opinion is singular without being novel. I am quite aware that it is
necessary to consider wall, pictures, gold frames, and all, in relation
to general effect: the gold, especially, is to be treated as part of
the coup d'[oe]il. But, though I remember examples of light walls hung
with pictures, producing an agreeable effect, I prefer a colour which
displays the pictures more, and must also maintain, that living
pictures are seldom seen to the best advantage against a bright ground;
the quantity of actual light (it may always be assumed) making
reflected light unnecessary: my idea, in one word, is, that the wall
should not be so light as the lights of the pictures; and this supposes
a sufficiently low tint. Of such colours, the most agreeable is the
long established rich red, which might be sufficiently allied to
purple, to give value to the gold frames and the warm colour of the
pictures. I need not recommend you to avoid too much unbroken polish in
the frames, since this is now very generally disapproved of.
I have, as you see, exercised, apparently without scruple, the
dictatorial authority with which you have invested me; but the frequent
recurrence of "my opinion" becomes painful even to the arbiter who has
a _carte blanche_ to lay down the law. As a relief, I intended to have
given you some extracts from an Italian ethical work (printed about the
middle of the 16th century[13]) in which there is a chapter on the
"ornamenti della casa;" but they would have been, perhaps, little
suited to your purpose, and I have already far exceeded the space I
ought to occupy. As I may not, however, again have an opportunity of
alluding to this work, which is not unimportant in the history of
Italian art, I wish briefly to advert to one or two points.
[13] Castiglione Saba, Ricordi ovvero Ammaestramenti, &c. Milano,
1559.
The list of pictures given seems to prove that the Italians long
remained faithful to the older masters. The names of Titian and
Coreggio do not appear! (I hope you will not follow the Catalogue in
such defects.) This is not to be explained, by supposing that the
writer speaks for himself only; for he repeatedly says, "Some like to
ornament their rooms with the works of ----, others, with those of
----," and so on, as if professing to give a variety of tastes. I can
only account for this in one way: the author lived in Milan, and it
would appear that the taste of Leonardo, closely allied as it was to
that of the schools of Central Italy, long continued to influence the
Milanese amateurs as well as the Milanese painters.
I pass over the musical instruments, which, beside their chief use,
"piacciono assai al'occhio," especially when made by Lorenzo da Pavia,
or Bastiano da Verona. Donatello, Michael Angelo, Alfonso Lombardi, and
Cristoforo Romano, are the sculptors he enumerates. The terra cottas
are by Pagaino da Modena; the bronzes by Verocchio and Pollaiuolo.
Beside antique medals, he admires those of Giovanni Corona of Venice,
together with the chasings of Caradosso. Among the works of the latter,
he mentions a silver inkstand in basso rilievo, "fatica d'anni venti
sei! ma certo divina." Cameos and intaglios should be, he thinks, by
the hand of Pietro Maria, Tagliacarne, &c. but above all by Giovanni di
Castello.
Now for his list of painters: Filippo Lippi, Mantegna, Giovanni
Bellini, Leonardo da Vinci, although, he adds, he left but few
works.[14] Then follow the younger Lippi, and Perugino, and, heralded
with appropriate honours, Raphael, accompanied by Giulio Romano. Pietro
della Francesca, and Melozzo da Forlì, are characterized well, as
indeed are all the painters. He next mentions some artists, all monks,
who wrought in inlaid wood; (commesso, tarsia;) but his highest praises
in this department are reserved for Fra Damiano da Bergamo, the artist
of the choir of S. Domenico at Bologna. The engravings he speaks of are
by Albert Durer and Lucas van Leyden.
[14] The author says he was an eye-witness of the Gascon crossbowmen
making a target of Leonardo's model for the equestrian statue of
Francesco Sforza.
Tapestries from Flanders, carpets from Syria, Turkey, and Barbary,
figured leather from Spain, are all admitted to be desirable ornaments:
"Tutti questi ornamenti ancora commendo perchè arguiscono ingegno,
politezza, civilità e cortegiania." The author next describes his own
treasures; but, except a head by Donatello and some rare books, he has
nothing to boast of. His tastes are characteristic of the age: though a
priest, his ambition is to have a collection of arms and armour, if
wrought by a good Italian or German armourer; and above all, he aspires
to the possession of a large steel mirror, of the kind made by Giovanni
della Barba, a German: the mirrors of glass then in use, were, it
appears, very small and imperfect. The author's judicious observations
(to which I refer you) on the chief use of mirrors, may reconcile you
to their occasional introduction over chimney pieces, which, for the
rest, are by no means the best places for pictures.
The chapter ends with a pleasing story about a mirror and a lady, and
Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan, a story not unworthy to be a
_pendant_ for "Collalto,"[15] and which might have furnished a subject
for the graceful pencil of Stothard; but it is time to make an end.
I am yours faithfully,
C. L. EASTLAKE.
[15] See Rogers's Italy.
FINIS.
[Illustration: _Maistre, il sembleroit que ne fussiez grandement sage
de nous escrire ces balivernes!_]
LONDON: C. WHITTINGHAM, TOOKS COURT,
CHANCERY LANE.
[Illustration: Plate II. South elevation.]
[Illustration: Plate III. North elevation.]
[Illustration: Plate IV. East elevation.]
[Illustration: Plate V. Proposed alteration of the tower.]
Transcriber's note:
Text in small capitals was transformed to all capitals.
The following corrections have been made:
p. 22: "expect too much" Period added after much; "pure Pompean house"
Pompean changed to Pompeian;
p. 36: "into a small anti-room" anti-room changed to ante-room;
p. 40: "not a toothach" toothach changed to toothache;
p. 42: "statues and bas reliefs" bas reliefs changed to bas-reliefs;
p. 48: "particlar fashion of the day" particlar changed to particular;
p. 50: "LOCK EASTLAKE, ESQ," Comma after ESQ replaced with period;
p. 55: A misplaced line. The original text is [relevant part enclosed
by number signs (#)]: "In approving the common practice of placing
statues and bas-reliefs in statue has generally the advantage of
being seen in various points of view, and thus commands attention in
situations where paintings could not. The rich effect of bas-reliefs
is sufficient to recommend them; associations of classic taste are
naturally connected with the classic materials of marble or #the
principal hall, I do not depart from the spirit of our first
principles. A# bronze; and architecture, when displayed as such,
seems to acquire additional" This part was moved to after "In
approving the common practice of placing statues and bas-reliefs in"
Footnote 8: "De Architect." Period replaced with comma;
Everything else retained as printed.