Giorgio Vasari

“ Among others, there is one, who is attempting to draw off his stocking, but the dampness of the skin from the heat of his person, causing it to cling to the leg, he has turned it over, laying his foot over the other leg, and drawing off the stocking with such labour and difficulty, that both are clearly apparent in his countenance—a curious conceit which at the time awakened admiration in all who saw it. ”

“ He found fault more especially with those in the above-named Chapel of San Cristofano, affirming that they had nothing good in them because Andrea had therein copied from antique marbles, from which no man can perfectly acquire the art of painting, seeing that stone must ever retain somewhat of the rigidity of its nature, and never displays that tender softness proper to flesh and natural forms, which are pliant and exhibit various movements. ”

“ There is, without doubt, an exception, in the case of old and much attenuated forms, but these are avoided by artists from respect to other considerations. That Andrea was firmly wedded to his opinion is, indeed, obvious from his works, the manner of which is certainly somewhat hard, and not unfrequently recalls the idea of stone rather than of living flesh. ”

“ This we learn from a letter written in Latin by Messer Girolamo Campagnuola [3] to Messer Lionico Timeo, [4] a Greek philosopher; wherein he gives the latter notices respecting certain old painters who had executed works for the Carrara family, of Padua. But as Squarcione knew himself to be not the most distinguished painter in the world, [5] and to the end that Andrea might know more than he did himself, he caused him to work diligently from casts moulded on antique statues, and after pictures on canvas, which he had brought from various places, more particularly from Tuscany and Rome. ”

“ In Santa Maria in Organo, Andrea Mantegna painted the picture of the high altar for the monks of Monte Oliveto, an exceedingly beautiful thing; and in like manner he executed that for the altar of San Zeno. ”

“ Measures were therefore adopted by the Venetian painter, Jacopo Bellini, father of Gentile and Giovanni, and rival of Squarcione, to the end that Andrea might take his daughter and the sister of Gentile for his wife. [12] But when this was told to Squarcione he was so much displeased with Andrea that they were ever afterwards enemies: and whereas Squarcione had previously much extolled the works of Andrea, he from that time always publicly censured them with violence equal to his former warmth. ”

“ He thought, moreover, that the muscles, veins, nerves, and other minute particulars were more distinctly marked and more clearly defined in statues than in nature, wherein the tenderness and softness of the flesh, concealing and covering a certain sharpness of outline, thus causes them to be less apparent. ”

“ We perceive, then, that these excellent masters carefully enquired into the various properties of natural objects, and imitated the life with studious care. As to this work of Mantegna, to say all in one word, it could not possibly be superior or more perfectly executed, wherefore if the marquis esteemed our artist before, lie valued and lionoured him much more highly ever after. ”

“ Among the multitude of spectators, there is a woman who holds a child by the hand, the boy has got a thorn in his foot, and this he shows weeping to his mother, with much grace and in a very natural manner. ”

“ This master, as I may have remarked elsewhere, has displayed much judgment and forethought in this work, for the plane on which the figures stand being higher than the point of sight, he therefore placed the feet of the foremost on the first line of the plane, causing the others to recede gradually. so that their feet and legs are lost to view in the exact proportions required ”

“ Vasari, it may be well to observe, does not himself indicate this figure as “colui che vitupera il trionfante.” ↑ Of the hero, that is to say. This part of the work is believed by some writers to be among those engraved by Mantegna himself (see Bartsch, Peintre Graveur, No. 11) , but is not to be found in what we possess of the “triumph.” ↑ Certain critics affirm Vasari to be mistaken in the attitude of this child, whom they declare to be merely ‘‘desiring to be carried by his mother.” ↑ See the life of Andrea dal Castagno, ante, p. ”

“ See Morelli, Anonimo. See also Tiraboschi, Blblioteca Modenese, tom. vi. p. 455, et seq. ↑ The Marchese Selvatico declares Vasari to have fallen into a gross error in this assertion, the chapter-house of the Friars Minors having been painted partly by Giotto, and partly by able followers of that school.” He adds that these frescoes were whitened over many years since, but some portions of them had with great pains and labour been freed from the whitewash, when who could have imagined it? ” he asks, in wellfounded amaze, “those Friars who are mad for the candido ”

“ Edition, 1841. ↑ See Lanzi, History of Painting, vol. ii. p. 116. ↑ According to some authorities, the most able of Mantegna’s competitors. ↑ The work of Pizzolo is behind the altar of the chapel, it is an Assumption of the Virgin, who is surrounded by numerous angels. Beneath are the apostles, and above is the figure of God the Father, also surrounded by angels. This painting has been engraved by Francesco Novelli, after the design of Luca Brida ”