Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Girolamo of Treviso

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE PAINTER GIROLAMO OF TREVISO.

[born 1508—died 1544.]

It does not often happen, that those who confine their labours exclusively to the country wherein they were born, are exalted by fortune to that elevation whereunto their abilities should entitle them, whereas he who visits many places is almost certain to find his merits acknowledged in one of them, either sooner or later. When it chances, however, that the due reward of a man’s labours is very late in being attained, he is but too frequently prevented from enjoying it for any great length of time by the venom of death, as we shall see to have been the case with Girolamo da Treviso.^[1]

This artist was held to be a very good master, for although he was not particularly distinguished as to design, he was an exceedingly pleasing colourist in oil as well as in fresco, and carefully imitated the modes of proceeding adopted by Raffaello da Urbino. Girolamo produced many works in his native place of Treviso, and in Venice also he executed a considerable number of pictures; among his paintings in the last-named city is the fagade of the house of Andrea Udone,^[2] which he decorated in fresco, as he did the courtyard of the same building, where there is a frieze composed of children in various attitudes by his hand; an uppeT chamber of the edifice he likewise adorned with frescoes, not in cliiaro-scuro, but in colours, the Venetians preferring that manner to any other.

In the centre of the façade above-mentioned, there is a large picture, representing Juno with the Moon on her head; she is flying through the clouds, which permit her to be seen only from the waist upwards; her arms are thrown over her head; in one hand she holds a vessel in the form of a cruise, the other hand bears a tazza, or vase of an open, shallow form.^[3] He likewise depicted a Bacchus in the same place: the figure of the god is extremely full, and. the face is rubicund; he also holds a vase, which he carries half turned over in one hand, while in the other arm he bears the goddess Ceres, who carries ears of corn in her hands. The Graces also, attended by five figures of children, are seen descending to shower their richest gifts (as this representation was meant to imply) most abundantly on the house of the Udoni; and further to intimate to the people of Treviso that this house v^as the friend and entertainer of ingenious and distinguished men, Girolamo painted a figure of Apollo on one side, with that of Pallas on the other; this work was completed with great freshness of etfect, and Giovanni obtained honour as well as advantage from the same.

In San Petronio, the cathedral church of Bologna, this master painted a picture for the chapel of the Madonna in competition with certain painters of Bologna, as will be related in the proper place. This work caused Girolamo to remain for some time in Bologna, where he painted numerous pictures, among which were several painted in oil in the marble chapel^[4] of Sant’ Antonio of Padua, wherein our artist depicted all the events of the life of Sant’ Antonio.^[5] These works do, without doubt, give obvious proof of judgment, ability, and grace; they are also more particularly to be remarked for propriety and delicacy of finish.^[6] For San Salvatore Girolamo painted a picture of Our Lady ascending the steps of the Temple, and accompanied by several saints; with another Madonna, the last-mentioned appearing in the air with angels in the form of children; beneath are San Girolamo and Santa Caterina:^[7] this last is perhaps the most feeble of the works performed in the city of Bologna by Girolamo of Treviso. Over a large portal in the same city this artist painted a Crucifix in fresco, with Our Lady and San Giovanni; these figures are worthy of high commendation.^[8]

In the church of San Domenico, in Bologna, Girolamo painted a picture in oil, which may be justly considered the best of his works;^[9] this represents the Madonna, with numerous saints: it will be found near the choir in ascending towards the tomb of San Domenico, and contains the portrait of the person by whom the painter was commissioned to execute the work. He also painted a picture for the Count Giovanni Battista Bentivogli, who had received the Cartoon of the same from the hand of the Sienese Baldassare; this exhibits the story of the Magi, and was completed with the utmost perfection by Girolamo, although there are more than one hundred figures in it.^[10] There are many other works by our artist in the city of Bologna, some dispersed among the houses of the citizens, and some in the churches. In Galiera he painted a façade of the palace of the Teofamini family in chiaro-scuro, with another façade, which is behind the Dolfi Palace: and this is considered by many artists to be the best of Girolamo’s works in that place.^[11]

Girolamo afterwards proceeded to Trent, where he painted certain pictures in the palace of the old Cardinal,^[12] in company with other artists; from these works he acquired a great increase of fame, and, returning to Bologna, there completed the undertakings which he had commenced in that city. Now it happened, that at this time there was much talk in Bologna respecting a work which was to be executed for the Spedale della Morte,^[13] whereupon a large number of designs were prepared by various artists in competition with each other; some of these cartoons being in colours, others merely outlined. But as it was rumoured that different masters were expecting to have the commission, one on account of his merit, another by favour of the interest he possessed, and so on, Girolamo did not choose to come forward, and considering himself to have been unworthily treated in this matter, in a short time he departed from Bologna.

But it was now seen that the envy of his competitors had put him in the way of attaining an elevation for which he had never even hoped; seeing that if he had taken part in the work above-mentioned, he would have been thereby impeded in his advance to the good fortune awaiting him; for, having left Bologna, as we have said, and thence repairing to England, he Avas so favoured by certain of his friends who recommended him to the king, that he was at once appointed to the service of that monarch. Presenting himself to the English sovereign accordingly, Girolamo Avas employed, not as painter but as engineer, and having given proofs of his ability in various edifices, copied from such as he had seen in Tuscany and other parts of Italy, the king admired them greatly. Nay, furthermore, his majesty rewarded the master with large gifts, and ordained him a stipend of four hundred crowns a year, giving him at the same time opportunity and permission to erect an honourable abode for himself, the cost of which was borne by the king.

Thus exalted from the extremity of disappointment to a great height of fortune, Girolamo lived most happily and in the utmost content, thanking God and his destiny for having permitted him to reach a country where the inhabitants were so favourably inclined towards him. But this unwonted felicity was not suffered to endure; a furious war raged at that time between the French and English, and it became the duty of Girolamo to provide for the erection of bastions and all other things required for completing the fortifications, he had also to take measures for the efficiency of the artillery and for the defences of the camp. Thus occupied, he was one day superintending the preparation of batteries around the city of Boulogne in Picardy, when he was struck by a cannon ball, which came with such violence that it cut him in two as he sat on his horse. And so were his life and all the honours of this world extinguished together, all his greatness departing in a moment. Girolamo thus expired at the age of thirty-six^[14] and in the year 1544.^[15]

1. According to the Padre Federici, Girolamo was the son of PierMaria Pennacchi, a painter of Treviso.
2. Andrea Odoni, of a rich Milanese family established in Venice towards the close of the fifteenth century, was distinguished for the elevation of his tastes and his splendid mode of living; the works executed for him by Girolamo are described by Ridolfi, Maraviglie, &c.
3. The low, open form and shallow depth of the vase called a tazza will be familiar to all readers.
4. The pictures of the first chapel of St. Petronio, called that of the Madonna of Peace, have been destroyed. — Ed. Flor. 1832-8.
5. Vasari here means to say that the paintings were executed in the chapel whereon stands the marble statue of St. Anthony, sculptured by Jacopo Sansovino, and that they were painted in chiai’o-scuro, intended to imitate marble, and were executed in oil. — Ibid.
6. The Presentation in the Temple namely, the work retains its place.— Masselli.
7. This also is still in a small chapel of the Church of San Salvatore.— Ibid.
8. These frescoes have been destroyed.
9. This work was sold to a gentleman of Imola, on whose death it is believed to have been transported to some foreign land. The Passagero disingannato” (1755) declares the work to have been then already removed from among the treasures of the Church, of San Domenico.
10. See the Life of Baldassare Peruzzi, ante, p. 164. The cartoon can no longer be found, but a good copy of it is in the possession of the Signor Marescalchi of Bologna. — Ed. Flor. 1838.
11. The paintings of these two façades have totally perished. — Ed. Flor. 1832-8.
12. Cardinal Madruzzi the elder.
13. The Hospital of Death.
14. The first edition gives the age of this master at forty-six, and adds the following epitaph;—

    “Pictor eram; nec eram pictorum gloria parva;
    Formosasque domos condere doctus eram.
    Aere cavo, sonitUy atque ingenti emissa ruina
    Igne a sulphureo me pila transadigit.”

15. For various details respecting the works of Girolamo in Faenza, and some others which Vasari omits to mention, see the work of Giordani, Memorie degli oggetti d' arte, &c., published some years since in Bologna. —Masselli.