"LANZI'S HISTORY OF PAINTING HAS LONG AND JUSTLY ENJOYED THE HIGHEST
REPUTATION UPON THE CONTINENT. From 1795 to the present time, (during which
period a considerable number of editions have appeared) it has increased in
fame, and widened its circle, as a WORK OF GREAT ORIGINAL TALENT ON THE
GENERAL SUBJECT OF THE FINE ARTS, AND ONE OF MUCH AUTHORITY FOR REFERENCE.
Altogether, the Arts owe a debt of the deepest gratitude to the man, with
whom Mr. Roscoe has, by this excellent translation, put it in the power of
every English reader to become familiarly acquainted. And we will say, that
in so doing he has enabled them to enjoy a very great pleasure. Unlike the
majority of works upon Science or Art, Lanzi has contrived to render his
work at once FULL OF INTERESTING INFORMATION AND AGREEABLE INCIDENT. There
is nothing dry about the narrative; but, on the contrary, it seems to us
that NO ONE WHO EVER ADMIRED A FINE PICTURE, CAN TURN OVER A PAGE OF THIS
PUBLICATION WITHOUT BEING ATTRACTED TO PROCEED, and without feeling an
increase of appetite grow with what it feeds on. In truth, WE ARE OURSELVES
SO DELIGHTED WITH THE HISTORY, that we do not exaggerate our opinion of its
merits, when we transcribe as our own the panegyric of the Cavalier Boni,
already alluded to. (_See Lit. Gat. No. 567._) It is, however, difficult to
convey a just idea of a work composed upon so enlarged and complete a
scale; which embraces a period of about six centuries, and fourteen Italian
schools, but treated with such rapidity and precision, as to form in itself
a compendium of whatever we meet with in so many volumes of guides,
catalogues, descriptions of churches and palaces, and in so many lives of
artists, throughout the whole of Italy."