master performed many other works, of which I will speak no further, since it suffices to have named the best.[1] I received his portrait in Mantua, from Fermo Ghisoni,[2] an excellent painter, who assured me that the likeness was by Costa’s own hand. The latter drew tolerably well, as may be seen from our book, wherein there is a pen-and-ink drawing on parchment, representing the Judgment of Solomon, with a figure of St. Jerome in chiaro-scuro, by Lorenzo, both very well done.
The disciples of Lorenzo Costa were Ercole da Ferrara his compatriot, whose life I propose to write immediately; and Ludovico Malino,[3] also a Ferrarese,[4] by whom we have many works in other places, as well as in his native city; but the best that he performed was a picture which is now in the church of San Francesco, in Bologna, in a chapel near the principal door. The subject of this work is Jesus Christ at the age of twelve disputing with the Doctors in the Temple.[5] The elder Dosso, of Ferrara, also acquired the first principles of his art under Costa, but of Dosso’s works we shall make further mention in the proper place; and this is as much as I have been able to gather respecting the life and works of Lorenzo Costa, of Ferrara.[6]
- ↑ There is a picture of the Magi, by Lorenzo, in the Brera, at Milan, and there are three in the Gallery of Berlin. For an enumeration and description of other works by this master, see Baruffaldi, Vite degli Artefici Ferraresi.
- ↑ Bottari informs us that “Ghisoni was a Mantuan, and disciple of Giulio Romano, who availed himself of his assistance in many of his works.”
- ↑ The name of this artist is properly Mazzolino.—Ed. Flor., 1832. See Baniffaldi, who gives 1540 as the period about which his labours ceased. See also Cittadella, Catalogo de^ Filtori Ferraresi, tom. vi. p. 310, from whom we learn that he was the son of a certain Giovanni Mazzuoli, but was called Mazzolino as a “nom de caresse.”
- ↑ According to Malvasia, the number of Lorenzo’s disciples was 210.
- ↑ This is now in the Royal Gallery of Berlin, German edition, vol. ii., part 2, p. 121.
- ↑ Lorenzo died on the 5th of March, 1535. Many of hfs descendants were also painters. See Memorie originali di Belle Arti, &c., series iii, pp. 8—11.
