Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Francesco Granacci

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE FLORENTINE PAINTER, FRANCESCO GRANACCI.

[born 1476—died 1543-4.]

Very great is the good fortune of those artists who, whether by their birth or by means of the conneetions which are formed in their childhood, are brought into close contact with those men whom Heaven hath elected to be distinguished and exalted above others in these our arts, seeing that infinite facilities are afforded to the acquirement of a good and fine manner by the habit of observing eminent men in their modes of operation, and by that of examining their completed works. There is, moreover, a vast influence exercised on our minds, as we have said in other places, by the rivalry and emulation which in such cases are excited.

Francesco Granacci, of whom there has already been some mention, was one of those who were placed by the magniflcent Lorenzo de’ Medici to study their art in his garden, whence it happened that, while yet but a boy, he had the opportunity of becoming acquainted wdth the power and the art of Michelagnolo; nay, when he had afterwards attained to a greater age, and began himself to produce rich results from his studies, he could never separate himself from the side of that great master, but constantly strove with the utmost respect and observance to follow in his footsteps; insomuch, that Michelagnolo was constrained to love him more than all his other friends, and conflded so entirely in him, that there was no one with whom he conferred more willingly in respect to his labours, or to whom he would more readily communicate what he had then acquired in matters of art. They worked together in the bottega, or studio of Domenico Grillandai;^[1] and Granacci, who w'as accounted to be the best of Domenico’s disciples, as having more grace in colouring a tempera, with more force of design, was appointed to assist Davidde and Benedetto Grillandai, the brothers of Domenico, in finishing the picture for the high altar of Santa Maria Novella, which had been left incomplete at the death of the last-mentioned artist. By the practice obtained while employed on this work, Granacci made considerable progress, and afterwards painted many pictures in the same manner with that of this altar-piece; some of these are now dispersed among the houses of the citizens, and others have been sent into foreign lands.

Granacci was of an amiable disposition, and as he displayed considerable address in the preparation of certain decorations which it is customary to prepare for the festivals of the Carnival in the city of Florence,^[2] he was constantly employed by Lorenzo the Magnificent, in all works of similar character, which the latter might require to have performed; as, for example in that masquerade wherein there was represented the Triumph of Paulus Emilius, after the victory which he had obtained over certain foreign nations; and in this spectacle, which was rich in beautiful and ingenious inventions, Granacci, though still but a youth, acquitted himself so well that he obtained the highest commendations..Nor will I here omit to repeat, that the above-named Lorenzo the Magnificent was the inventor, as I have before said, of those masquerades wherein some definite subject is represented, and which in Florence are called Canti^[3] since it is not known that any thing of the kind was ever exhibited in earlier times.

Granacci was also employed for the magnificent and sumptuous preparations which were made in the year 1515, on the arrival in Florence of Pope Leo X., of the house of Medici, when the Council of Eight commissioned Messer Jacopo Nardi, a very learned man, and of a most fertile genius, to compose a splendid masquerade; Messer Jacopo accordingly selected the Triumph of Camillus as his subject, and this spectacle, in so far as regarded the painting, was so well arranged, so beautifully represented, and so richly adorned, that nothing better could possibly be imagined. The words of the Canzone, as composed by Jacopo, began thus:—

“Behold to what high glory thou art raised,
Thrice blessEd. Flor.nce,
Since from heaven descends,” &c., &c.

Granacci prepared many dramatic scenes in perspective for

this spectacle, as he did for many others, both before and after. While with Grillandai he painted many standards for ships, with banners of various kinds, and devices for the different knights with their spurs of gold, who made part of the train who attended on the public entry of the Pope into Florence: all which was done at the cost of the chiefs of the Guelphic party, as was customary in those days, as we have seen done in our own days, and no long time since.

In like manner when the Potenze^[4] and tournaments were exhibited, Granacci was employed in their decorations. This was a kind of amusement peculiar to Florence, and is a very pleasing pastime; among other matters, it was not uncommon to see men standing almost upright on horseback in very short stirrups, and in that position they would break their lances with as much facility as do the warriors when they are fast seated in their saddles: all these things were done to celebrate the above-named arrival of Pope Leo in Florence, when Granacci displayed much richness of invention in the various habiliments and decorations required for that occasion. Among other things he also erected a very beautiful Arch of Triumph opposite to the gate of the abbey, covering it with historical representations in chiaro-scuro, and adorning the same, moreover, with fanciful ornaments of great beauty.^[5] This arch was much admired, partly for the fine invention displayed in its architecture, and partly for the judgment with which Granacci had selected an imitation of that very gate of the abbey itself, as the entrance to the Via del Palagio; and wherein he had copied the steps ascending thereto, with every other peculiarity, exhibited in perspective with so much fidelity that the painted and supposititious entrance was in no respect other than or dissimilar to the real and true one. Among the decorations of this arch were figures in relief executed by Granacci in clay with his own hand, and which were exceedingly beautiful, he placed an inscription, moreover, in very large characters on the summit: this was as follows:—

leoni x. pont. max. fidei cultori.

But to come at length to such works by Granacci as are still in existence, I have to relate, that having studied the Cartoon of Michelagnolo, while the latter was preparing it in the great Hall of the Palace, he acquired so much knowledge thereby, and that work was so advantageous to him, that when Michelagnolo was summoned to Rome by Pope Julius II. for the purpose of painting the papal chapel, Granacci was one of the first whose assistance was sought for by Buonarroti, and who aided the latter to paint that ceiling, executing in fresco the cartoons which Michelagnolo had prepared for the work. It is true that Michelagnolo was not pleased with what any one of the artists whom he thus employed had done, and that he found means to rid himself of them all without dismissing them, by closing the door of the chapel on the whole of them, and refusing to be seen by any of their number, by which means he forced them all to return to Florence.

There Granacci painted a picture in oil for Pier Francesco Borgherini, which was placed in an apartment of his house in the Borgo Sant’ Apostolo, in Florence, wherein Jacopo da Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, and Francesco Ubertini had depicted various stories from the life of Joseph. The work here in question was also a story from the life of the same person; it forms the head-board of a couch, the figures, which are small, are painted with the nicest eare, the colouring is pleasing and graceful, and there is a perspective view of a building with Joseph engaged in attendance on the King Pharaoh, which is so good in all its parts that it could not be better. For the same person Granacci painted a circular picture, likewise in oil, representing the Trinity, God the Father that is to say, supporting the Crucifix in his arms: and in the church of San Piero Maggiore is an Assumption by his hand with numerous angels, and with St. Thomas, to whom the Madonna presents her girdle; the figure of St. Thomas is one of so much force and movement that it might be supposed to be by Michelagnolo; the same may be said of that of Our Lady. The drawing of these two figures by the hand of Granacci himself is in our book, with some others also by that artist. On each side of the above-mentioned picture are figures of San Pietro, San Lorenzo, San Jacopo, and San Giovanni, wdiich are all so admirably beautiful that this is considered to be the best work ever performed by Granacci,^[6] and it is certain that this alone would suffice, even though he had never painted another, to secure him the reputation of being, as he was, a most excellent painter^[7] j In the church of San Gallo, which is outside the gate of that name, and formerly belonged to the Eremite Friars of Sant’ Agostino, there is a picture by this master, representing Our Lady with two children, San Zanobi, Bishop of Florence, and San Francesco. This work, which was in the chapel of the Girolami, to which family San Zanobi belonged, is now in the church of San Jacopo-tra-fossi at Florence.^[8]

Now Michelagnolo had a niece who was a nun in the Convent of Sant’ Apollonia at Florence, and he had, therefore, prepared the ornamental framework for the high altar of the same, with a design for the altar-piece. Granacci then painted certain stories in oil in the same place, some of the figures being large and others small; all which gave great satisfaction at the time, not to the nuns only, but to artists also.^[9] Another work of this master, executed in the same church, but somewhat lower down, was destroyed by inadvertence in the leaving of lights burning on the altar, the picture with certain tapestries of great value being one night burnt to ashes; this was a great misfortune, seeing that the work was one which had been highly commended by the artists.^[10]

For the Nuns of San Giorgio-on -the-PIill, Granacci painted the picture of the high altar, the subject represented being the Madonna with Santa Caterina, San Giovanni Gualberto, the Cardinal San Bernardo Uberti, and San Fedele.^[11] This master likewise painted pictures of a round and square form which are dispersed through the city in the houses of the gentry, he also made numerous cartoons for windows, which were afterwards put into execution by the Frati Ingesuati of Florence. He took great pleasure in painting banners on cloth, which he did sometimes alone, sometimes in company with others; insomuch that in addition to the works named above, there are vast numbers of such things which he painted more for his amusement than for any need that he had to do so. Granacci worked in a very leisurely manner, was a man who desired to take his ease at all points, and avoided every kind of restraint and discomfort more carefully than most men. He was, nevertheless, very careful of his possessions, but without coveting what belonged to others; and as he did not burden himself with many cares, he was an agreeable companion, and fond of passing his life cheerfully.

Granacci lived to the age of sixty-seven, when he was attacked by some ordinary malady, attended by fever, which finished the course of his days, and he was entombed in the church of Sant’ Ambruogio, at Florence, on the festival of Sant’ Andrea the Apostle, in the year 1543.^[12]

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1. Ghirlandajo.
2. See the Life of Piero di Cosimo, voL ii.
3. They were called Canti or Songs, because songs or short poems were sung by the Masks, and these were afterwards known by the name ot “Carnival Songs.” They were admired for their wit, and for the grace and purity of their language, but were sometimes reprehensible for the licence which their authors permitted themselves.—Bottari.
4. The Potenze were merry companies, representing a sovereign with his court, &c.—Bottari.
5. It will be remembered that in the Life of Andrea del Sarto Vasari alludes to this arch, as having been erected by Francesco Granacci and Aristotele da San Gallo. See ante, p. 200.
6. After the ruin of the Church of San Pietro Maggiore this picture was taken to the Rucellai Palace. A plate of it will he found in the Etruria Pittrice, Tav. xxxiii.
7. There is a Madonna presenting her girdle to St. Thomas, hy Granacci, in the Florentine Gallery of the Utfizj. In this work, which mil he found in the larger Hall of the Tuscan School, is the kneeling figure of the Archangel Michael.
8. Where it still remains.
9. Some of these little pictures are now in the Florentine Gallery of the Fine Arts.
10. There are certain works of Granacci, hut not, according to the authorities, of very distinguished merit, in the Pinacothek at Munich.
11. This work also is now in the Florentine Gallery of the Fine Arts.
12. In the first edition we have 1544, which Baldinucci affirms to be the correct date.