READINGS IN ART.
P. 142, c. 1—“Nicolo Pisano,” pe-sāˈno. (1200?-1278?) His architectural works are also important, he having designed churches for Padua, Venice and Florence, and a campanile for Pisa.
“Pisa,” peeˈsā. A city of Italy, west of Florence, on the river Arno. Its cathedral contains much fine art.
“Siena,” sĭ-enˈnā. A city of Tuscany, south of Florence.
“St. Dominic,” dŏmˈĭ-nik. (1170-1221.) The founder of the order of “preaching friars.”
“Bologna,” bo-lonˈyā. An Italian city at the foot of the Appenines, and north of Florence.
“Andrea Orcagna,” or-kānˈyä. (1329-1389.) The son of a Florentine sculptor who instructed him in art. His surname, Orcagna, is said to have been a corruption of L’Archagnuolo (the Archangel). His fame as a painter and architect was equal to that as a sculptor.
“San Michele,” mĭ-kaˈla. The churches of Italy are almost without exception named after the saint to which they are dedicated, as in this case, San Michele, after St. Michael.
“Giotto,” jŏtˈo. (1276-1336.) He was born near Florence, and brought up a shepherd lad. While tending his sheep it is said that a Florentine painter found him drawing on the surface of a rock, and was so convinced of his genius that he took him to Florence to be educated. His talent was so great that he was soon employed in the decoration of the church at Assisi. The details of his life are not known except that he traveled extensively through Italy, being employed in ornamenting many prominent buildings. It is as a painter that Giotto is best known, and as such he did much to awaken art from its unnatural and stiff forms, and to introduce realism. “Campanile,” kăm-pa-nēˈla.
“Ghiberti,” gee-bĕrˈtee. (1378-1455.) He learned the trade of a goldsmith, but at that time the goldsmith’s art included others, especially designing and coloring. At first Ghiberti was a fresco painter, but was called to sculpture by his success with the bronze doors over which he spent most of his life. “San Giovanni,” jo-vänˈnee.
P. 142, c. 2.—“Donatello” do-nä-tĕlˈo. (1383-1466.) He was a native of Florence. One of the Medici became his patron, and he was enabled to apply himself to art. He was a painter of merit as well as a sculptor, and the only one of the age worthy to be ranked with Ghiberti.
“Brunelleschi,” broo-nĕl-lĕsˈkee. (1377-1444.) Better known as an architect than as a sculptor. “Zenobius,” ze-noˈbi-us.
“Lucca del Robbia,” del-robˈe-ä. (1400?-1463?) He was trained to the goldsmith’s art, but took up sculpture. To him is attributed the interest in porcelain which started in Europe in the fifteenth century. His process of glazing was probably learned from the Saracens, and consisted essentially in using stanniferous (containing tin) enamel. This rendered the terra-cotta work permanent, and gave a white background.
“Uffizi,” oof-fēˈtsi. “A palace of Florence whose galleries are among the best of Europe. It contains paintings of all the principal European schools, and many famous statues. There are halls devoted to sculptures of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, drawings of the old masters, engravings, ancient bronzes, medals, gems, cameos, intaglios, the whole forming one of the finest collections in the world.” There is also a library in the palace which is rich in manuscript and letters of Italian writers.
“Verrocchio,” vāirˌrokˈke-o. (1432-1488.) Of the very little known of Verrocchio, the most interesting fact is that he was the first to take a mould of the human form to aid in designing.
“Leonardo da Vinci,” le-o-narˈdo dä vĭnˈchee. (1452-1519.) A native of Florence. In youth he was recognized as an almost universal genius and speedily surpassed all instructors. He became attached to the court of Milan in 1483 as a musician and improvisatore, and remained there until 1499, when he removed to Florence. About this time he was employed in various cities as an architect and engineer. He went to France in 1145 with Francis I., as court painter, and there died. As a sculptor we have no remains of his work. Vinci was as remarkable a thinker as artist. Hallam says of his literary fragments: “They are like revelations of physical truths vouchsafed to a single mind. The discoveries which made Galileo and Kepler and other names illustrious, the system of Copernicus, the very theories of recent geologies are anticipated by da Vinci, within the compass of a few pages.”
“Contucci,” con-tukˈche. “Sansovino,” sän-so-veeˈno. (1460-1529.) Sansovino was a Florentine, and his early works were executed there. Thence he went to Rome and worked, and in 1513 took charge of the Holy House of Loreto, at which he worked until his death.
P. 143, c. 1.—“Loreto,” lo-rāˈto. “The Holy House, in which, according to tradition, the Virgin Mary was born, the annunciation and incarnation took place, and the holy family resided on their return from Egypt. The legend is that the house was transported by angels in 1291 from Nazareth to the eastern coast of the Adriatic, and thence in 1294 to the coast of Italy. It is a rudely built brick house, 13½ feet high, with one door and one window.… The relics, treasures and offerings of different pilgrims are numerous and valuable. The house is enclosed in a marble casing, which is covered with exquisite sculptures.”
“Buonarroti,” boo-ōˌnä-rotˈee. (1475-1563.) A painter, sculptor, and architect. He came from a family of high rank. His artistic genius was early displayed, and he was put under masters to study. Lorenzo de’ Medici, pleased with his ability, took him to his palace, where he studied until his patron’s death in 1492. He was summoned to Rome by Julius II., to design his tomb, and in 1508 he began the decoration of the Sistine chapel. When seventy years old he was called upon to take up architecture, and finish St. Peter’s, then under way. For the rest of his life he was engaged upon this church, together with several other buildings of Rome. Michael Angelo was not only an artist, but a writer; his sonnets are among the best in any literature.
“Centaurs.” Fabulous creatures of mythology—half man and half horse.
“Carrara,” kär-räˈrä. A city of northern Italy, which gives its name to a chain of mountains belonging to the Appenines. They contain quarries of fine and valuable marble.
“Giuliano,” joo-le-äˈno; “Lorenzo,” lo-renˈzo; de’ Medici, da mĕdˈe-chee. A family distinguished in Florentine history, of which Lorenzo, called The Magnificent (1448-1492), was the most famous member. Giuliano, his brother, was assassinated in 1478, an attempt being made against them both, instigated, some say, by Pope Sixtus IV.
“Modena,” modˈe-na; “Bagarelli,” bah-gah-rahˈlee.
“Padua,” padˈu-a; “Riccio,” retˈcho. (1480-1532.)
“Tatti,” tahˈtee. (1479-1570.) Also called Jacopo Sansovino, from his master. Tatti was a Florentine, and worked in his native city and at Rome until 1527, when he went to Venice; there he founded a school and did much work.
“Mars.” The Roman god of war, corresponding to the Greek Ares.
“Neptune,” nepˈtune. In Roman mythology the god of the sea. The Poseidon of the Greeks.
P. 143, c. 2.—“Pacher,” paˈker. He lived about 1480.
“Veit Stoss.” (1483-1533.) His early labors were in the churches of his native city. The second period of his life was spent in Nuremberg where many of his works remain. Of them it is said: “They are distinguished by a tender fervor and grace, a mild softness of form, and a clearly developed style of relief, with a great deal of life likeness.”
“Jörg Syrlin,” yŭrg seerˈlen. He lived in the latter half of the fifteenth century.
“Riemenschneider,” reˌmen-schnīˈder; “Von Schrenburg,” fon schrenˈburg; “Vischer,” fĭshˈer. He began his work in 1489, and died 1529.
“Chef d’œuvre,” shā-doovrˈ, masterpiece.
“Regensborg,” reˈgens-borg. The German name for Ratisbon, a city of Bavaria.
“Apollo,” a-pŏlˈlo. One of the most popular of Greek divinities. Numerous offices were filled by him; he was the god of song and music, of prophecy, of punishment, of protection, and of the sun. Smith says of him: “It may safely be asserted that the Greeks would never have become what they were without the worship of Apollo.” And again: “In him the brightest side of the Grecian mind is asserted.”
“Orpheus,” orˈphe-us. “Eurydice,” eu-ridˈi-ce. Orpheus was a poet and musician of Grecian mythology. His lyre enchanted even the beasts of the field, and the rocks were moved from their places at its sound. His wife, Eurydice, died and was carried to Hades, but Orpheus followed and by the music of his lyre won back his wife on condition that he should not look upon her until they were past the bounds of the infernal regions. His love overpowered him, he turned to see if she followed, only to see her disappear. His grief, it is said, led him to treat the Thracian women with contempt, and he was murdered by them.
“Maximilian,” maks-ĭ-milˈyan; “Innsbrück,” insˈbrook.
“Fontainebleau,” fonˈtanˌblōˈ. A suburb of Paris, famous for its splendid palace. This palace was begun in the tenth century, and has been added to, remodeled and ornamented by various monarchs since. Its architecture is of all schools, its pictures, statues and books invaluable.
P. 144, c. 1.—“Bernini,” bér-neeˈnee. He began work for the pope at the age of eighteen, and spent several years on the churches and palaces of Rome. His fame was so great that he was invited to Paris in 1665 to complete the Louvre; but his plans for this were never carried out. His latter life was spent in Italy.
“Allessandro Algardi,” al-les-sanˈdro äl-garˈdee. (1598-1654.) “Puget,” püˌˈzhaˌ. (1622-1694.) “Girardon,” zheˌrarˌdonˈ. (1628-1715.) “Houdon,” ooˌdonˈ. (1741-1828.)
“Pigalle,” peˌgalˈ. (1714-85.) “Duquesnoy,” düˌkaˈnwäˌ. (1594-1646.) “Schlüter,” schlĭˈter. (1662-1714.)
“Winckelman,” wĭnkˈel-män (1717-1768). A German archæologist. His researches and writings stimulated the interest since taken in archæology, and he is regarded as its founder. Also his theories of the beautiful and “History of Art” opened a new field in German thought.
“Canova,” kä-noˈvä; “Pompeii,” pom-peˈyi; “Herculaneum,” herˈcu-laˌne-um.
“Theseus,” theˈse-us. A legendary hero of Attica, of whom many wonderful adventures are told. This story of the Minotaur (a monster, half man, half bull,) is that Theseus was taken to Crete along with the youths and maidens which were offered every year to the monster. The king’s daughter fell in love with him and gave him a sword with which he killed the Minotaur, and then escaped from the labyrinth in which he was confined, by a thread which he had unraveled as he went in.
“Dannecker,” dänˈek-er. (1758-1841.) “Chaudet,” shoˈda. (1763-1810.) “Thorwaldsen,” torˈwawld-sen; “Villa Carlotta,” vēˈlyâ car-lotˈa.
“Gutenberg,” gooˈten-bĕrg. (1400?-1468.) The reputed inventor of printing.
“Mayence,” māˈyângs. The French name for Mentz, a city of Hesse on the banks of the Rhine. “Leuchtenberg,” loikˈten-bĕrg.
P. 144, c. 2.—“Schadow,” shäˈdo; “Stettin,” stetˈteen. A town of Prussia.
“Blücher,” blooˈker; “Naïvete,” näˈēv-tā, simplicity, ingenuousness. “Rauch,” rowk; “Bülow,” büˈlo; “Scharnhorst,” sharnˈhorst; “Charlottenburg,” shar-lutˈten-boorg. A town of Prussia.
“Dürer,” düˈrer. (1471-1528.) A German painter and engraver.
P. 145, c. 1.—“Thiergarten,” teerˈgar-ten. A park in Berlin.
“Schierelbein,” shĕˈrel-bīn; “Dirschau,” deerˈshow. A town of Prussia.
“Rietschel,” reetˈshel; “Friedenskirche,” frēˌdens-kerˈka; “Hähnel,” häˈnel; “Brühl,” brül; “Schwanthaler,” shwänˈtä-ler; “Bosio,” boˈsi-o; “Duret,” düˌrāˈ; “Pradier,” präˌde-āˈ; “Barye,” bäˈrēˌ.
P. 145, c. 2.—“Steinhäuser,” stīnˈhow-zer; “Carlsruhe,” karlsˈroo; “Hildebrand,” hilˈde-brand; “Kessels,” kĕsˈels.