Chapter 1

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ANECDOTES OF PAINTERS, ENGRAVERS Sculptors and Architects, AND CURIOSITIES OF ART.

BY S. SPOONER, M.D., AUTHOR OF "A BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE FINE ARTS."

IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II.

NEW YORK: R. WORTHINGTON, PUBLISHER, 770 Broadway.

COPYRIGHT, S. SPOONER, 1853.

Reëntered, G. B., 1880.

CONTENTS.

Titian--Sketch of his Life, 1 Titian's Manners, 5 Titian's Works, 6 Titian's Imitators, 7 Titian's Venus and Adonis, 8 Titian and the Emperor Charles V., 10 Titian and Philip II., 13 Titian's Last Supper and El Mudo, 14 Titian's Old Age, 15 Monument to Titian, 15 Horace Vernet, 16 The Colosseum, 29 Nineveh and its Remains, 34 Description of a Palace Exhumed at Nimroud, 37 Origin and Antiquity of the Arch, 41 Antiquities of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabiæ, 43 Ancient Fresco and Mosaic Painting, 55 Mosaic of the Battle of Platæa, 55 The Aldobrandini Wedding, 56 The Portland Vase, 56 Ancient Pictures on Glass, 58 Henry Fuseli; his Birth, 59 Fuseli's early Love of Art, 59 Fuseli's Literary and Poetical Taste, 60 Fuseli, Lavater, and the Unjust Magistrate, 61 Fuseli's Travels and his Literary Distinction, 62 Fuseli's Arrival in London, 63 Fuseli's change from Literature to Painting, 63 Fuseli's Sojourn in Italy, 65 Fuseli's Nightmare, 66 Fuseli's OEdipus and his Daughters, 66 Fuseli and the Shakspeare Gallery, 67 Fuseli's "Hamlet's Ghost," 68 Fuseli's Titania, 69 Fuseli's Election as a Royal Academician, 70 Fuseli and Horace Walpole, 71 Fuseli and the Banker Coutts, 72 Fuseli and Professor Porson, 73 Fuseli's method of giving vent to his Passion, 73 Fuseli's Love for Terrific Subjects, 73 Fuseli's and Lawrence's Pictures from the "Tempest," 74 Fuseli's estimate of Reynolds' Abilities in Historical Painting, 75 Fuseli and Lawrence, 75 Fuseli as Keeper of the Royal Academy, 76 Fuseli's Jests and Oddities with the Students of the Academy, 77 Fuseli's Sarcasms on Northcote, 78 Fuseli's Sarcasms on various rival Artists, 79 Fuseli's Retorts, 80 Fuseli's Suggestion of an Emblem of Eternity, 82 Fuseli's Retort in Mr. Coutts' Banking House, 82 Fuseli's Sarcasms on Landscape and Portrait Painters, 83 Fuseli's Opinion of his own Attainment of Happiness, 84 Fuseli's Private Habits, 84 Fuseli's Wife's method of Curing his fits of Despondency, 85 Fuseli's Personal Appearance, his Sarcastic Disposition, and Quick Temper, 86 Fuseli's near Sight, 87 Fuseli's Popularity, 88 Fuseli's Artistic Merits, 88 Fuseli's Milton Gallery, the Character of his Works, and the Permanency of his Fame, 89 Salvator Rosa, 91 Salvator Rosa and Cav. Lanfranco, 91 Salvator Rosa at Rome and Florence, 92 Salvator Rosa's Return to Rome, 93 Salvator Rosa's Subjects, 93 Flagellation of Salvator Rosa, 95 Salvator Rosa and the Higgling Prince, 96 Salvator Rosa's Opinion of his own Works, 98 Salvator Rosa's Banditti, 98 Salvator Rosa and Massaniello, 100 Salvator Rosa and Cardinal Sforza, 100 Salvator Rosa's Manifesto Concerning his Satirical Picture, La Fortuna, 101 Salvator Rosa's Banishment from Rome, 102 Salvator Rosa's Wit, 103 Salvator Rosa's Reception at Florence, 103 Histrionic Powers of Salvator Rosa, 104 Salvator Rosa's Reception at the Palazzo Pitti, 105 Satires of Salvator Rosa, 105 Salvator Rosa's Harpsichord, 106 Rare Portrait by Salvator Rosa, 106 Salvator Rosa's Return to Rome, 109 Salvator Rosa's Love of Magnificence, 109 Salvator Rosa's Last Works, 111 Salvator Rosa's Desire to be Considered an Historical Painter, 112 Don Mario Ghigi, his Physician, and Salvator Rosa, 113 Death of Salvator Rosa, 115 Domenichino, 121 The Dulness of Domenichino in Youth, 121 Domenichino's Scourging of St. Andrew, 123 The Communion of St. Jerome, 124 Domenichino's Enemies at Rome, 125 Decision of Posterity on the Merits of Domenichino, 126 Proof of the Merits of Domenichino, 127 Domenichino's Caricatures, 127 Intrigues of the Neapolitan Triumvirate of Painters, 128 Giuseppe Ribera, called Il Spagnoletto--his early Poverty and Industry, 133 Ribera's Marriage, 134 Ribera's Rise to Eminence, 135 Ribera's Discovery of the Philosopher's Stone, 135 Ribera's Subjects, 136 Ribera's Disposition, 137 Singular Pictorial Illusions, 137 Raffaelle's Skill in Portraits, 138 Jacopo da Ponte, 139 Giovanni Rosa, 139 Cav. Giovanni Centarini, 139 Guercino's Power of Relief, 140 Bernazzano, 140 Invention of Oil Painting, 141 Foreshortening, 145 Method of Transferring Paintings from Walls and Panels to Canvass, 146 Works in Scagliola, 147 The Golden Age of Painting, 149 Golden Age of the Fine Arts in Ancient Rome, 152 Nero's Golden Palace, 155 Names of Ancient Architects Designated by Reptiles, 156 Triumphal Arches, 157 Statue of Pompey the Great, 159 Antique Sculptures in Rome, 159 Ancient Map of Rome, 160 Julian the Apostate, 160 The Tomb of Mausolus, 161 Mandrocles' Bridge Across the Bosphorus, 162 The Colossus of the Sun at Rhodes, 162 Statues and Paintings at Rhodes, 164 Sostratus' Light-House on the Isle of Pharos, 164 Dinocrates' Plan for Cutting Mount Athos into a Statue of Alexander the Great, 165 Pope's idea of Forming Mount Athos into a Statue of Alexander the Great, 166 Temple with an Iron Statue Suspended in the Air by Loadstone, 168 The Temple of Jupiter Olympius at Athens, 168 The Parthenon at Athens, 170 The Elgin Marbles, 171 The first Odeon at Athens, 182 Perpetual Lamps, 182 The Skull of Raffaelle, 183 The Four Finest Pictures in Rome, 183 The Four Carlos of the 17th Century, 184 Pietro Galletti and the Bolognese Students, 184 Ætion's Picture of the Nuptials of Alexander and Roxana, 184 Ageladas, 185 The Porticos of Agaptos, 185 The Group of Niobe and her Children, 185 Statue of the Fighting Gladiator, 187 The Group of Laocoön in the Vatican, 187 Michael Angelo's Opinion of the Laocoön, 190 Discovery of the Laocoön, 190 Sir John Soane, 191 Soane's Liberality and Public Munificence, 192 The Belzoni Sarcophagus, 194 Tasso's "Gerusalemme Liberata," 195 George Morland, 197 Morland's Early Talent 198 Morland's Early Fame, 199 Morland's Mental and Moral Education under an Unnatural Parent, 200 Morland's Escape from the Thraldom of his Father, 201 Morland's Marriage and Temporary Reform, 202 Morland's Social Position, 203 An Unpleasant Dilemma, 204 Morland at the Isle of Wight, 205 A Novel Mode of Fulfilling Commissions, 206 Hassel's First Interview with Morland, 206 Morland's Drawings in the Isle of Wight, 207 Morland's Freaks, 208 A Joke on Morland, 208 Morland's Apprehension as a Spy, 209 Morland's "Sign of the Black Bull," 210 Morland and the Pawnbroker, 211 Morland's idea of a Baronetcy, 212 Morland's Artistic Merits,. 212 Charles Jervas, 213 Jervas the Instructor of Pope, 214 Jervas and Dr. Arbuthnot, 215 Jervas' Vanity, 215 Holbein and the Fly, 216 Holbein's Visit to England, 216 Henry VIII.'s Opinion of Holbein, 217 Holbein's Portrait of the Duchess Dowager of Milan, 218 Holbein's Flattery in Portraits--a Warning to Painters, 219 Holbein's Portrait of Cratzer, 219 Holbein's Portrait of Sir Thomas More and Family, 220 Sir John Vanbrugh and his Critics, 221 Anecdote of the English Painter, James Seymour, 223 Precocity of Luca Giordano, 224 Giordano's Enthusiasm, 225 Luca Fa Presto, 226 Giordano's Skill in Copying, 226 Giordano's Success at Naples, 227 Giordano, the Viceroy, and the Duke of Diano, 228 Giordano Invited to Florence, 229 Giordano and Carlo Dolci, 229 Giordano's Visit to Spain, 230 Giordano's Works in Spain, 231 Giordano at the Escurial, 232 Giordano's Habits in Spain, 233 Giordano's First Picture Painted in Spain, 233 Giordano a Favorite at Court, 234 Giordano's Return to Naples, 236 Giordano's Personal Appearance and Character, 237 Giordano's Riches, 238 Giordano's Wonderful Facility of Hand, 239 Giordano's Powers of Imitation, 240 Giordano's Fame and Reputation, 240 Remarkable Instance of Giordano's Rapidity of Execution, 242 Revival of Painting in Italy, 244 Giovanni Cimabue, 251 Cimabue's Passion for Art, 252 Cimabue's Famous Picture of the Virgin, 253 The Works of Cimabue, 255 Death of Cimabue, 256 Giotto, 257 Giotto's St. Francis Stigmata, 259 Giotto's Invitation to Rome, 260 Giotto's Living Model, 262 Giotto and the King of Naples, 264 Giotto and Dante, 266 Death of Giotto, 266 Buonamico Buffalmacco, 267 Buffalmacco and his Master, 267 Buffalmacco and the Nuns of the Convent of Faenza, 270 Buffalmacco and the Nun's Wine, 272 Buffalmacco, Bishop Guido and his Monkey, 273 Buffalmacco's Trick on the Bishop of Arezzo, 277 Origin of Label Painting, 278 Utility of Ancient Works, 280 Buffalmacco and the Countryman, 282 Buffalmacco and the People of Perugia, 283 Buffalmacco's Novel Method of Enforcing Payment, 285 Stefano Fiorentino, 286 Giottino, 286 Paolo Uccello, 287 Ucello's Enthusiasm, 288 Uccello and the Monks of San Miniato, 289 Uccello's Five Portraits, 290 Uccello's Incredulity of St. Thomas, 291 The Italian Schools of Painting, 292 Claude Joseph Vernet, 295 Vernet's Precocity, 295 Vernet's Enthusiasm, 296 Vernet at Rome 298 Vernet's "Alphabet of Tones," 299 Vernet and the Connoisseur, 301 Vernet's Works, 301 Vernet's Passion for Music, 306 Vernet's Opinion of his own Merits, 307 Curious Letter of Vernet, 308 Charles Vernet, 310 Anecdote of Charles Vernet, 311 M. de Lasson's Caricature, 311 Frank Hals and Vandyke, 312

ANECDOTES

OF

PAINTERS, ENGRAVERS, SCULPTORS, AND ARCHITECTS.

TITIAN,--SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.

The name of this illustrious painter was Tiziano Vecellio or Vecelli, and he is called by the Italians, Tiziano Vecellio da Cadore. He was descended of a noble family; born at the castle of Cadore in the Friuli in 1477, and died in 1576, according to Ridolfi; though Vasari and Sandrart place his birth in 1480. Lanzi says he died in 1576, aged 99 years. He early showed a passion for the art, which was carefully cultivated by his parents.--Lanzi says in a note, that it is pretty clearly ascertained that he received his first instruction from Antonio Rossi, a painter of Cadore; if so, it was at a very tender age, for when he was ten years old he was sent to Trevigi, and placed under Sebastiano Zuccati. He subsequently went to Venice, and studied successively under Gentile and Giovanni Bellini. Giorgione was his fellow-student under the last named master, with whom Titian made extraordinary progress, and attained such an exact imitation of his style that their works could scarcely be distinguished, which greatly excited the jealousy of Bellini.

On the death of Giorgione, Titian rose rapidly into favor. He was soon afterwards invited to the court of Alphonso, Duke of Ferrara, for whom he painted his celebrated picture of Bacchus and Ariadne, and two other fabulous subjects, which still retain somewhat of the style of Giorgione. It was there that he became acquainted with Ariosto, whose portrait he painted, and in return the poet spread abroad his fame in the Orlando Furioso. In 1523, the Senate of Venice employed him to decorate the Hall of the Council Chamber, where he represented the famous Battle of Cadore, between the Venetians and the Imperialists--a grand performance, that greatly increased his reputation. This work was afterwards destroyed by fire, but the composition has been preserved by the burin of Fontana. His next performance was his celebrated picture of St. Pietro Martire, in the church of SS. Giovanni e Paolo, at Venice, which is generally regarded as his master-piece in historical painting. This picture was carried to Paris by the French, and subsequently restored by the Allies. Notwithstanding the importance of these and other commissions, and the great reputation he had acquired, it is said, though with little probability of truth, that he received such a small remuneration for his works, that he was in actual indigence in 1530, when the praises bestowed upon him in the writings of his friend Pietro Aretino, recommended him to the notice of the Emperor Charles V., who had come to Bologna to be crowned by Pope Clement VII. Titian was invited thither, and painted the portrait of that monarch, and his principal attendants, for which he was liberally rewarded.--About this time, he was invited to the court of the Duke of Mantua, whose portrait he painted, and decorated a saloon in the palace with a series of the Twelve Cæsars, beneath which Giulio Romano afterwards painted a subject from the history of each. In 1543, Paul III. visited Ferrara, where Titian was then engaged, sat for his portrait and invited him to Rome, but previous engagements with the Duke of Urbino, obliged him to decline or defer the invitation. Having completed his undertakings for that prince, he went to Rome at the invitation of the Cardinal Farnese in 1548, where he was received with marks of great distinction. He was accommodated with apartments in the palace of the Belvidere, and painted the Pope, Paul III., a second time, whom he represented seated between the Cardinal Farnese and Prince Ottavio. He also painted his famous picture of Danaë, which caused Michael Angelo to lament that Titian had not studied the antique as accurately as he had nature, in which case his works would have been inimitable, by uniting the perfection of coloring with correctness of design. It is said that the Pope was so captivated with his works that he endeavored to retain him at Rome, and offered him as an inducement the lucrative office of the Leaden Seal, then vacant by the death of Frà Sebastiano del Piombo, but he declined on account of conscientious scruples. Titian had no sooner returned from Rome to Venice, than he received so pressing an invitation from his first protector, Charles V., to visit the court of Spain, that he could no longer refuse; and he accordingly set out for Madrid, where he arrived at the beginning of 1550, and was received with extraordinary honors. After a residence of three years at Madrid, he returned to Venice, whence he was shortly afterwards invited to Inspruck, where he painted the portrait of Ferdinand, king of the Romans, his queen and children, in one picture.--Though now advanced in years, his powers continued unabated, and this group was accounted one of his best productions. He afterwards returned to Venice, where he continued to exercise his pencil to the last year of his long life.

TITIAN'S MANNERS.