born in that city, and at the time when Giotto, having, as may be truly said, restored painting to life, held the first place among the painters of Italy. This artist, then, was the disciple of Giotto,[1] and having worked with him at the Navicella in mosaic of St. Peter’s, was the first who after him contributed to render art illustrious. Cavallini soon began to show that he was not unworthy of such a master, by painting some very fine pictures over the door of the sacristy, in the church of Araceli, now unhappily destroyed by time; he also gave further proof of talent in Santa Maria di Trastevere, where he executed many frescoes in almost all parts of the church.[2] Shortly after, having completed these works, Cavallini adorned the principal chapel, as well as the facade of the same church, with mosaics (receiving no aid from Giotto), and made it manifest from the commencement of the work, that he was no less capable of successfully executing mosaics than he had proved himself to be competent in painting. In the many frescoes, also, which he painted in the church of San Grisogono,[3] Pietro strenuously laboured to make himself known as a good artist and worthy disciple of Giotto. The church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere was. in like manner, almost entirely painted by his hand; while he also executed many works in the church of San Francesco, near the bank of the Tiber; with the mosaic of the façade for the church of San Paolo, without the walls of Rome,[4] and various events from the Old Testament in the central nave of the same building. In the chapter-house of the fi rst cloister, Cavallini likewise painted many frescoes, to which he devoted so much attention that he acquired from all competent judges the reputation of being an excellent
N
- ↑ Lanzi supports the declaration of Vasari, that Cavallini was a disciple of Giotto (see History of Painting, vol. i, p 332), while admitting that he may have studied also under the Cosmuti, whose disciple Della Valle and others affirm him to have been.
- ↑ Of the paintings on the walls of Santa Maria, in Trastevere, but few relics remain; the mosaics are still preserved, and represent the twelve Apostles.
- ↑ The paintings in San Grisogono, those in Santa Cecilia, and almost all the works executed by Cavallini in Rome, have perished.—Bottari.
- ↑ This mosaic still remains, but was grievously injured by the terrible fire of the 15th July 1823.
but the commentators reproach Vasari for the warmth of these expressions, without sufficiently considering that he has himself recalled them.
