pietro in Vincula, and San Sisto, may more especially be particularized. For the Cardinal Guglielmo, bishop of Ostia, Baccio Pintelli prepared a model for the church of that place, as he did also for the steps and façade, which were constructed as we now see them. Many affirm that the design for the church of San Pietro a Montorio in Rome, was also given by Baccio Pintelli, but I could not say with truth that I have found this to be the case. The church of San Pietro a Montorio was built at the expense of the King of Portugal, about the same time when the Spanish nation caused the church of Sant Jacopo to be erected in Rome.^[17]

The ability of Baccio Bintellf was so highly estinated by Pope Sixtus, that he would undertake no building without having first taken counsel with that architect, wherefore, having heard in the year 1480, that the church and convent of San Francesco d’ Assisi, was in danger of falling, he sent Baccio thither, and the latter constructed so massive a range of buttresses in support of the portion endangered, that he rendered the whole of that wonderful fabric perfectly secure: and, furthermore, erected a statue of the Pontiff on one of the piers. Some few years previously, the same Pope had caused several apartments, consisting of halls and chambers, to be added to the convent of San Francesco, and these are distinguished by their magnificence, as well as by the arms of Pope Sixtus. In the great court is one hall in particular, much larger than all the others, and here there are some Latin verses in praise of Sixtus IV., who gave proof in many ways of the profound veneration in which he held that holy place.

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1. Mino del Regno, or del Reame; that is to say, of the kingdom of Naples.
2. These statues retained their position until the year 1847, when they gave place to two colossal statues of the same apostles by living sculptors, and were removed to the sacristy of St. Peter’s.
3. In the life of Mino da Fiesole, which follows, Vasari affirms that the tomb of Paul II. (afterwards removed to the “Grotte Vaticane ”) was executed by that artist, adding: ‘‘some suppose it to be by Mino del Reame, but that Mino (if indeed his name were Mino, and not Dino, as some assert) executed a few figures of the basement only; the tomb is without doubt by Mino of Fiesole.”—See Bottari, Roma Sotterranea. See also Gaye, who quotes a passage from the Trattato of Filarete, wherein a sculptor named Dino is mentioned.
4. The statue of San Pietro was executed by Lorenzetto, a Florentine sculptor; but Vasari, in his life of that artist, which will be read hereafter remarks, that his work did not equal that of Paolo. See Platner and Bunsen, Beschreibung der Stadt Rom. vol. ii. p. 425.
5. The monuments of the pontiffs Pius II. and III. are in Sant’ Andrea della Valle; but it is to be remarked that in the Life of Filarete, Vasari attributes that of Pius II. to Pasquino da Montepulciano. See ante p. 6.
6. The only works in sculpture to be seen in Santa Maria in Trastevere are certain recumbent figures on different tombs, with a few busts; tliese may probably be by Gian Cristoforo. So far Bottari. The German annotator, Forster, remarks that there is an Assumption also, but by a different hand.
7. In the first edition of Vasari, the life of Paolo Romano closes thus:— “After the victory obtained by him, he was always held in the utmost esteem in life, and his memory was honoured after death. But desiring to do well rather than much, he withdrew himself from active life, and passed his days in solitude and repose; he died in his native city of Rome at the age of fifty-seven, and was there honourably interred.”
8. Of this artist Vasari gives further notice in the Life of Benedetto da Majano.
9. This may be the “Berta di Segno” inscribed on the Register of Florentine Painters in the year 1424, and the artist alluded to by Filarete in his Trattato, who says he died at Lyons. — Ed. Flor. 1849.
10. For a more satisfactory account of this remarkable artist, see Dr. Gaye in the Kunstblatt, 1836, No. 86. German edition of Vasari, vol. iii. p. 26.
11. Piacenza, in his additions to Baldinucci, remarks here that the Cardinal Domenico della Rovere, of the noble Turinese family so called, could not be the nephew of Pope Sixtus, who was of very low birth. The church of Santa Maria del Popolo, was probably built from 1472 to 1477.
12. Or Pontelliy as he subscribes himself.
13. Pope Nicholas V.
14. “Was afterwards painted, that is to say, by other hands,” observes the German commentator, Forster. The chapel, according to Platner and Bunsen, Beschreibung der Stadt Rom., was built about 1473.
15. This bridge had existed from the times of the Cæsars, under the name of the Janiculum bridge, and was rebuilt by Pintelli, who used the old materials. — Ed. Flor. 1849.
16. Bottari informs us that the church of Sant’ Apostolo was afterwards demolished, with the exception of the portico, and was rebuilt with much increased magnificence.
17. The Florentine commentators of 1849 have a note to the following effect:—”Titi adds Sant’ Agostino and Santa Maria del Popolo to the works here enumerated as executed by Baccio Pintelli, and it seems highly probable that San Pietro in Montorio was also built by one of his disciples after his designs.” Many other buildings are attributed to this architect by Gaye in the Kunstblatt for 1836. See also his Carteggio Inedito, vol. i. p. 274—277, where will be found a letter from Baccio Fintelli to Lorenzo the Magnificent, written from Urbino in the year 1481, with a design for the house of the duke. From this it is to be inferred that Pintelli was engaged in the construction of that palace, on which the Sclavonian architect, Lucian Lauranna, had been occupied from the year 1468. The death of Baccio Pintelli is believed to have taken place about the year 1490 or 1491, and is supposed to have happened at Urbino.