Handbook of Painting: The Italian Schools, Volume 2 |
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Academy Adoration altar-picture altarpiece Andrea appears artist ascribed Bartolommeo beautiful Bellini belong Berlin Museum Bernardino Bologna Brera Caravaggio Carracci cartoon ceiling celebrated Chapel character chiaroscuro church colouring composition copies Correggio dignified display distinguished Domenichino Domenico drapery drawing Duomo engravings excellent executed expression feeling figures Florentine Fra Bartolommeo Francesco Francis fresco Gaudenzio Giorgione Giovanni Giulio Romano graceful grand Guercino Guido Reni hand head Holy Family imitation Italy kneeling landscape later Leonardo da Vinci Lorenzo Louvre Madonna and Child manner Mantegna Marc Antonio Marco Maria master Michael Angelo Milan Mosaics Naples Niccolò Niccolò Alunno noble original painted painter palace at Rome Palazzo Paolo Parmigianino Passavant Paul Paul Veronese peculiar period Perugino picture Pietro Pitti Palace portraits Raphael Razzi representation represented Roman Rome saints Saviour scene scholars spectator style subjects tapestries Tintoretto tion Titian Uffizj at Florence Urbino Vasari Vatican Venetian Venice Veronese Virgin youth
Popular passages
Page 306 - The upper half of the composition is in many parts heavy, notwithstanding the masterly boldness of the drawing ; confused, in spite of the separation of the principal and accessory groups ; capricious, notwithstanding a grand arrangement of the whole. But, granting for a moment that these defects exist, still this upper portion, as a whole, has a very impressive effect, and, at the great distance from which it is seen, some of the defects alluded to are less offensive to the eye. The lower half deserves...
Page 304 - The Prophets and Sibyls in the triangular compartments of the curved portion of the ceiling are the largest figures in the whole work ; these, too, are among the most wonderful forms that modern art has called into life. They are all represented seated, employed with books or rolled manuscripts : genii stand near or behind them. These mighty beings sit before us pensive, meditative, inquiring, or looking upwards with inspired countenances.
Page 434 - In the centre sits the princess under a tree ; she looks with surprise and tenderness on the child, which is brought to her by one of her attendants : the squire or seneschal of the princess, with knights and ladies, stand around ; on one side two lovers are seated on the grass ; on the other are musicians and singers, pages with dogs. All the figures are in the Venetian costume ; the colouring is splendid, and the grace and harmony of the whole composition is even the more enchanting from the naivete...
Page 282 - One of you shall betray me,' have caused the liveliest emotion, .... The two groups to the left of Christ are full of impassioned excitement, the figures in the first turning to the Saviour, those in the second speaking to each other; horror, astonishment, suspicion, doubt, alternate in the various expressions. On the other hand, stillness, low whispers, indirect obgervation, are the prevailing expressions in the groups on the right.
Page 305 - ... represented seated, employed with books, or rolled manuscripts ; genii stand near or behind them. These mighty beings sit before us pensive, meditative, inquiring, or looking upwards with inspired countenances. Their forms and movements, indicated by the grand lines and masses of the drapery, are majestic and dignified. We see in them beings who, while they feel and bear the sorrows of a corrupt and sinful world, have power to look for consolation into the secrets of the future. Yet the greatest...
Page 300 - They serve to support the architectural forms, to fill up and to connect the whole. They may be best described as the living and embodied genii of architecture. It required the united power of an architect, sculptor and painter to conceive a structural whole of so much grandeur, to design the decorative figures with the significant repose required by their sculpturesque character, and yet to preserve their subordination to the principal subjects, and to keep the latter in the proportions and relations...
Page 481 - Let him who wishes to be a good painter acquire the design of Rome, Venetian action and Venetian management of shade, the dignified colour of Lombardy...
Page 304 - ... (the upper part of the body being that of a woman) is twined around the stem; she bends down towards the guilty pair, who are in the act of plucking the forbidden fruit . The figures are nobly graceful, particularly that of Eve. Close to the serpent hovers the angel with the sword, ready to drive the fallen beings out of Paradise. In this double action, this union of two separate moments, there is something peculiarly poetic and significant : it is guilt and punishment in one picture. The sudden...
Page 283 - Christ are full of impassioned excitement, the figures in the first turning to the Saviour, those in the second speaking to each other ; horror, astonishment, suspicion, doubt, alternate in the various expressions : on the other hand, stillness, low whispers, indirect observation, are the prevailing expressions in the groups on the right. In the middle of the first group sits the betrayer, a cunning, sharp profile ; he looks up hastily to Christ, as if speaking the words, " Rabbi, is it I?" while,...
Page 300 - The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel contains the most perfect works done by Michael Angelo in his long and active life. Here his great spirit appears in its noblest dignity, in its highest purity...