distinguished pupil of Gio. Antonio, who has succeeded in sometimes
imposing upon the most acute judges. Thus it has occurred in the parish
church of Montereale, where he produced many scripture histories in
fresco, which had been uniformly ascribed to the hand of Pordenone,
until the discovery of a document establishing the contrary. He is even
little known in his native place of Pordenone, and his frescos in the
cathedral were attributed to the pencil of Amalteo. Pordenone may also
boast of another disciple in Francesco Beccaruzzi da Conigliano. For
this we have the authority of Ridolfi, confirmed by the artist's own
work, ornamenting his native place, of St. Francis in the act of
receiving the _stigmata_, or marks of Christ, a figure more striking in
point of relief than of colouring. To the same school has been added by
Orlandi, the name of Gio. Batista Grassi, a good painter, but more
excellent as an architect, and the same from whom Vasari drew his
notices of the painters of Friuli. I should be inclined, however, to
refer him to some other school, both on account of Vasari's silence on a
point so creditable to him, and his resemblance to the manner of Titian
in such of the few pieces as have been well preserved, and are exempt
from modern retouches of art. Of this kind are his pictures of the
Annunciation; the Translation of Elias; and the Vision of Ezekiel, in
the cathedral of Gemona, on the doors of the organ there.
The last name to be enumerated in this class, is that of Pomponio
Amalteo, a native of San Vito, and of a noble family which yet boasts
its descendants at Uderzo. He was one of the most excellent of
Giannantonio's pupils, and introduced his master's style into the
Friuli, for which reason we shall here give him a place, together with
the whole of his followers. He was son-in-law to Pordenone, and the
artist who succeeded him in his school at Friuli. Both there and in
other places he employed himself in works of distinguished merit. He
preserved the manner of his father-in-law, as has been observed by
Ridolfi, who erroneously ascribes to Licinio the Three Judgments,
indisputably the production of Amalteo, which he represented in a
gallery at Ceneda, in which causes are decided. They consist of the
Judgment of Solomon, of that of Daniel, and a third of Trajan; the whole
completed in the year 1536. It is everywhere evident that he aspired to
originality of manner; his shading is less strong, his colours are
brighter, and the proportions of his figures, and all his ideas are upon
a less elevated scale than those of his father-in-law. Some faint idea
of his works may be gathered from Vasari and Ridolfi, who omitted,
however, many of them, among others the five pictures of Roman histories
adorning the Hall of the Notaries at Belluno: but it is only some faint
idea, inasmuch as neither these two writers, nor Altan, who collected
memorials of him in a little work, were at all enabled to do full
justice to the labours of an artist who continued to occupy himself,
assisted by various other hands, until the latest period of his life.
Hence it is that the bulk of his works can by no means boast the same
degree of excellence as the Three Judgments we have mentioned, or the
picture of S. Francis, at the church of that name, in Udine, esteemed
one among the valuable pieces belonging to the city. Still, wherever or
upon whatever subject he employed himself, he displayed the powers of a
great master, educated by Pordenone; and one who not only shewed
himself, with the generality of Venetians, a splendid colourist, but
designed far more accurately. The same merit continued, for some period,
to characterize his successors, who, however, if I mistake not, were
greatly inferior to him in genius; excepting only his brother, with whom
we shall commence the history of Pomponio's School.
His name was Girolamo, and, receiving the instructions of his brother,
he is supposed to have assisted him in his labours, giving proofs of a
noble genius, which he more peculiarly manifested in works of design; in
small pictures, which appeared like miniature, in several fables
executed in fresco, and in an altarpiece which he painted in the church
of San Vito. Ridolfi commends him highly for his spirited manner, and
another of the old writers, as we learn from Rinaldis, gives his
opinion, that if he had flourished for a longer period, he would,
perhaps, have proved no way inferior to the great Pordenone. Hence I
find reason to conclude that Girolamo continued, during life, the
exercise of his art; and that the report transmitted to us through
Ridolfi, about a century after his death, of his brother Pomponio having
devoted him out of jealousy of his genius to mercantile pursuits, as was
certainly the case with a brother of Titian's, must have been wholly
without foundation.
Pomponio likewise availed himself of the aid of Antonio Bosello in the
paintings he produced at Ceneda, as well as for the Patriarch within the
gallery just before recorded, and for the canons in the Organ of the
cathedral. This artist must assuredly have arrived at some degree of
perfection, inasmuch as we are in possession of the particulars of
various salaries paid to him, distinct from such as were paid to the
principal. As I find mention in Bergamo of an Antonio Boselli, memorials
of whom subsist there between the period of 1509 and that of 1527, it is
extremely probable that he was the same painter, who, being unable to
contend with the fame of Lotto, and so many other of his contemporaries
in that celebrated school, sought for better fortune beyond his native
place. It is certain he exercised his talents in Padua, and thence he
might easily penetrate into Friuli, and give his assistance to Pomponio,
whilst employed at Ceneda during the years 1534, 1535, and 1536.
In the course of time, Amalteo, having bestowed two of his daughters in
marriage, appears to have obtained the assistance of his sons-in-law,
both painters, and promoted by him in the progress of their art.
Quintilia, who had the reputation of a fine genius, familiar with the
principles both of painting and engraving, and more particularly
excellent in portraits, became united to Gioseffo Moretto, of Friuli,
although there remains only a single altarpiece of his in the Friuli, in
the province of San Vito, bearing the following inscription: _Inchoavit
Pomponius Amalteus, perfecit Joseph Moretius, anno 1588_; a short time
previous to which date, his father-in-law had resigned his profession
with his life. The other daughter espoused Sebastiano Seccante,
mentioned by Ridolfi, and esteemed in Udine for his two grand pictures
embellished with fine portraits, with which he ornamented the castle of
the city; and still more so for several of his altarpieces. Of these
there is one at San Giorgio, representing the Redeemer, suffering under
the cross, between various figures of cherubs, holding other instruments
of his passion; a piece that displays all the excellent maxims derived
from his education. This artist may be pronounced the last of the great
school, whose productions do credit to a good collection. His brother,
Giacomo, who did not apply himself to painting until he had attained his
fiftieth year; Sebastiano, the son of Giacomo, who became early
initiated in the art, without even equalling his father, with their
relative Seccante, who lived at the same period, were none of them
esteemed, even in Udine, beyond mediocrity in their respective lines.
Two natives, however, of San Vito, named Pier Antonio Alessio, and
Cristoforo Diana, were much commended by Cesarini, one of Amalteo's
contemporaries. They were employed in their studies at the very period
that the former wrote his dialogue; though there remain no memorials of
Pier Antonio, similar to those of Cristoforo, of whom Altan discovered
several specimens at San Vito, in a very good style, besides one
preserved in the monastery of Sesto, bearing traces of his name, which
he had inscribed upon it. We shall close this catalogue with the name of
another disciple of Amalteo, belonging to San Daniele, where, among some
other remains, there is a tolerably good fresco, preserved in the facade
of one of the inns in the suburbs of the place. It represents the
Virgin, seated with the divine child, her throne surrounded by S. Thomas
the Apostle, and S. Valentine, along with other saints; and it bears the
inscription, _Opus Julii Urbanis, 1574_; it partakes of the taste of
Amalteo, and of Pordenone, the succession of whose school we have just
completed, history affording us no farther materials for description.
Whilst the school of Amalteo continued to embellish various cities,
provinces, and villas of the Friuli, another from the same place started
into competition with it, first introduced by Pellegrino, of which
mention has been made at page 66, though I reserved its description for
this place. The whole of Pellegrino's disciples followed him at a very
unequal pace, and few of their works can be pointed out which appear to
catch the spirit of his fresco of S. Daniel, or his altarpiece at
Cividale, already mentioned with praise. Luca Monverde was an artist who
flourished but for a short period, nor ever advanced beyond the Bellini
manner, imbibed from his master at a very early age. In this, however,
he arrived at so high a degree of perfection, that his picture, adorning
the great altar of the Grazie at Udine, a church dedicated to S.
Gervasio and S. Protasio, which is there placed around the throne of the
Virgin, was highly commended previous to its being retouched. And we are
elsewhere informed that Luca, while he flourished, was regarded as a
sort of prodigy of genius. Girolamo d'Udine, supposed also to come under
this standard, has been omitted by Grassi, in his sketch of the painters
transmitted to Vasari, and is not otherwise known than for his little
picture of the Coronation of our Lady, remaining in San Francesco at
Udine, with his name attached. The vigour of its colours is striking,
the invention novel, but rather strained; and, if I mistake not, the
whole betrays an artist educated with other maxims. I pass over Martini,
though I am aware Altan maintains him to have been a scholar, rather
than a fellow pupil of Pellegrino; but the authority of Vasari, combined
with his own beautiful picture at S. Mark's, so nearly simultaneous with
that of Pellegrino, induce me to retain my own opinion. I should hardly
venture to decide to which of the two preceding masters Bernardino
Blaceo ought to be referred; an artist who appears, from the great
altarpiece of S. Lucia, with his name attached, to have retained the
ancient style of composition, while in other points his manner is
sufficiently graceful and modern. Another artist who has been with more
certainty given as a pupil to Pellegrino, was by birth a Greek, of
singular merit in his art, but who has retained only his national
appellative of N. Greco. Thus the number of disciples from San Daniele,
at all worthy of such a master, is reduced to two, Florigerio and
Floriani. The labours of the former in Udine, executed in fresco, have
however perished, though his picture of S. George, in the church of the
same name, still survives, of itself sufficient to constitute an
artist's fame. It is esteemed by many the best specimen in the city,
displaying both in the figures and the landscape a strength of hand
which appears to rival Giorgione, more than any other model we could
mention. He painted, likewise, with equal spirit, though scarcely
perhaps with equal softness, in the city of Padua; and there he
subscribed his name to one of his frescos, Florigerio, as it has been
read by the _Guida_ of Padua, in which I agree; and not Flerigorio, as
he has been called by some historians. Francesco Floriani, together with
his brother Antonio, though devoting his talents to the service of
Maximilian II., at Vienna, boasts, nevertheless, a high reputation in
Udine. He was more particularly excellent in portrait, a specimen of
which is in possession of Signor Gio. Batista de Rubeis; being a
portrait of Ascanio Belgrado, which might almost be placed in
competition with Moroni or Tinelli. He produced several altarpieces for
churches, the most highly admired of which was, perhaps, that placed at
Reana, a village near Udine. It has recently been purchased and divided
into as many small pictures as the number of saints which it contained,
and which now belong to a private collection.
But it is at length time to proceed to Tiziano Vecellio, a name the
reader has probably long wished to greet. Yet I fear I shall hardly
gratify his expectations; for where we have formed enlarged ideas of an
artist's worth, every attempt to do justice to the splendid merits we
admire, appears not only inferior, but in some measure derogatory to the
character we would exalt. But if in treating on the qualities of
artists, we may consider a particular estimation of their characteristic
talents preferable to warm commendations, I shall avail myself of the
judgment of an excellent critic, who was accustomed to say that Titian
observed and drew nature in all her truth, better than any other artist.
To this I might add the testimony of another, that of all painters he
was most familiar with nature, in all her forms; the universal master,
who, in every subject he undertook, whether figures, elements,
landscape, or other pieces, imprinted upon all that lively nature,
constituting the great charm of his genius. He was gifted, likewise,
with a peculiarly sound judgment, tranquil, penetrative, and decidedly
studious of what was true, rather than what was novel and specious; a
character no less essential to the production of true painters than of
true writers.
The education he first received from Sebastiano Zuccati, a native of the
Valteline, though supposed to have been of Trevigi,[47] and next from
Gian Bellini, had the effect of rendering him a minute observer of every
object falling under the senses. To such a degree of excellence did he
carry it, that when, later in life, he wished to compete with Albert
Durer, and produced, at Ferrara, the Christ to whom the Pharisee is seen
offering the piece of money,[48] he executed it with so much exactness
as to surpass even the minuteness which characterises that artist.
Indeed, in several of those figures, the hairs might be numbered, the
skin of the hands, the very pores of the flesh, and the reflection of
objects in the pupils; yet with all this, the work failed not of
success, for where the pictures of Durer appear to diminish and lose
their effect at a distance, this improves in size, and grows, as it
were, upon the spectator. But he never repeated any specimen in this
style, adopting, as is well known, while yet very young, that free and
unshackled manner, first originating with his fellow student, afterwards
his rival, Giorgione. A few of the portraits, indeed, painted by Titian,
during that short period, are not to be distinguished from those of
Giorgione himself. I say during that period, because shortly afterwards
he formed a new style, less bold, clear, and fiery, but one peculiarly
his, the sweetness of which attracts the spectator more by its artless
representation of truth, than by the novelty of its effect. The first
specimen he is known to have produced altogether in the Titian manner,
is preserved in the Sacristy of San Marziale, representing the archangel
Raphael, with Tobias at his side, painted in the thirtieth year of his
age. Following at a short interval, if we are to give credit to Ridolfi,
he next produced that fine representation of our Lord, for the college
of the Carita, one of the grandest pictures, and the richest, perhaps,
in point of figures, which we have now to boast; many of them having
since perished in different conflagrations.
From these, and a few others, painted in the zenith of his fame, his
critics have gathered the general idea of his style; the greatest
contest which they have amongst themselves, relating to the design. By
Mengs he is denied the title to rank among good designers,[49]
considering him an artist of ordinary taste, by no means familiar with,
however well he might, if he pleased, have succeeded in the study of the
antique, possessing so very exact an eye in copying objects from nature.
Vasari appears to be of the same opinion, where he introduces
Michelangiolo observing, after viewing the Leda of Titian,[50] _that it
was a great pity the Venetian artists were not earlier taught how to
design_. The judgment formed of him by Tintoret, though placed in
competition with him, was less severe, namely, _that Titian had produced
some things which it was impossible to surpass, but that others might
have been more correctly designed_. And among these more excellent
pieces, he might indisputably have included his San Pietro Martire, in
the church of SS. Giovanni and Paolo, a piece, says Algarotti, which the
best masters have agreed in pronouncing _free from every shade of
defect_; besides that fine Bacchanal, and a few others, ornamenting a
cabinet of the Duke of Ferrara, and declared by Agostino Caracci
prodigies of art, and the finest paintings in the world.[51] Fresnoy was
of opinion that in the figures of his men he was not altogether perfect,
and that in his draperies he was somewhat insignificant;[52] but that
many of his women and boys are exquisite, both in point of design and
colouring. This commendation is confirmed by Algarotti, in respect to
his female forms, and by Mengs in those of his boys. Indeed it is almost
universally admitted that in such kind of figures, no artist was ever
comparable to him; and that Poussin and Fiammingo,[53] who so greatly
excelled in this particular, acquired it only from Titian's pictures.
Reynolds[54] also affirms that, "although his style may not be
altogether as chaste as that of some other schools of Italy, it
nevertheless possesses a certain air of senatorial dignity; and that he
shone in his portraits as an artist of first rate character;" and he
concludes by observing that he may be studied with advantage even by
lovers of the sublime.
Zanetti assigns him the first rank in design, among all the most
distinguished colourists; asserting that he was much devoted to the
study of anatomy, and copying from the best antique;[55] but supposes
that he was not ambitious of affecting an extensive knowledge of the
muscles, nor aimed at displaying an ideal beauty in his contours;
whether he had not early enough acquired facility in these, or for some
other reasons. For the rest, he adds, the Titian manner was uniformly
elegant, correct, and dignified in its female forms, and in its boys;
elevated, great, and learned for the most part, in those of its men;
while in testimony of his naked figures, he adduces the history pieces,
painted for the Sacristy of La Salute, whose beauty of design appears to
triumph, even in the extremities, while it boasts the rare merit of a
striking acquaintance with the science of foreshortening, both appearing
blended together. Had the historian been desirous of extending his
notice to such works as are to be met with in foreign parts, he might
have added much valuable matter upon the subject of his Bacchanals, and
his pictures of the Venus; one of which, adorning the royal gallery at
Florence, was justly thought to vie with that of the Medici herself, the
most exquisite triumph of Grecian art. For skill in his draperies,
Zanetti further brings the example of his S. Peter, painted on an altar
of the Casa Pesaro, with a very artificially wrought mantle; adding that
he occasionally sacrificed the appearance of the drapery, purposely to
give relief to some neighbouring object. In this contest of opinion,
between true judges of the art, I shall decline interfering with my own,
observing only, in justice to so extraordinary a genius, that if happier
combinations had led him to become familiar with more profound maxims of
design, he would probably have ranked as the very first painter in the
world. For he would have been allowed to be the first and most perfect
in design, as he is by all allowed to have no equal in point of
colouring.
Many critics have pushed their inquiries from the artist, into the
peculiar character of his chiaroscuro; and the most copious among these
is Signor Zanetti, who devoted years to its examination. I select some
of his observations, premising, however, that he left a large portion of
them to the more studious, desirous themselves of developing them, in
the works of Titian. And, in truth, his pictures are the best masters to
direct us in the right method of colouring; but, like the ancient
classics, that are equally open, and equally the subjects of commentary
to all, they are only of advantage to those who are accustomed to
reflect. I have already mentioned the lucid clearness predominating in
Venetian paintings, and more especially in those of Titian, whom the
rest adopted for their model. I then too pronounced it to be the result
of very clear primary grounding, upon which a repetition of colours
being laid, it produces the effect of a transparent veil, and renders
the tints of a cast no less soft and luscious than lucid. Nor did he
adopt any other plan in his strongest shades, veiling them with fresh
colour, when dry; renewing, invigorating them, and warming the confines
that pass into the middle tints. He availed himself, very judiciously,
of the power of shade; forming a method not altogether that of a mere
naturalist, but partaking of the ideal. In his naked forms he cautiously
avoided masses of strong shades and bold shadows, although they are
sometimes to be seen in nature. They certainly add to the relief, but
they much diminish the delicacy of the fleshy parts. Titian, for the
most part, affected a deep and glowing light; whence, in various
gradations of middle tints, he formed the work of the lower parts; and
having very resolutely drawn the other parts, with the extremities,
stronger, perhaps, than in nature, he gave to objects that peculiar
aspect which presents them, as it were, more lively and pleasing than
the truth. Thus in his portraits he centers the chief power in the eyes,
the nose, and the mouth, leaving the remaining parts in a kind of
pleasing uncertainty, extremely favourable to the spirit of the heads,
and to the whole effect.
But since the variations of depth and delicacy of shades are
insufficient, without the aid of colours, in this branch he likewise
found for himself an ideal method, consisting of the use in their
respective places, of simple tints, copied exactly from the life, or of
artificial ones, intended to produce the illusion required. He was in
the habit of employing only few and simple colours; but they were such
as afforded the greatest variety and contrast; he knew all their
gradations, and the most favourable moments for their application and
opposition to each other. There appears no effort, no degree of violence
in them, and that striking diversity of colours which seems to strive,
one above another, for the mastery, as it were, in his pictures, has all
the appearance of nature, though an effect of the most bold and arduous
art. A white dress, placed near a naked figure, gives it all the
appearance of being mingled with the warmest crimson, while he employed
nothing beyond simple terra rossa, with a little lake in the contours,
and towards the extremities. Certain objects, in themselves dark and
even black, produce a similar effect upon his canvass; and which,
besides enlivening the adjacent colour, give force to the figures,
wrought, as was before stated, with gradual middle tints. It is said to
have been his favourite opinion, transmitted to us by Boschini, p. 341,
that whoever aspires to become a painter, must make himself familiar
with three colours, and have them ready upon his palette; these are
white, red, and black; and that an artist, while attempting the fleshy
parts, must not expect to succeed at once, but by repeated application
of opposite tints, and kneading of his colours.