Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/517

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443
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CORREGGIO. 443 CORRENTI. lion (1520-24). Tliis was tlu- first exiiiii|ilc of a cupola to be treatuil with frescoes, anil (Jorreg- gio had 110 precedents to follow. He treated the cupola as if it were the heavens, portraying Cnri.st and the Apostles amid the clouds. In the centre was Clirist in glory, a specimen of keenest foreshortening. The Twelve Apostles, ra()t in deepest wonder, are seated upon the cloaid below, and in the pendentivcs are the four Evangelists and four fathers of the Church in groups of two — all figures of the utmost nobility of conception. The decorations of the cupola of the Cathedral of Parma (1520-30) are grander still, and con- stitute his most ambitious eti'ort. Their subject is the "Ascension of the Virgin." In the upper half of the cupola Christ goes forward to meet the Madonna, who is borne upward by a host of angels. In the lower part stand the Apostles gazing in rapt wonder upon the scene, and be- hind them are a large number of beautiful genii with candelabra and the like, as if preparing for a great celebration. T!ie innumerable hosts of the angels seem to float lieneath the Madonna, and the whole picture is animated with ecstatic joy. The color is beautiful and soft — the great fresco has well been termed an apotheosis of color. These three series of frescoes were his greatest works. But in addition to these Correggio painted many other pictures during the period 1520-30. The famous "Marriage of Saint Cath- erine," in the Louvre, was painted in 1522. It is impossible to conceive more beautiful and ex- pressive heads than these, or hands and hair more perfectly painted. Correggio's works of this period may best be studied in the galleries of Parma and Dresden. Foremost among them is a series of five great altar-pieces, the best of which are the so-called "Night" and "Day." The latter, which is in Parma, represents the ]Iadonna and a very beautiful Magdalen, painted in the full light of the day, which is wonderfully diffused. The famous "Night." in Dresden (or- dered in 1522, but not painted until 1529), is in reality a birth of Christ, in which the light issues from the new-born infant, lighting with wondrous radiance the Madonna, and the faces of the two women and the shepherds, which stand out in vivid contrast? to the darkness above. Never were light and shade better han- dled than in these two iiictures. On the other hand, Morelli has conclusively shown that the ^^ ell-known "Reading Magdalen" of the Dresden Gallery is no Correggio at all, but probably a work of Adrian von der WerfT, a Flemish artist. The last period of Correggio's life was chiefly spent in painting mythological pictures. Earthly love was the theme he sought to portray, and non^ could portray it better than he. His work is sensuous, but not sensual. His "lo" and his "Leda" are as innocent and charming as the Cireeks themselves conceived them. Perhaps the finest of these productions are the "Jupiter and Antiope," in the Louvre, and the "Danae" of the Borghese Gallery, Rome. Correggio's canvases are peculiarly impressive heeause of his wonderful treatment of light and shade, of which he was the greatest master among the Italians. He generally represents the chief figures in high light, which is vividly con- trasted with the surrounding gloom. His colors are soft and harmoniously blended, and the values are accurately given : his carnation is Vol. v.— 29. perfect. His figures are faultlessly modeled, and with him a picture is no longer a thit surface. Another chief characteristic of his work is the dramatic action of liis figures, which is some- times so pronouneed that their movements .seem exaggerated, as was also the case with those of !iliehelangelo. But in the case of Correg- gio the eU'ect is softened by the mystic light which envelops the picture. His drawing is said to be inaccurate, liut such cases are cer- tainly exce|)tioiial. Correggio drew with his liriish, so to speak, and the general eft'ect of the jiictures is most cliarming. In the strength of his individuality, in the sulijeetivity of his pic- tures, he is second only to Michelangelo. His place in the history of art is among the five great Italian painters, with Michelangelo. Leonardo, Raphael, and Titian. The scliool of 'Parma which he founded was not of great importance, Parnii- giano (q.v. ) being the only pujiil of note. But Correggio exercised great influence upon the Carracci in the following century and was the great model of the Baroque painters. Consult: Slorelli, Criticfil Htudies of Italian Painters, vol. ii. (London, 1893) ; Heaton, Cor- reggio (London, 1882) ; Thode. Correggio, in Kiinstlcr-Monographien (Bielefeld, 1898) ; Lan- don. Vie et witvres de Correggio (Paris, 1803- 20). The best modern works are J. Meyer, Cor- reggio. translated by Heaton (London, 1876) ; and Ricci, Antonio Allegri da Correggio (London, 1896). CORREGIDOR^ kor-rej'i-dor, Sp. pron. k6r- ra'He-dor' ( Sp. currrgidor. Port, corregedor, cor- rector) . The Spanish and Portuguese title of the principal magistrate of a town. The term is sometimes applied to certain provincial magis- trates. CORRELATION (ML. corrclatio, from Lat. com-, togetlicr + 7-eI(itus, p.p. of referre. to refer, from re-, back -- ferre, to bear). The reciprocal influence of plant-organs. The removal or un- usual development of one organ may aflfect the mode of development of others. For example, if the terminal shoot of a pine be cut away, one or more neighboring laterals will grow erect and in a measure take its place, and branches will be formed on all sides of the new leader. Other- wise it would have grown almost horizontal, and become branched only in a horizontal plane. See Growth. CORRENTI, kor-ren'tc>, Cesare (1815-88). An Italian statesman, born in Milan, and edu- cated in that city and in Pavia. He originated several important statistical works, and the .almanac ^'ipote del Vestaocrde. As one of the strongest opponents of Austrian domination in Italy he contributed materially toward the es- tablishment of unification. In the work entitled L'.i-ustria e la Lomhardia (1845) he set the popular sentiment against Austria, and during the insurrection at Milan (March 18-22. 1848) was appointed Councilor of War and Secretary- General of the Provisional Government, of which he eventually became in some respects the cen- tral figure. In 186G he was intrusted with the organization of the Venetian Provinces, and sub- sequently served as Minister of Education in the Ricasoli' (1866) and Lanza (1869-72) Cabinets. Correnti had exceptional oratorical ])ower and marked literary ability. The publications with w'hich he became identified, either as editor or as