Gio. Batista Grati and Cesare Mazzoni remained at Bologna, and as belonging to the Clementine Academicians who then flourished, we meet with their lives in Zanotti. Subsequent to their decease, Crespi was enabled to treat their memory with more fairness. He praises the accuracy of the former, and regrets his want of talent; the second he pronounces a commendable artist, observing that he was long employed at Faenza, Turin, and Rome, as well as at Bologna itself; though not with good fortune. Antonio Lunghi also flourished for the most part in foreign states; at Venice, in Rome, and the kingdom of Naples. He returned, at an advanced age, to his native place, where there is his picture of S. Rita at S. Bartolommeo, and others in different churches, which merited for their author some favourable consideration of Crespi. Yet he has omitted him, for the purpose, as I suppose, of reserving him for the fourth volume of the "Felsina Pittrice." It would be too much to attempt a complete sketch of Gio. Gioseffo's disciples who flourished in other schools, such as Francesco Pavona of Udine, a good painter in oil, and better in crayons; superior in his large altar-pieces, and still more in his portraits. He afterwards studied at Milan, and thence proceeded to Genoa; next into Spain, Portugal, and Germany, being well received in all these courts; after which he married and had a family at Dresden. Subsequently he returned to Bologna, which he left in the course of a few years for Venice, where he shortly afterwards died. Francesco Comi also left Bologna, called il Fornaretto,[49] and the Mute of Verona, being deprived both of speech and hearing. Nevertheless he was distinguished in the art, and is commemorated by Pozzo among the artists of his country, and also by Orlandi. There are others, of whom we make mention in almost every school.
Donato Creti, a cavalier of the gold spurs, ranks as one of the most eminent of Pasinelli's pupils, and as the most attached to his manner; though he was inclined to modify it with that of Cantarini, and of both composed a third, sufficiently noble and graceful. He would have made it still more free and original, had he applied himself diligently in early youth; which he omitted to do, and carried his regrets for such omission down with him to the tomb. His merit is impaired by his colouring, which has in it something hard and crude; entertaining a maxim, that tints, such as they are in nature, ought to be employed, and left to time for sobering and harmonizing—a maxim by some attributed to Paul Veronese. If there were ever a painter who knew not when to remove his hand from the canvass, it was Creti. In painting his S. Vincenzio, intended to be placed opposite the S. Raimond of Lodovico, he completed it with every attention to the art; yet was dissatisfied with the work, insomuch that the person who gave the commission was compelled to take it by force out of his studio, in order to place it in the grand church of the Padri Predicatori. This is, perhaps, his best altar-piece. His Alexander's Feast also boasts some merit, executed for the noble Fava family; by some even it is supposed to be his masterpiece. Creti had a pupil, named Ercole Graziani, who added greater power of execution to his master's style, a more enlarged character, greater freedom of hand, with other qualities which display his superiority. He approached Franceschini and others who succeeded to the school of Cignani. He has been accused by one of his rivals of too much effeminacy in his painting, and study of minutiæ in his ornaments. Others seek for a more just equality in his colours; others more spirit; though all must give him credit for genius and industry equal to compete with the eminent artists of his day, and to surpass many, had he enjoyed the good fortune to have met with an experienced master. He painted for S. Pietro, that Apostle in the act of ordaining S. Apollinare; a history both copious and full of dignity; commissioned by the Cardinal Lambertini, who, on becoming pope, caused him to make a duplicate for the church of S. Apollinare at Rome. Also his pictures of S. Pellegrino, in Sinigaglia, the princes of the Apostles, who take leave, with the most beautiful expression, to meet their martyrdom, placed at S. Pietro in Piacenza, with others belonging to his happier hours, are equally excellent. To Creti and Graziani we have to add Count Pietro Fava, in whose house both were, during some time, brought up, at once assistants and companions in the studies of this noble artist. He is ranked among Pasinelli's pupils and the Clementine academicians; and we have an account of his studying the works of the Caracci, to whose manner, equally with any other artist, he became attached. Although the cavalier is described as a dilettante in the art, yet on beholding his altar-pieces of the Epiphany and of the Resurrection of Christ, which he presented to the cathedral of Ancona, with a few other productions at Bologna, he appears more worthy of enrolment among its noble professors.
Aureliano Milani acquired the principles of painting from Cesare Gennari and Pasinelli; but, struck with the Caracci's style, he devoted his whole time to copying their compositions entire, as well as separate, repeating his designs of the heads, the feet, the hands, and the outlines. He caught their spirit, without borrowing their forms. It is remarked by Crespi, that no Bolognese shewed more of the Caraccesque in the naked figure, and in the whole symmetry and character of his painting. After Cignani, too, I have heard it noticed, that no one better maintained the design and the credit of the school. In colouring he was not so excellent; sometimes a follower of Gennari, as in his St. Jerome, at the church of the Vita in Bologna, and in some degree in his St. John beheaded, at the church of the Bergamaschi in Rome. Here he took up his residence, being ill able to support a family of ten children at Bologna. Here, too, he abounded with commissions, and promoted with Muratori, another pupil of Pasinelli, established there from early youth, the honour of his native place. Of the last one, however, we have treated under that school.
Aureliano taught during many years at Bologna, and among other pupils of his was the celebrated Giuseppe Marchesi, called il Sansone. He first studied under Franceschini, whose taste he nearly approaches in the vaulted ceiling of the Madonna di Galiera. It is even the opinion of some, that, in his skill of foreshortening, and in the tone of his colours, no artist succeeded in imitating him so well. He took his design from Milani; though at times his naked portion is rather too much loaded, which I would not venture to say of his master. Among his best pictures is the Martyrdom of S. Prisca, in the Rimini cathedral; an altar-piece of many and fine figures, and good tints, for which the S. Agnese of Domenichino supplied him with some ideas. He painted much for galleries, and among other pieces, one of his pictures representing the four seasons, (where it now is I cannot say,) is reputed, by a first rate judge, among the first works of the modern Bolognese school.
Antonio Gionima was some time also a pupil of Milani. He was a Paduan of obscure birth, whose father and grandfather had been artists; educated first by Simone his father (p. 171), afterwards by Milani, and for a longer period by Crespi. He died young, leaving works highly prized at Bologna for their inventive spirit and for the high tone and clearness of their colouring. His picture of St. Florian and accompanying martyrs was engraved by Mattioli; and a grand canvass history of Haman is shewn in the Ranuzzi apartment, conspicuous among numbers in the same place, where no common artists gained admittance.
Leaving aside certain other pupils of Pasinelli, of less account, as Odoardo Orlandi, or Girolamo Negri, who had a place, however, in the Dictionary of Painters, we shall close this catalogue with two others, who, becoming friends in the school of Lorenzo, continued their intimacy to extreme old age; Giuseppe Gambarini and Gian Pietro Cavazzoni Zanotti. Gambarini attended the studio of Cesare Gennari, whose rapidity of touch and power of natural effect, he afterwards retained. He added no dignity of forms; owing to which his few altar-pieces and other serious subjects obtained him no reputation. Applying himself subsequently to Flemish composition, he represented women intent on domestic affairs, boys' schools, mendicants begging alms, with similar popular objects, copied faithfully from life; in all which he abounded with commissions. At Bologna such familiar pieces by him and his able pupil Gherardini are very common, and please by their spirit and their exactness. Sometimes he represented also serious subjects, as in that picture in Casa Ranuzzi, exhibiting the coronation of Charles V. during the government of a Gonfalonier of the family.
Zanotti is well known among the writers on pictoric subjects; and few have been more successful in wielding with equal excellence both pencil and pen. His "Directions for the Progress of young Artists" contain some learned maxims, which were meant to stem the corruption of the art, by rescuing it from a low mechanical manner, and replacing it upon its true principles. Upon the same maxims he composed his "History of the Clementine Academy," although he was not enabled to adopt corresponding freedom of style; having there written the lives of the academicians, then lately deceased, or still alive. This work, printed by Lelio dalla Volpe, in 1739, with a splendor nearly unknown, up to that period, in Italy, excited some degree of indignation in good artists, who found, next their own, many names of mere mediocrity distinguished by portraits and lives, on a footing with themselves. The complaints raised by Spagnuolo, are recorded by the Canon Crespi in his Felsina, (p. 227, &c.). Other accusations were doubtless advanced against him by inferior parties, who, though commended beyond their merits, secretly, perhaps, believed themselves deserving of still higher praise. Zanotti, too, inserted notices relating to himself, who held in that assembly the offices of president and of secretary, for a much longer period. But domestic and literary matters combined, withdrew his attention from painting in his maturer years; whence we may date his more feeble performances, which convey no great idea of him. Before, however, he had conducted works which exempted him from the pictoric crowd; in which list we may include his grand picture of an Embassy from the People of Romagna to the Bolognese, which ornaments the public palace. In private houses, too, are other compositions, either historical or mythological, composed in excellent taste, one of which is in possession of the Signore Biancani Tazzi, a piece greatly admired by Algarotti, as a perfect model of refined taste. A similar graceful little picture of a Cupid and nymphs, which I saw at Signor Volpi's, displays much poetical imagination, this artist delighting in poetical composition, very different from Lomazzo's and Boschini's, to an extreme old age.[50]
From Zanotti, who was an excellent master, Ercole Lelli acquired his knowledge of design. His extraordinary genius, his anatomical preparations in wax, made by himself and Manzolini for the institution, and his great influence in the instruction of young artists, in the three branches of the fine arts, acquired him great reputation in Italy. At the same time, it is known that he lectured much better than he painted; the art requiring, like a knowledge of languages, close and persevering application, such as Lelli could not command. One of his altar-pieces is reported in the Bolognese Guide; and standing in need of defence, it was truly stated, that it was among his earliest pieces. In the Guide to Piacenza, another, his S. Fedele, at the Cappuccini, is also noticed; though it is added, with more candour, that his highest merit did not consist in painting.
Gio. Viani was fellow-pupil to Pasinelli in the school of Torre; but it is only a conjecture that he was also his assistant. He was a learned painter, not inferior in design to any contemporary of the same school; and added to his powers by assiduous drawing from the living model in the academy, and the study of anatomy, until the close of his career. To such knowledge he united elegance in his forms, softness of colouring, engaging attitudes, lightness of drapery, studying much from life, and giving it an air of grace, in the manner of Torre, or of Guido. That exquisite picture of St. John di Dio, at the hospital of the Buonfratelli, is such a specimen of his art. In the portico of the Servi he represented, in a lunette, S. Filippo Benizi, borne up to heaven by two angels; a figure which, both in countenance and action, breathes an expression of beatitude, conspicuous, even at the side of another history, by Cignani. In other lunettes of the same portico he does not excite equal admiration, and gives us an idea of an artist able to compete with the best masters, but obliged to work with a much larger share of study than they were accustomed to bestow.
Viani opened school opposite that of Cignani, and taught to some extent; in which he was succeeded by his son Domenico, whose life was written by Guidalotti, who, in point of merit, prefers him to his father. Few will subscribe to this opinion, he not having attained to that exactness, much less to that dignity of design, exhibited by his father; and inferior to him in the nature, truth, and clearness of his colouring. Still he possessed a grander character in his outline, a stronger execution, like Guercino's, more splendid ornaments, like the Venetians, whom he assiduously studied in their own capital. There is his St. Antony, at S. Spirito, in Bergamo, in the act of convincing a sceptic by a miracle; a surprising picture, extolled by Rotari and Tiepolo, and perhaps the best work which he left at Bologna. At the same place is his Jove, painted on copper, for the Casa Ratta, besides other works in private houses, to which he chiefly devoted himself.