Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/351

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his hand in the church of San Francesco della Vigna, in the city of Venice, where, for the altar of San Giovanni, he painted a figure of that saint, standing between two others, each of whom has a book in his hand.

Giovanni Buonconsigli was also accounted a good master, and at the altar of St. Thomas Aquinas, in the church of San Giovanni e Paolo, is a painting by this artist, wherein he has depicted the first named saint surrounded by numerous figures, to whom he is reading the holy Scriptures: in that picture there is a perspective view of buildings which is not unworthy of commendation.[1] The Florentine sculptor, Simon Bianco also lived throughout the greater part of his life in Venice, as did Tullio Lombardo[2] an exceedingly skilful engraver.[3]

Among the eminent masters of Lombardy, were the sculptors Bartolommeo Clemente, of Reggio, and Agostino Busto. In carving there were Jacopo Davanzo, a Milanese, with Gaspero and Girolamo Misceroni. In Brescia, the painter, Vincenzio Verchio, was accounted a skilful and experienced master in fresco, and his admirable works in that branch of art acquired him a very great name in his own country. As much may be said of Girolamo Bomanino, who was most excellent in design, as is clearly proved by his works in Brescia, and for many miles around that city. Nor was Alessandro Moretto[4] inferior to these masters, nay rather, he surpassed them; the colouring of his pictures is most admirable, and his works give ample proof of the diligence with which he laboured.

But to return to Verona. In this city there have always

  1. For details relating to these artists, the reader is referred to Lanzi, Zanotti, and the other authorities above cited.
  2. Lombardo is the family name of this master, not that of his country, since he was without doubt born in the city of Venice. The reader will find a short notice of Tullio Lombardo in Cicognara, Storia della Scultura, &c.
  3. The intagliatore of Vasari may here mean carver in wood, or artist in relief, as well as engraver. Tullio Lombardo was a sculptor and architect, as was his father Pietro.
  4. Alessandro Bonvicino, called the Moretto, was a scholar of Titian. — See Ridolfi, vol. i. p. 246. Of the Brescian masters immediately preceding the above-named, certain details will be found in Passavant.—Reiträge znr Geschichte der alien Malerschulen in der Lombardei. (In the Kurisinstblatt for 1838, No. 67.)