Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Divers Italian Artists

by Giorgio Vasari

 

OF DIVERS ITALIAN ARTISTS.

There is now living in Rome, and certainly a very able artist in his vocation, the painter Girolamo Sicciolante of Sermoneta, of whom, although we have already named him in the Life of Perino del Vaga, whose disciple he was,^[1] and whom he assisted greatly in his works at the Castel Sant’ Angelo and elsewhere, it will yet be well to say here also what his merits so amply deserve. Among the first works of Girolamo was a picture twelve palms high, which he painted in oil at the age of twenty, and which is now in the Abbey of San Stefano near Sermoneta, his native place. In this work are figures of SS. Pietro, Stefano, and John the Baptist, with several Children. After this performance, which was much extolled, he painted a picture, also in oil, for the Church of Sant’ Apostolo in Rome, a Dead Christ namely, with the Madonna, San Giovanni, the Magdalen, and other figures, all executed with exceeding care.^[2]

The entire ceiling of the marble chapel constructed by Cardinal Cesis in the Pace, was then decorated by Grirolamo with stucco-work, forming compartments within which were four pictures, exhibiting the Birth of Christ, the Adoration of the Magi, the Plight into Egypt, and the Slaughter of the Innocents; a very commendable work, and one giving proof of good invention, fair judgment, and great diligence. In the same Church, and no long time after the completion of the above, Girolamo painted a beautiful picture of the Birth of Christ; this work, which is fifteen palms high, is placed near the High Altar. For the Sacristy of the Church of Santo Spirito in Borne he painted a picture in oil, representing the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles; this also is a very graceful production. The Chapel of the Fuccheri family in the Church of Santa Maria de' Anima, which is that of the German nation, was painted in fresco by this artist: who depicted events from the Life of Our Lady therein, the Altar-piece had previously been executed by Giulio Romano. For the High Altar of San Jacopo of the Spaniards, Girolamo painted a large picture, exhibiting a most beautiful composition of Christ on the Cross surrounded by Angels, while on each side is another picture nine palms high, with a single figure; St. James the Apostle on the one side namely, and the Bishop Sant’ Alfonso on the other; from all these pictures it is manifest that the artist studied with much diligence, and they are executed with great care.

At the Church of San Tommaso, which is in the Piazza Giudea, Girolamo painted a chapel in fresco depicting therein the Birth of Our Lady, the Annunciation, and the Nativity of Our Lord: the chapel is that opposite to the Court of the Cenci Palace. He painted stories from the History of Rome in a Hall of the Palace of Cardinal Capodiferro;^[3] and for the Church of San Martino in Bologna he painted the picture of the High Altar, which was greatly extolled.^[4] For the Signor Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza, in whose service Girolamo Sermoneta passed some time, he executed numerous works, more especially a picture eight palms high, now in Piacenza and intended for a chapel; it represents Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, and St. John the Baptist, with an Angel.

On his return from Lombardy our artist painted a Crucifix in the Church of the Minerva, this is in the passage leading to the Sacristy: for the Church itself he painted another, and he afterwards executed a Santa Caterina and Sant’Agata in oil. In San Luigi, Grirolamo painted a fresco in competition with the Bolognese Pellegrino Pellegrini and the Florentine Jacopo del Conte. In a picture sixteen palms high, painted no long time since for the Church of Sant’ Alo, which is opposite to the Misericordia and belongs to the Company of the Florentines, this artist depicted a Madonna, and St. James the Apostle, with the Bishops St. Alo and San Martino. For San Lorenzo in Lucina, he painted St. Francis receiving the Stigmata, a picture destined for the chapel of the Countess of Carpi. In the Hall of the Kings moreover, and during the Pontificate of Pius IV., Girolamo painted a Story in fresco over the door of the Sistine chapel, as we have said: this represents Pepin, King of the Franks, presenting Ravenna to the Roman Church, while he leads Astolfo king of the Lombards into captivity; of this we have the design in our book, with many others by the same hand. Finally, he has now in process of execution the chapel of Cardinal Cesis in Santa Maria Maggiore, where he has already completed a large picture of the Martyrdom of St. Catherine, who is seen amidst the wheels; a beautiful picture, as are many others which he is now painting with great care in this chapel as well as at other places. I do not name the portraits and other smaller works of Girolamo, because they are very numerous, and what I have here said will sufface to make him known as an able and excellent painter.^[5]

Having mentioned in the life of Perino del Vaga, that the Mantuan painter, Marcello, had worked under him for many years, executing pictures from which he had acquired a great name, I will here add a few more particulars respecting him. In the Church of Santo Spirito, Marcello painted the chapel of San Giovanni Evangelista with its Altarpiece, adding the Portrait of a certain Commendator of Santo Spirito, by whom the Church was built, and who constructed the chapel: this Portrait is a very fine one, and the Altar-piece is beautiful. A Frate del Piombo, seeing the good manner of this work, then caused the artist to paint a Disputation of Christ with the Doctors, over that door of the Pace which leads into the convent: that also is a very beautiful production; but this master, taking more pleasure in making portraits and executing other small works than in those of more important character, abandoned the latter and has painted a vast number of likenesses, among which are some of Pope Paul III., which are admirable as to resemblance and very beautiful pictures.

From the designs and after the works of Michelagnolo, this Marcello has also made numerous little pictures, among which is the whole of the Last Judgment, which he has executed extremely well. Nay, of a truth, for small things it could not be easy to find better pictures; wherefore, that most kindly gentleman, Messer Tommaso de’ Cavalieri, who has always favoured Marcello, employed him to paint for the Church of San Giovanni Laterano an Annunciation, after the design of Michelagnolo, which is a very beautiful thing. The design, by Michelagnolo’s own hand, was presented to the Duke Cosimo by Leonardo Buonarroti, nephew of Michelagnolo, together with other designs of fortifications, architectural works, and similar productions of great excellence. And this shall suffice for Marcello, who is still working at these small pictures, which he finishes with a care and patience that are truly remarkable.^[6]

Of the Florentine Jacopo del Conte,^[7] who, like the abovementioned artist, lives in Rome, I shall have said enough, if to the remarks before made concerning him I here add some few particulars. This artist, then, taking much pleasure from his earliest youth in drawing from the life, desired to make that his principal vocation, although he has occasionally executed a good number of frescoes and other pictures, both in Rome and elsewhere. Of his portraits (not proposing to name them in detail, which would make too long a story) I will only say that, from Pope Paul III. down-' wards, he has taken likenesses of all the Pontiffs who have since occupied the Papal seat, with those of the Ambassadors and other important personages of their Courts. He has likewise portrayed the military leaders and great men of the House of Colonna, with those of the Orsini family, as he did the Signor Piero Strozzi, with a large number of bishops, cardinals, and other great prelates and nobles, to say nothing of many literary persons and other men of distinction, all which caused him to acquire a considerable reputation in Rome, as well as great gain; insomuch that he dwells at his ease in that city with all his family.

This artist drew so well even from his childhood, that he gave great hope of future excellence, and would doubtless have fulfilled the same, but he devoted himself, as I have said, to that for which he felt most inclined; yet the works he performs are not unworthy of commendation. There is a Dead Christ by his hand, in the Church of the Popolo for example, with a figure of San Luigi, and certain stories in the chapel of St. Denis, which is in the Church dedicated to the first-mentioned Saint, both of great merit. But the best work that he ever produced were the two stories in fresco, formerly executed, as we have said, for the Company of the Florentines at the Misericordia,^[8] with a Deposition from the Cross, wherein are the Thieves, with Our Lady in a swoon, all painted with infinite care and to the great credit of the artist. There are besides, numerous pictures and figures from his hand, dispersed through Rome; with fulllength portraits nude and draped, male and female, many of them very beautiful, because the originals were so. Jacopo has also portrayed many Princesses, Ladies, and Grentlewomen, who have been in Rome at different times; among others I know that he took the Signora Livia Colonna, a lady most noble for illustrious birth, for great ability, and for incomparable beauty.

And this shall suffice for Jacopo del Conte, who is still living and working.

I might here mention the names and works of many among our Tuscan artists, and those from other parts of Italy, but I pass over them lightly; some have ceased to work, from their advanced age; others, still young, are but beginning to make attempts, and will more effectually render themselves known by their works than can be done by writings. But of Adone Doni of Assisi, who is still living, and working, I will add some few particulars, although he has been mentioned in the life of Christofano Gherardi. There are many pictures by his hand in Perugia, and through all Umbria, more particularly in Fuligno; but his best works are at Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi, and in the little Chapel where St. Francis died. Here he has depicted Stories from the Life of the Saint; they are painted in oil on the wall, and have been much praised. In the Convent at that place he has likewise painted the Passion of Christ, in fresco; this is at the upper end of the Pefectory, and does him much honour; he is besides greatly beloved for the courtesy and liberality of his disposition and conduct.

There are two young men of our calling at Orvieto; the one a painter called Cesare del Nebbia; the other a Sculptor, .....^[9] both promising to place their native city, which has hitherto always had to employ foreign masters for her embellishment, in a condition to dispense with such aid, seeing that, if they continue as they have begun, she will not need to employ strangers. There is also now working at Orvieto, in Santa Maria that is to say, which is the Cathedral of that city, a certain Niccolò dalle Pomerance, who, having painted the Resurrection of Lazarus by Our Saviour, has proved by this, and other works in fresco, that he merits a name among the artists above-mentioned.^[10]

We are now come to the end of our Italian masters still living, and I will therefore only say further, that I have heard some mention of a certain Ludovico, a Florentine sculptor, who, as I am told, has produced good works in England, and at Bari, but as I know nothing of his kindred or family name, and have not seen any of his productions, I cannot (as I fain would) do more than allude to him by these few words.

1. He was first the disciple of Leonardo, called II Pistoja. See Lanzi, History of Painting, vol. i. pp. 406 and 430.
2. Now at Berlin, in the Collection of Count Raezynslay.
3. Which afterwards became the property of the Spada family.
4. Now in the seventh Chapel of the Church of San Martino, in Bologna.
5. According to Lanzi, his best work is in the Church of St. Bartholomew, at Ancona.
6. Marcello Venusti left a son, called Michelagnolo, who neglected painting for art-magic, but after suffering “a good penance inflicted on him by the Holy Inquisition,” writes a commentator of our own day (let the date be remarked), “was restored to the paths of truth.”
7. A disciple of Andrea del Sarto, for whose Life see Baglioni, loc. cit.
8. The Church of San Giovanni Decollato, where the pictures still are. Ed. Flor., 1831-8.
9. Della Valle, in the Sienese Edition of our Author, fills up this lacuna by the words, “Lo Scalzo, a rival of Michelagnolo,” and of this Scalzo he speaks further in his Storia del Duomo d'Orvieto.
10. Niccolò Circiniano dalle Pomerance, who was the master of Cristofano Roncalli, called Il Pomarancio.