Giorgio Vasari

“ Now Liberale, perceiving the fine genius of Francesco II Moro, conceived so great an affection for him, that at his death he left him heir to all his possessions, treating and loving him as his own son. Being thus put well into the way, Francesco, on the death of Liberale, obtained numerous commissions for works which are now in private houses; but those of his performances in Verona, for which he more particularly merits praise, are first, the four large pictures which he painted in fresco, on the vaulting of the principal chapel in the cathedral. ”

“ Now, as from the time of Fra Giocondo, a remarkable degree of attention has ever been devoted to the arts of design in this noble city of Verona, whereof we are now speaking, so has it been always richly furnished with excellent masters in painting and architecture, as will now be seen, in addition to all we have yet related from the lives of Francesco Monsignori, Domenico Moroni, and Francesco his son; as also from those of Paolo Cavazzuola, of the architect Falcorietti, and, finally, from those of the miniaturists, Francesco and Girolamo. ”

“ Perceiving, therefore, that his works in painting were not likely to attain to any great degree of perfection, and delighting beyond measure in architecture, Giovan-Maria set himself to examine and to design with infinite diligence all the antiquities in his native city of Verona. He subsequently determined to visit Rome, and there to acquire the knowledge of architecture from the study of those wonderful remains which are indeed the true masters of that art, and repaired thither accordingly, remaining there fully twelve years. ”

“ In the central aisle of the church of San Bernardino, [24] and over the chapel which belongs to the Brotherhood of the Magdalene, Liberale painted the story of the Purification. The figure of Simeon in this work has received much commendation, as has that of the Infant Christ, whom the old man, holding in his arms, embraces with great affection. A priest who is standing on one side of the picture is also very beautiful; he lifts his face to heaven, and spreading forth his arms, appears to be returning thanks to God for the salvation of the world. ”

“ For the chapel of the Bombardieri, in the church of Sant’ Eufemia, he painted a picture representing Santa Barbara appearing in the heavens; beneath is Sant’ Antonio; he is standing with the hand placed on the beard: and this is indeed a most beautiful head. On the other side is San Rocco, which is also held to be a very fine figure, nay, the whole work is very deservedly considered to be one of great merit, being executed with infinite care, and exhibiting great harmony of colour. ”

“ In Friuli, Francesco painted, also in fresco, the principal chapel of the Abbey of Rosazzo, which he did for the Bishop Giovan Matteo, who held that abbey in commendam, and by whom, as a truly religious and excellent Signor, the edifice was reconstructed, seeing that it had been wickedly suffered to fall into ruin, as almost all of these livings are found to be, by those who had previously held them in commendam, and who had thought of nothing but drawing a revenue from them, without having the heart to spend the smallest coin thereof in the service of God and the church. ”

“ As it is true that the city of Verona is very similar to that of Florence in position, manners, and other characteristics, so is it also true that in the one, as well as in the other, there have ever flourished men of the finest genius, and of the highest distinction in every vocation. ”

“ Giovan-Maria was the first architect by whom the good and true methods of building were carried to Verona, to Venice, and to all parts where, before himself, there had not been any single person who could ever have produced a cornice or a capital, or who understood the measures and proportions of a column or the arrangement of any building according to rule, as may be clearly perceived in the fabrics erected before his day- The knowledge of these things was much promoted and advanced by Fra Giocondo, who was contemporary with. ”

“ Beside this chapel, and by the hand of the same master, is the Adoration of the Magi, with the death of the Madonna above it, in small figures, which have been much extolled. And, of a truth, Liberale took so much pleasure in the execution of small figures, and always finished them with so much care, that they seem to be depicted in miniature, as may be seen in the cathedral [25] of that city, where, in a picture by his hand, there is a story of the Magi, with an immense number of small figures, horses, dogs, and other animals of various kinds. ”

“ It is true, that either from envy or some other cause, he was reproached as being an artist who was capable of executing small figures only; wherefore, to prove that he was thereby wronged and calumniated, he painted a picture for the chapel of the Madonna in San Fermo, which belongs to a monastery of Franciscan Monks, making the figures larger than life, and painting them so well that they were the best ever depicted by his hand. ”

“ And as it was found that Francesco had all but forgotten every thing, he was enabled by the favour of that noble, a very generous person, to place himself under Liberale, who was then a famous painter and miniaturist. From that time, never neglecting his studies, and the opportunity of practice with the master, II Moro daily made so much progress that not only were all the forgotten instructions recalled to his memory, but in a short time he had acquired so much from the new master as sufficed to render him an able artist ”

“ This master was a good and upright man, one who never had contention or strife with any one, and led a very innocent life: among other children he had a son named Francesco, who acquired the art of miniature painting from himself, and performed such marvels therein while still but a child, that Girolamo declared he could not himself have done so much at that age as was accomplished by his son. ”

“ Finally, becoming weary of the excessive labour demanded by works in miniature, Francesco devoted himself to painting and architecture, in which he became a very able artist, and executed numerous works in Venice and Padua. Now, at that time there came into Italy a rich and noble Fleming, the Bishop of Tournay, whose object was the cultivation of letters, an examination of the country, and the acquirement of knowledge relating to its manners and customs. ”

“ The carvings for his work were prepared by Fra Giovanni of Verona, a master of intarsiatura and carving.
Two paintings in fresco were executed by Francesco on the wall of the choir in the same church. They represent the Saviour when he enters Jerusalem riding on an ass, and when he is praying in the Garden. In the latter there is a body of armed men; they are approaching in the distance, guided by Judas, to take Christ prisoner. [98] But more beautiful than all the other works of Francesco is the sacristy of this church, the ceiling of which is entirely covered with paintings, all by his hand ”

“ Liberate imitated the manner of Jacopo Bellini, seeing that when he was very young, the above-named Jacopo was painting the chapel of San Niccolo in Verona, and Liberate then devoted himself with so much zeal to the study of his art, beneath the guidance of Bellini, [18] that, forgetting all which he had previously learned from Vincenzio di Stefano, he adopted the manner of Jacopo, and retained it ever after. ”

“ Over the door of the bell-tower of San Bernardino, Paolo Cavazzuola painted a figure of that Saint in fresco, and within a circular frame-work; [113] and on the same wall, but lower down, and over the entrance to a confessional, is a figure of San Francesco [114] by the same master, and also within a circular frame, similar to that of San Bernardino; they are both beautiful, and exceedingly well done. These are all the works that Paolo is known to have executed in fresco. ”

“ Liberate established himself, declaring that he would rather see one who loved the right and good enjoy his property, than bestow it on those who had no regard for their nearest relative. But no long time elapsed after he had made that disposition of his affairs, before Liberate died; this event happened on St. Clara’s day, in the year 1536, and in the eighty-fifth year of our artist’s age. He was buried in San Giovanni-in-Valle.
The disciples of this master were Giovanni Francesco Caroto, and Giovanni Caroto ”

“ Il Moro had another disciple, called Orlando Fiacco, [68] who became a very good master, and is an able artist in portrait painting, as is proved by the numerous very beautiful works which he has produced, all of which are faithful likenesses also. Orlando painted the portrait of Cardinal Caraffa, when that prelate was on his return from Germany, stealing the likeness as the Cardinal sat at supper by torch-light, in the Episcopal Palace of Verona. ”

“ But when matters were at length somewhat arranged, our artist repaired to Padua, where he was first presented to and afterwards greatly favoured by the most reverend Monsignore Bembo, who subsequently made him known to the illustrious Messer Luigi Cornaro, likewise a Venetian gentleman of a truly regal mind and most exalted intellect, as is clearly proved by the many noble works undertaken and honourably carried through by his means. ”

“ Ivo, in his priestly vestments: above all is the Madonna enthroned in the clouds with San Francesco. The other figures which are around them are said not to be by the hand of Paolo, but by a friend of his, who assisted him with this picture. It is, indeed, easy to perceive that these figures are not of equal excellence with those beneath. The portrait of Madonna Caterina de’ Sacchi, taken from the life, is to be seen in this picture, which had been undertaken by her command, and at her cost. ”

“ It is true that the artist was reproached with having made the legs of those angels too slender, and not sufficiently round and soft, to which replying pleasantly, Giovan Francesco remarked, that since angels were represented as having wings, and with bodies as it were celestial and aerial, as if they were birds, so he thought it might be well permitted to give them light and slender limbs, to the end that they might rise into the air and take flight with the greater case. ”

“ I find it related that while Francesco was thus living in the service of these nobles, he had ever a pencil in his pocket, and wherever he went would be always depicting some head or other object, on the walls or elsewhere, as he found opportunity; the Count Zenovello, perceiving him to be thus strongly disposed to painting, took care to set him free from every other kind of occupation, that he might devote himself wholly to art. ”

“ For the church of the Yittoria, Girolamo painted the tympan of the high altar by command of the family of the Zoccoli, and near this is the picture of Sant’ Onofrio, depicted by the same artist for the family of the Cipolli, eonsidered to be the best, whether as regards design or colouring, ever executed by Girolamo. In San Leonardo del Monte near Yerona, he also painted the picture of the high altar, the commission for which he received from the Cartieri family. ”

“ Around the sacristy and beneath the above-named lunettes, there is a frieze of the depth of four feet, and divided into compartments, wherein are represented figures of emperors, kings, dukes, and other princes, who, having abandoned their sovereign condition, have made themselves Monks of that Order. Among these figures, Francesco portrayed from the life many of the monks who were dwelling in the convent while he was occupied with this work, or who were making their temporary abode in that monastery. ”

“ This master had a great and most exalted mind, he had never given his attention to works less important than the best and grandest of those remaining from the ancient masters, and had no other wish than that of being furnished with opportunities for the construction of edifices equal in grandeur to those of antiquity. ”

“ Palladio, who is an excellent architect, affirms that he does not know any one possessed of so fine a power of invention in this matter, or who understands so well how to decorate apartments with admirable divisions of stucco work, as does this Bartolommeo Ridolfi. ”

“ This production has been highly extolled by the many persons who have seen it, but more particularly by Danese da Carrara, who saw it when he was at Verona busied with the works of the chapel of the Signori Fregosi, an edifice distinguished among all that is most beautiful in Italy. ”

“ But when the Bishop returned to Verona he could by no means prevail on Giovanni Francesco to execute those designs; the bishop therefore, very much displeased, caused them to be put in execution by Francesco, called Il Moro. [47]
Giovan Francesco held an opinion, wherein he was not far from the truth, that varnishing spoils the pictures to which it is applied, causing them to become old before they would otherwise do so; he therefore used his varnish and certain oils carefully purified, in the shadows w^hile painting: this artist was the first Veronese painter who executed landscapes well ”

“ Santa Lucia, Sant’ Agnese, and another female Saint, on the other; but the three first-mentioned figures are in every respect superior to the three last: they are executed in a better manner, and have more relief. On a wall of the same chapel, Liberale painted the Madonna with the Infant Christ, who espouses the Virgin Martyr, Santa Caterina; and in this work the artist has exhibited the portrait of Messer Piero Buonaveri, the owner of the chapel. ”