natural objects were placed before him, whether animals, landscapes, buildings, draperies, vases, implements, foliage, or whatever else the object might be; insomuch that there were none of the young men in that school who could surpass him.[1]
But above all did Giovanni delight in depicting birds of every kind, and of these he soon completed a book full of so much variety and beauty that Raffaello found a perpetual amusement and interest therein. Now there was at that time with Raphael, a Fleming called Giovanni, who was an excellent master in fruits, foliage, and flowers, all which he executed beautifully, and with the utmost truth to nature, although in a manner that was somewhat hard and laboured; from him, therefore, Giovanni da Udine learned, in a short time, to produce these objects in equal perfection with his teacher; nay, rather, he improved on the manner of the latter by the addition of a certain force and largeness as well as softness, which caused him to succeed in some branches of his art to a degree that was most admirable, as will be presently related. He furthermore learned to execute landscapes, with ruined buildings and the broken relics of antiquity, as also to paint the same landscapes and foliage on cloth, in the manner which has been practised since his time, not by the Flemings only, but by all the Italian painters likewise.
Now Raphael very highly estimated the abilities of Giovanni da Udine, and when occupied with that picture of the Santa Cecilia, now in Bologna,[2]! he caused Giovanni to paint the organ which is in the hand of that saint; this the latter copied from the instrument itself, and with such good efiect that his work does really appear to be a relief: he also painted the other musical instruments which are at the feet of Santa Cecilia, and, what is of more importance, he brought his own manner herein to so close a similitude with that of Raphael, that the whole work appears to have been executed by one hand.
- ↑ Certain details respecting this master will be found by such of our readers as may desire them, in the work of Count Fabio Maniago, published at Udine, Storia delle Belle Arti Friulane, pp. 364, et seq.
- ↑ See the Life of Raphael, vol. iii. p. 33, et seq. See also the Life of Francia, vol. ii. p. 303, et seq.
