hospodar of Moldavia. He ruled till 1733, when he was nominated hospodar of Wallachia for three years. On the expiry of this period he returned to Moldavia, and in 1747 again assumed the government of Wallachia. He was succeeded by his son, Matthias Ghika, who likewise held the governorships of Moldavia and Wallachia alternately for a period of eight years. He was superseded by his brother, Skarlat Ghika, who reigned, including intervals of war and exile, till 1767. His son and successor, Alexander Ghika, maintained himself only about a year in the perilous dignity, and was succeeded by his cousin, Gregor IV. The latter had the misfortune to displease the czar of Russia, and in consequence was made a prisoner in his own palace by a Muscovite colonel, and sent to St. Petersburg. Released some years after, he found the governorship of Wallachia occupied by the scion of a rival family, the Ypsilanti. He, however, succeeded in obtaining the post of hospodar of Moldavia in 1774, but held it only for three years, being assassinated by a special envoy from Constantinople, Kapidshi Pasha, in 1777. The latest and most celebrated of the family—
* Ghika, Alexander, born in 1795, was hospodar from 1822 till 1825, was then exiled, but returned in 1836 and governed till 1842, when the court of St. Petersburg once more obtained his dismissal from the sultan. Alexander, during his period of government, proved himself an enlightened reformer; he encouraged agriculture, established manufactures, and brought the country into a more flourishing condition than it had ever before attained under Turkish dominion. But the plan of uniting the two provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia into an independent state provoked against him the deadly animosity of the Russian court, and ultimately brought about his dismissal. He has lived since 1842 chiefly at Dresden in Saxony, devoted to literary and scientific pursuits.—F. M.
GHILINI, Girolamo, born at Monza in 1589, studied law at Padua, but finally entered the church, and became prothonotary canon of the cathedral of Milan, and abbot of Saint James of Cantalupo in the kingdom of Naples. He passed his last years at Alexandria, where he published the Ateneo of Picinelli. His principal works are the "Teatro d'Uomini letterati," "Annals of Alexandria," and some ascetic treatises. He died about 1675.—A. C. M.
GHIRLANDAJO, Domenico, or correctly Domenico Bigordi, called Ghirlandajo from his father, who was a goldsmith much skilled in the manufacture of children's garlands. He was born at Florence in 1449, and was brought up by his father as a goldsmith; but he early took to painting, and earned the reputation of one of the chief masters of his time in Florence. Ghirlandajo surpassed all his contemporaries in the precision of his drawing and the delicacy of his execution; and in 1488 he acquired the distinction of being chosen the master of Michelangelo, who, then in his fourteenth year, was bound to Domenico for three years; but contrary to the usual custom, the master agreed to pay the apprentice an annual stipend for the value of his labour. The payment, however, seems to have been rather nominal than real, as Michelangelo received only twenty-four florins for the whole term of three years. Ghirlandajo was one of those employed in the Sistine chapel at Rome by Pope Sixtus IV. in 1484; but his chief works, both in fresco and in tempera are in Florence, as the "Life of St. Francis" in the Sassetti chapel in the church of the Trinity, painted in 1485; and the "Life of the Virgin," and other subjects, in the Tornabuoni chapel in the church of Santa Maria Novella, completed in 1490. Ghirlandajo's tempera pictures on wood are very rare; there is an "Adoration of the Magi" in the Uffizj gallery, and a "Nativity" in the academy at Florence; in the Louvre a "Visitation of the Virgin;" and a very beautiful "Madonna and Child with Angels," attributed to him, in the National Gallery. Ghirlandajo died young, about 1498; his last known work is dated 1492. His merits were considerable, his works combining much of the styles of Fra Angelo in sentiment, and of Masaccio in vigour of form. The "Death of St. Francis," in the Sassetti series, and engraved by Lasinio, is considered by some the painter's masterpiece.—Ridolfo, the son of Domenico, was born at Florence in 1482; and having acquired the principles of his art from his father, he entered the school of Fra Bartolommeo, and there made the acquaintance of Raphael during the visit of that painter to Florence. Ridolfo made some impression on the great Roman painter; for when Julius II. commenced the redecoration of the Vatican apartments in 1508, Ridolfo was one of those invited to Rome by Raphael to assist him, though it does not appear that he ever joined Raphael at Rome. Ridolfo, however, completed a picture of Raphael's for one of the churches of Siena. He was a good painter for his time; but coming so close upon the great masters of the fifteenth century, his reputation was obscured by them, and his taste for the art in which he was educated prevented his ever adopting the enlargement of style of the so-called Cinquecents school. Ridolfo was, however, much employed; and he had an eminent assistant, known as Michele di Ridolfo; he died about 1560. The Louvre possesses a "Coronation of the Virgin" by him. David and Benedetto Ghirlandajo were brothers of Domenico.—(Vasari.)—R. N. W.
GHISI, a family of artists of Mantua. It has, indeed, recently been doubted whether any but Giorgio really bore the name of Ghisi, that of the others being Scultori (see Passavant, Peintre-Graveur, 1860, i. p. 251); but it by no means follows, because one of them signed himself Adam Scultore, that that was the family name. At any rate, Ghisi is the name by which they are usually known:—
Ghisi, Giambatista, called Bertano, the head of the family, born about 1500, is described by Italian writers as painter, sculptor, engraver, and architect. A scholar of Giulio Romano, he made some designs in the manner of his master, from which paintings were executed for the cathedral of Mantua; but he painted little, if at all, himself. His sculpture was probably confined to modelling. Several of his engravings are extant, some from his own designs; but the best is a "David with the head of Goliath," after G. Romano. Having been appointed to succeed Giulio Romano as superintendent of all the ducal buildings, his later years were devoted to architecture. His chief building was the fine church of Sta. Barbara at Mantua, commenced in 1565. According to Milizia (Vite d. Arch.) he published some architectural writings. He was alive in 1568.
Ghisi, Adamo, or Adam of Mantua, son of the above, born about 1530, was a very able engraver. Among his more celebrated plates are a series of mythological subjects after Giulio Romano; the "Dead Christ," after Michelangelo, &c. He was alive in 1573.
Ghisi, Diana, daughter of Giambatista, born about 1536, engraved so admirably that Vasari declared her to be a perfect marvel. "For my own part," he adds, "who have seen herself (and a very charming and graceful maiden she is), as well as her works, I have been utterly astonished thereby." Two centuries have since passed away, and though her skill is not now regarded as exactly miraculous, her works to a great extent justify the good old biographer's enthusiasm. Some fine examples of her burin are in the print-room of the British museum; and one of the best, "The Virgin and Child, with the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael," is exhibited to the public in the king's library, along with prints by Adam and Giorgio Ghisi. After her marriage with Ricciarelli of Volterra, she frequently signed herself in her engravings "Diana civis Volaterrana." Her earlier plates are signed "D. Mantuana." She was alive in 1588.
Ghisi, Giorgio, born in 1524, is generally regarded as a brother of the preceding; though, as said above, this has been recently doubted. In any case, Giorgio Ghisi is the greatest engraver of the name—one of the very greatest of his time. He studied design under Giulio Romano; engraving under Marc Antonio Raimondi. His prints, which are from the chief painters of Italy, are among the most prized by collectors, and are consequently very scarce. He had a masterly style, great power of expression, and drew well, but is not free from mannerism. His most famous plates are the grand series from the frescoes of Michelangelo in the Sistine chapel. The "Last Judgment" alone occupies ten large plates. His plates after Raffaelle—especially the "School of Athens," in two sheets; and the "Dispensation of the Sacrament"—are also much admired. Giorgio Ghisi died at Rome about 1590.—J. T—e.
GHISLERI. See Pius V.
GIAFAR or DJAFAR, surnamed Sadek, or the Just, a Mussulman doctor, was born at Medina in the year 83 of the Hegira, and died there in 148 (764). His doctrines are regarded by orthodox believers as of absolute authority, and he is recognized as the sixth lawful imam. He is reputed to be the author of the lesser Gefra and of the Ketab Corráat, or Book of Lots, which is followed by the mussulmans in their divinations. His chief reputation, however, rests upon his Traditions, which have consecrated his memory among the faithful.—W. J. P.
