Pinturicchio, Borgia Appartments, Vatican
Plate 26.—The Nativity
Pinturicchio, Church of Sta. Maria del Popolo, Rome
the life of St. Bernard of Siena, and on the vaulted roof is painted the four Evangelists, all of which are very vigorous and lifelike representations; the same may also be said of his frescos in the Baglioni Chapel in the Duomo at Spello. His two frescos in the Sistine Chapel, “Moses journeying to Egypt” and the “Baptism of Christ,” were formerly ascribed to Perugino.
The Florentine artist, Domenico Ghirlandajo (1449-1498), was one of the most eminent fresco painters of his time. He was fond of introducing sumptuously dressed personages into his works, many of whom were representations of the people of his day. The powerful Tornabuoni family of Florence were his patrons, who commissioned him to paint many frescos in Florence and in Rome. He can claim the distinction of having Michael Angelo as one of his pupils.
Some of his best existing works are those in the choir of the Church of Santa Maria Novella, and the Church of St. Trinita at Florence. In the Church of Santa Maria degli Innocenti, in the Foundling Hospital at Florence, is a well-preserved altar-piece, a tempera painting on panel by him, the “Adoration of the Magi,” which is dignified in its design, and the colouring is brilliant in reds and golden hues, these colours being very characteristic of his later works. In the background of this fine work is a beautiful landscape, and at the foot of the hill on the left is the scene representing the slaughter of the Innocents. The drapery of the kneeling king is masterly in the design of its folds, but the standing figure of the youthful king on the left is the most beautiful of the larger figures. In all the range of Italian art it would be difficult to match for beauty and for types of innocence the two little babes, or innocenti, who are kneeling at the bottom of the picture, adoring and adorable, as in every way they are. At the top, kneeling on clouds above the manger, are four lovely angels holding a scroll, on which is written, “Gloria in excelsis Deo.” Generally speaking, his frescos are remarkable for their high degree of careful finish, and nearly all of the spectators or accessory figures in his paintings are portraits of his patrons and contemporaries. His compositions are very simple and dignified, with a certain degree of solemn severity in the drawing of the principal figures. The latter characteristic is partly due to his practice of making many of his figures stately portraits, and partly to the long and straight folds of his draperies, which remind us of Masaccio’s work, and, in a lesser degree, that of Giotto. It is interesting to compose and note the similarity of design which is apparent in his fresco, the “Calling of SS. Peter and Andrew,” in the Sistine Chapel, with the “Tribute Money,” by Masaccio, in the Brancacci Chapel of the Carmelite Church at Florence; and also his celebrated work, the “Death of St. Francis,” in St. Trinita at Florence, with the same subject painted by Giotto