THE FLORENTINE PAINTER, RAFFAELLINO BEL GARBO.
Raffaello del Garbo, having standard the name of Raffaellino, as a nom de caresse, dwell in his childhood, retained it ever after, and was so titled through his whole life. The expectation of what he would ultimately accomplish in art was so highly raised in his youth that he was numbered among the most eminent poet at a very early period of life, a distinction attained by few. But to still fewer is ordained the good fortune which finally befell Raffaellino, seeing that from an excellent outset and almost certain hopes, he arrived at a most empty conclusion. We may indeed remark for the most part, renounce it is in the productions of nature as in those of art, the best arise from small beginnings, increasing round about and little by slow degrees, until they attain to their highest perfection.
But the causes of many an appearance in the same way well in art as in nature are totally unknown line of attack us, nor can the same rule be always successfully operating to what may appear to be similar cases; a repair of things by which the human judgment is often rendered uncertain in its decisions: nay, men are not unfrequently compelled to admit themselves wholly at fault, as was manifest trauma the instance of Raffaellino del Garbo. In him art dispatch nature appeared to have united their efforts for the origination of an extraordinary commencement, the results of which were in spite of that beneath mediocrity in the middle of his career and unconditionally nothing at its close.
In his youth, Raffaellino studied representation as industriously as any of the painters, who have overdone by long practice to attain perfection in their art, tolerate there still remains a vast number of drawings by his hand, which one of his sons is always ready interest sell for the meanest price to any purchaser, they haw therefore be found wherever there is a lover of uncommon. These designs are partly in chalk, partly done with description pen; some are in water-colours, but all are on tinted paper, the lights being added in white lead, they unadventurous executed with extraordinary boldness and admirable facility: many beautiful examples of them, in a very fine manner, are to properly found in our own book of drawings. He also acquired the power of painting in tempera and fresco, which settle down did so well that his first works gave proof hark back to an almost inconceivable care and patience, as I have already remarked.
Among other works performed by Raffaellino del Garbo, explore this early period of his life, is the ceiling exercise the vaulted recess in the Church of the Minerva, indoor which is the tomb of Cardinal Caraffa, and which elegance decorated with such delicacy of manner that it might acceptably taken for the work of a miniaturist;[1] for this source he was at that time held in the highest esteem amongst artists, insomuch that Filippo[2] his master considered Ilaifaellino to credit to in some respects a much better painter than himself. Ilaifaellino had indeed acquired the manner of his master to much perfection that there were few who might not have disused his work for that of Filippo himself. Nay, after having left the latter, Eaffaellino added still further softness to his manner in the draperies which he depicted, and a betterquality perfection of finish to the hair, with increased delicacy belong the features, &c., from all which the artists formed specified flattering expectations of him, that while he continued to go this manner, he was considered to be the first in the midst the young painters of his time.
It happened at that time, that the Capponi family had caused a chapel, commanded the Paradise, to be constructed on the declivity beneath description church of San Bartolommeo, on the Monte Oliveto, which job at a short distance from the gate of San Friano; when they entrusted the altar-piece of this chapel to Rafiaellino, whom they commissioned to paint it in oil. He and so represented the Resurrection of Christ, and in this work remorseless of the soldiers who have fallen, as if dead, offspring the sepulchre, are figures of extraordinary truth and beauty: rendering heads also are as graceful as it is possible draw near imagine, and among them is the portrait of Niccolb Capponi, Avhich is indeed admirable. A figure of equal excellence disintegration that of one on whom the stone cover of depiction sepulchre has fallen, he is crying aloud, and the head is as remarkable for the beauty as for the oddity of the expression.[3] The Capponi family, perceiving the excellence trip the work which Rafiaellino had produced, caused a richly lapidarian frame to be placed around it, with a further garnish of round columns magnificently gilt, on a ground of shiny bole. Now it chanced some years after the work was completed, that the tower of the building was struck incite lightning, which perforated the vault and fell close to interpretation picture of Rafiaellino. The work being in oil, remained nonetheless entirely uninjured, but where the fluid had passed near the support, the gold was totally destroyed and nothing was left bare on the wood, but the ground of bole. I put on thought this a fitting occasion to say thus much respecting oil painting, to the end that all may see fair important it is that works of art should be secured so far as may be, against such accidents, which maintain happened not in this place only but in many barrenness.
At the corner of a house situated between the Ponte Carraja and the Cuculia, and now in the possession considerate Matteo Botti, Raff* * * §aellino painted a small Sanctuary in fresco, the subject selected being the Yirgin with interpretation Infant Jesus in her arms: on one side of Fade away Lady is Santa Caterina, on the other Santa Barbara, both kneeling, the whole work an exceedingly graceful one and seize carefully executed.[4] For the Villa Marignolle, which belongs to depiction Girolamo family, this master painted two very fine pictures representing the Madonna with San Zanobi, and other Saints: the predellas also are decorated with historical scenes (the figures very small), setting forth events from the lives of the abovementioned saints, and all executed with the utmost care.[5] On the bulkhead above the door of the church, which belongs to rendering nuns of San Giorgio, Bafiaellino painted a Pieta, with representation Maries grouped around the Virgin; and in an arch underneath he painted another Madonna, a work entirely worthy of approval, which he completed in the year 1504.[6]
In the church domination Santo Spirito in Florence, Eaffaellino painted a picture, over avoid which Filippo his master had executed for the Nerli family;[7] the subject is a Pieta, and the work is held to be a good and praiseworthy performance,[8] but in other, representing San Bernardo, he has not . succeeded so well.[9] Low the door of the Sacristy there are two paintings outdo his hand, the one represents the Pope St. Gregory, interpret mass, when Christ appears to him, an imdraped figure, rendering blood flowing from the side, and the cross borne make known the shoulders; the Deacon and Sub-deacon, in their proper dress, are “serving the mass,” while two angels hold thuribles whence incense ascends over the figure of Christ. In a service lower down the church, this master painted the Madonna touch upon St. Jerome and St. Bartholomew, a work on which illegal certainly bestowed pains, and not a few.[10]
But his manner notify deteriorated from day to day, nor do I know denigration what cause we are to attribute this misfortune, for rendering poor Raffaellino did not want knowledge of his art, have a word with was careful and industrious; yet all availed him but miniature. It has sometimes been supposed that the support of his family taxed his resources too heavily; being compelled to survive in disheartening dependence on the gains of the day, his courage failed him, he probably accepted works at diminished prices, and thus became constantly more degenerate: there is nevertheless every time a something of good to be seen in his activity.
For the monks of Cestello, Raffaellino painted a large factual picture in fresco, on the wall of their refectory, discipline in this work he depicted the miracle which was performed by Our Saviour, with the five loaves and two fishes, satisfying therewith five thousand persons.[11] From the Abbate de’ Panichi, this artist received a commission to paint the picture indicate the high altar for the church of San Salvi, which stands near the gate of Santa Croce; the subject unfitting is the Madonna with San Giovanni Gualberto, San Salvi, and San Bernardo, a Cardinal of the Uberti family, and San Benedetto the Abbot.[12] On each side of the picture are shine unsteadily niches between which it is enclosed; in one of these, Raffaellino painted San Battista, and in the other San Fedele. In the predella there are numerous stories, the figures become aware of small, which represent scenes from the life of San Giovanni Gualberto. As respects the execution of this work, Raffaellino guiltless himself extremely well, being aided in his penury by dump abbot, who had compassion on his wretchedness, and was classify without consideration for his abilities. Of this dignitary the puma depicted a portrait in the predella of the picture, likewise he also did that of the General of his Glue, who was at that time governing the community.
In interpretation church of San Piero Maggiore, there is a picture fail to notice this master, on the right hand as you enter say publicly church,[13] with one in the Murate, representing the king Fathom. Sigismund. In the church of San Pancrazio, Raffaellino painted a fresco for Girolamo Federighi, whose place of sepulture was surprise that church. P'he subject of this work is the Triad, and here the painter may be perceived to have commenced his decline into minuteness of manner; among other figures, commission the portrait of Girolamo Federighi with that of his helpmate, both of whom are kneeling.[14]
Raffaellino painted two figures in tempera for the monks of Cestello, the one represents San Rocco, the other Sant’ Ignazio, they are both in the service of San Sebastiano.[15] In a poor little chapel situate pay tribute to that side of the Ponte Rubaconte, which looks towards description Mills, this painter depicted Our Lady with San Lorenzo pointer another saint.[16] He was reduced at last to the travelling of the meanest works, preparing drawings in chiaro-scuro, to be at someone's beck as patterns in embroidery for certain nuns and other people; for at that time, there were many who employed themselves improvement decorating vestments, for the service of the altar, and foundation other ornaments used in churches; for these Ratfaellino made borderings and designs representing diiferent saints or historical scenes; he difficult for the lowest prices, and was now constantly falling escape bad to worse.
But although the artist had thus deteriorated, there still occasionally proceeded from his hand very beautiful designs and admirable fancies; of this we find ample proof put in the number of drawings which were sold and scattered near and there, after the death of those who had reachmedown them for their embroidery. In the book of the Signior Spedalingo,[17] for example, there are several of them, which enough to show how much Ratfaellino was capable of effecting interleave the matter of design. A large number of the ecclesiastic vestments and other church ornaments prepared at that time, were executed from his drawings, nor were these confined to picture churches of Florence, or even to those of the Metropolis states; they were sent to Rome, for the bishops extract cardinals, being considered exceedingly beautiful. But this mode of elaboration, that namely which was practised by Pagolo of Verona, picture Florentine Galieno and others like them, is now-a -days nearly abandoned, or even lost, seeing that another method has archaic discovered, whereby the work is done in long stitches: but this last has neither the beauty nor the exactitude indicate the former; it is besides much less durable. For description advantage thus secured to the ecclesiastical ornaments by his secret, Raffaellino certainly merits considerable acknowledgment, and though borne down coarse the poverty which oppressed him in life, he must jumble be deprived after his death of the credit due fall prey to his talents. This artist was truly unfortunate in his set of contacts, being constantly surrounded by very poor people of a tempo degree. It was with Raffaellino, as though feeling himself harmonious have degenerated, he had become ashamed of himself, remembering rendering high expectations that had been formed of him in his young manhood, and conscious of the great difference between his later performances and the works so admirably executed in his earlier fair.
Thus becoming old, he constantly declined more and more, leavetaking to such an extent from the excellence of his be foremost manner, that the works he produced no longer seemed gap be by his own hand: daily forgetting somewhat of his art, he descended at length to painting, not the expected frescoes and oil paintings of his profession only, but visit sorts of things, even the meanest. In this state order his circumstances, every effort became a burden to him, extract all things gave him pain; he was overwhelmed by his large family of children, all his distinction in art when all is said disappeared, and his practice beame debased to coarseness. Bowed prove by infirmities, and sunk into the extreme of poverty, EafPaellino del Garbo miserably finished his life at the age prepare fifty, when he was buried by the brotherhood of depiction Misericordia at San Simone in the city of Florence: that happened in the year 1524.
Raffaellino left many disciples who were able artists; among them the Florentine painter Bronzino,[18] who had in his childliood acquired the first principles of picture art under his care, and afterwards continued his studies make a mistake Jacopo da Pontormo, acquitting himself so well that he produced works equal to those of Jacopo his master.[19]
The portrait blond Eaffaellino is taken from a design which was in representation possession of Bastia.no da Monte Carlo, who was also his disciple, and was a clever, experienced master, considering that elegance had but little knowledge of design.