Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/971

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Such is the nature, and such were the consequences of the academic eclecticism of the Carracci. Lodovico was equally distinguished for his oil paintings and his frescos. In the opinion of Sir Joshua Reynolds, no painter knew better how to harmonize the treatment of a picture with its subject than Lodovico Carracci. His style was sombre, and his pictures were generally of grave and dignified subjects; indeed, both somewhat of the ascetic in taste. In the gallery of Bologna are thirteen of his oil pictures. His chief frescos were those in the convent of San Michele in Bosco, but now known only by the prints of Giovannini.—(Il Claustro di San Michele in Bosco di Bologna, &c., 1694.) "Susannah and the Two Elders," in the National Gallery, is a very fine example of the works of this painter, and of unusual excellence in colour.—(Belvisi, Elogio Storico del Pittore Lodovico Carracci, Bologna, 1825.)

Carracci, Agostino, was born at Bologna in the summer of 1559, according to the inscription on his tomb, published by Bellori—"ob. v. id. mart, mdcii. æt. suæ. an. xliii." Malvasia fixes his birth two years earlier. His father, Antonio, was a tailor, and Agostino was at first articled to a jeweller, but was afterwards, through the influence of his cousin, Lodovico, placed with Fontana to learn painting. He studied afterwards with Domenico Tibaldi and Cornelius Cort, under whom he took up engraving; and though he never wholly gave up painting, his chief occupation was that of an engraver, and there are many excellent plates by him in most public collections. Agostino also studied at Parma and Venice. Towards the beginning of the seventeenth century, Agostino joined his brother at Rome, who was then engaged painting the Farnese gallery. Agostino assisted Annibale in the paintings of the ceiling. He not only designed the two great compositions of Galatea and Aurora, of which the cartoons are now in the National Gallery, but executed the frescos themselves; and with such success, that it was reported in the art circles of Rome that the engraver had surpassed the painter in the Farnese, for Agostino had until then been chiefly known as an engraver. This rivalry caused some jealousy between the brothers, and a rude jest of Annibale's caused their final separation. Agostino was fond of what is considered great society, a weakness of which Annibale was well aware, and taking advantage of it, he, on one occasion, while Agostino was surrounded by some of his distinguished friends, placed in his hands a caricature of their father and mother busy at their tailoring work. Agostino was so much offended that he left Rome for Parma, where he entered the service of the Duke Ranuccio, but after painting a very few pictures there, he died on the 22nd of March, 1602, in his forty-third year only, and was buried in the cathedral of Parma. The artists of Bologna, however, honoured his memory with the ceremony of a public funeral, which was celebrated with great pomp. A description of the ceremony was published by Vittorio Benacci in 1603, which is reprinted without the cuts in the Felsina Pittrice of Malvasia. Agostino's masterpiece is the "Communion of St. Jerome," now in the gallery of Bologna. It is said to be the only picture on which he wrote his name. The treatment of this picture in its main features was borrowed by Domenichino in his celebrated composition of the same subject, which is now in the Vatican, hanging opposite the Transfiguration by Raphael. Among the most celebrated engravings of Agostino, are an unfinished plate of St. Jerome, which was completed by Francesco Brizzio; the Crucifixion by Tintoretto in the scuola of San Rocco at Venice, and by which he won the affections of the old Venetian painter. Also the St. Jerome of Vanni; the Marriage of St. Catherine, after Paul Veronese; and the Adoration of the Kings, by Baldassare Peruzzi, from the drawing in the National Gallery. Agostino was considered the most learned of the Carracci. Malvasia observes that he was always more correct than Annibale, and sometimes more correct than Lodovico.

Carracci, Annibale, the younger brother of Agostino, was born at Bologna in 1560. His father designed to bring him up as a tailor, but his cousin Lodovico persuaded him to turn his attention to painting, and became his instructor in the art. In 1580 he went to Parma, and there devoted himself to the study of the works of Correggio. From Parma he went to Venice, and returned to Bologna to take part in the academy proposed by Lodovico, which was established in 1589. The three worked this academy conjointly for about ten years, when Annibale was invited to Rome by the Cardinal Odoardo Farnese, to decorate the great hall of his palace in the Piazza Farnese. He was well received by the prince, says his biographer, being allowed a monthly salary of ten scudi (about two guineas), and maintenance for himself and two servants. The works were completed in 1604, and Annibale received a present of five hundred scudi, over and above his moderate salary; which, however, his friends considered very unhandsome treatment, after the production of so great a work as the Farnese gallery, which was preferred by Nicolas Poussin to all the paintings in Rome after those of Raphael. It comprises many subjects from ancient mythology. It has been several times engraved, first by Carlo Cesio in 1657, in thirty sheets, with descriptions by Bellori.—(Galleria nel Palazzo Farnese in Roma, &c.) The several compositions are of a good dramatic effect, and of a grand style of form, but inferior in colouring, and devoid of expression. Annibale's health seems to have declined after the completion of this work. He painted little more during the remaining five years of his life. The altarpiece in the chapel of San Diego in San Giacomo degli Spagnoli, must have been completed about the same period. The frescos of the chapel were painted chiefly by Albani from Annibale's designs. Annibale received 2000 scudi for the entire work, half of which he gave to Albani for his assistance, though he had endeavoured in vain to persuade his friend to accept a much larger proportion of the amount of the commission, maintaining that the great merit was in executing the frescos, not in the designing them. The transaction showed a generous heart on the part of both painters. Annibale Carracci died at Rome, July 15, 1609, and was buried near Raphael in the Pantheon. Fine works by this painter are common in England; among the best are—the '" Three Marys" at Castle Howard; the "Coronation of the Virgin" at Clumber; and "Errninia and the Shepherds," "St. John in the Wilderness," and "Silenus Gathering Grapes," in the National Gallery. He was a good landscape painter, and also engraved a few plates.—(Malvasia, Felsina Pittrice; Bellori, Vite de Pittori Moderni; Baglione, Vite de Pittori, &c.)—R. N. W.

CARRACCI, Antonio, surnamed il Gobbo, a natural son of Agostino, born at Venice in 1583. He was a pupil of Annibale, and accompanied him to Rome. He was an artist of singular promise, and, under the patronage of Cardinal Tonti, executed several frescos, representing scenes from the life of the Virgin and the passion of the Saviour, in the church of St. Bartolomeo nell' Isola. A highly-esteemed work is his frieze in the palace of Monte Cavallo. He attended Annibale in his last moments, and honoured his remains with a superb funeral. He died at Rome in his thirty-fifth year.—W. T.

CARRACCI, Francesco, the brother of Agostino and Annibale, and pupil of Lodovico, born at Bologna in 1595. He was expert as a painter of the nude, and was highly accounted by his preceptor for his correctness and general freedom of execution. But his vanity lured him on to the breakers. He re-enacted the old frog and the bull fable. He set up an academy in opposition to Lodovico, and inscribed over the door—"This is the true school of the Caracci." He thought that the greatness of his name exempted him from the ordinary labours which work men up to success. He stopped, therefore, at mediocrity—the usual goal of impudence and indolence. He died in 1622. He painted "St. Roch and the Angel," in the church of St. Rocco at Bologna; and, aided by Lodovico, "The Death of the Virgin," in the church of St. Maria Maggiore. He engraved a few plates from the designs of his brothers.—W. T.

CARRADORI, Giovacchino, an Italian physician, was born at Prato in 1758, and died in 1818. He was for some time professor of philosophy at Pistoga, but had to resign his chair in consequence of a dispute with the bishop. He afterwards practised medicine in his native town, and wrote upon agriculture and natural science. He was a powerful advocate of vaccination. Among his published works are the following—"Della transformazione del Nostoc in Tremella verrucosa, in Lichen fascicularis e in Lichen rupestris, 1797;" "On the Reproduction of some of the Lower Plants;" "On Plant Life;" "On the absorbing organs of the roots of Plants;" "On the irritability of Plants;" "On Heat;" "On Animal Electricity;" "On Epizootic Diseases;" "On the fertility of the Earth;" "On the History of Galvanism;" and "On the Contagious Fevers."

CARRANZA, Bartholomew, a Spanish bishop, born at Miranda in Navarre in 1504. In 1546 he was sent by Charles V. to the council of Trent, where he read a paper, "De neces-