Among these native artists I may be allowed to commemorate two foreigners, who came to Genoa and established themselves there, and succeeded to the chief artists of this epoch, or were their competitors. The one was Jacopo Boni of Bologna, who was carried to Genoa by his master Franceschini as an assistant, when he painted the great hall of the Palazzo Publico. Boni from that time was esteemed and employed there, and established himself there in 1726. There are some fine works by him, especially in fresco, in the Palazzo Mari and in many others; and the most remarkable which he executed in the state is in the oratory of the Costa, at S. Remo: but we have spoken sufficiently of him in the third Book.
The other, who repaired thither three years afterwards, was Sebastiano Galeotti, a Florentine, and in his native city a scholar of Ghilardini, in Bologna of Giangioseffo dal Sole, a man of an eccentric and facile genius; a good designer when he pleased, a bold colourist, beautiful in the air of his heads, and fitted for large compositions in fresco, in which he was sometimes assisted in the ornamental parts by Natali of Cremona. He decorated the church of the Magdalen in Genoa; and those frescos, which first made him known in the city, are among his most finished productions; but he was obliged, after painting the first history, to soften his tones in some degree. He worked little in his native city, and that only in his early years; whence he does not there enjoy so high a reputation as in Upper Italy. He traversed it almost all in the same manner as the Zuccheri, Peruzzini, Ricchi, and other adventurers of the art, whose lives were spent in travelling from place to place, and who repeated themselves in every city, giving the same figures, without any fresh design, and often the same subject entire. Hence we still find the works of this painter, not only in many cities of Tuscany, but also in Piacenza and Parma, where he executed many works for the court; and also in Codogno, Lodi, Cremona, Milan, Vicenza, Bergamo, and Turin, in which latter city he was appointed director of the academy. In this office he ended his days in 1746. Genoa was however his home, where he was succeeded by two sons, Giuseppe and Gio. Batista, who were living in 1769, and are mentioned with commendation by Ratti as excellent painters.
From the middle of the century to our own days, what from the evils of war in which Genoa was involved, and the general decline of the art in Italy, but few artists present themselves to our notice. Domenico Bocciardo of Finale, a scholar and follower of Morandi, possessed considerable merit in historical cabinet pictures; a painter of not much genius, but correct, and a beautiful colourist. At S. Paolo in Genoa there is by him a S. Giovanni baptizing the Multitude; and although there are many better pictures by him in the state, still this is sufficient to render him respectable. Francesco Campora, a native of Polcevera, also possessed some reputation. He had studied in Naples under Solimene, from whose school came also Gio. Stefano Maia, an excellent portrait painter. A Batista Chiappe of Novi, who had spent much time in Rome in drawing, and had become a good colourist in Milan, gave great promise of excellence. In the church of S. Ignazio of Alessandria there is a large picture of the patron saint, one of his best performances, well conceived and well composed; a noble ground, a beautiful choir of angels, a fine character in the principal figure, except that the head does not present a true portrait. We should have seen still better works, but the author was arrested in his career by death; and he is described by Ratti as the last person of merit of the Genoese School.
This school was for some time scanty in good perspective painters. Although Padre Pozzi was in Genoa, he did not form any scholars there. Bologna, more than any other place, supplied him with them. From thence came Colonna and Mitelli, at that time so much esteemed; thither also repaired Aldovrandini and the two brothers Haffner, Henry and Antony. The latter joined the monks of the order of St. Philip in Genoa, and decorated the church of that saint and other places, and initiated in the profession Gio. Batista Revello, called Il Mustacchi. His works were also studied by Francesco Costa, who was an ornamental painter from the school of Gregorio de' Ferrari. These two young men, from the similarity of their profession, one which combines in itself the greatest rivalry and the greatest friendship, became in process of time inseparable. They both conjointly served, for nearly the space of twenty years, the various historical painters mentioned in this epoch, preparing for them the perspectives and ornaments, and whatever else the art required. They are both alike commended for their knowledge of perspective, their grace, brilliancy, and harmony of tints; but Revello, in the embellishment of flowers, is preferred to his companion. Their best performance is considered to be at Pegli, in the Palazzo Grillo, where they ornamented a saloon and some chambers. There are also many works which they conducted separately, being considered as the Colonna and Mitelli of their country.
The most justly celebrated landscape painter of this epoch is Carlo Antonio Tavella, the scholar of Tempesta in Milan, and of Gruenbrech, a German, who, from the fires he introduced into his landscapes, was called Solfarolo. He at first emulated this artist; he then softened his style, from studying the works of Castiglione and Poussin, and the best Flemish painters. Amongst the Genoese landscape painters he ranks the next after Sestri. His works are easily distinguished in the collections of Genoa, particularly in the palace Franchi, which had more than three hundred pictures by him, and acquired for him the reputation of one of the first artists of the age. We are there presented with warm skies, beautiful distances in the landscape, pleasing effects of light; the trees, flowers, and animals are gracefully touched, and with wonderful truth of nature. In his figures he was assisted by the two Pioli, father and son; and oftener by Magnasco, with whom he was associated in work. He sometimes inserted them in his pictures himself, copying them indeed from the originals designed by his comrades, but identifying them by a style peculiarly his own. Tavella had a daughter of the name of Angiola, of a feeble invention, but a good copyist of her father's designs. He had also many other imitators; amongst whom one Niccolò Micone, or as he is commonly called by his fellow-citizens Lo Zoppo, most nearly resembles him.
Alessandro Magnasco, called Lissandrino, was the son of one Stefano, who was instructed by Valerio Castello, afterwards resided many years in Rome, and died young, leaving behind him few pictures, but extreme regret for the death of an artist of so much promise. His son was instructed by Abbiati in Milan; and that bold and simple stroke of the pencil, which his master used in his larger pictures, he transferred to his subjects of humour, shows and popular meetings, in which he may be called the Cerquozzi of his school. His figures are scarcely more than a span large. Ceremonies of the church, schools of maids and youths, chapters of friars, military exercises, artists' shops, Jewish synagogues, are the subjects he painted with humour and delight. These eccentric pieces are not rare in Milan, and there are some in the Palazzo Pitti at Florence, where Magnasco resided some years, a great favourite with the Grand Duke Gio. Gastone and all his court. When he accompanied other painters in their works, as often happened to him, he added very apposite subjects; this he did, not only in the landscapes of Tavella and others, but also in the ruins of Clemente Spera in Milan, and in other pictures of architecture. This artist was more esteemed by foreigners than by his own countrymen. His bold touch, though joined to a noble conception and to correct drawing, did not attract in Genoa, because it is far removed from the finish and union of tints which these masters followed; hence Magnasco worked little in his native country, and left no scholar there. In the school of Venice he educated a celebrated scholar, Sebastian Ricci, of whom mention has been made more than once.
Not many years since died Gio. Agostino Ratti of Savona, a painter of delightful genius. He ornamented the theatres with beautiful scenes, and the cabinets with lively caricatures, which he also engraved. He was clever in church paintings, as may be seen in the church of S. Giovanni at Savona, where, besides other subjects of the Baptist, there is a much praised Decollation. He painted also in the church of S. Teresa in Genoa; and was always a follower of Luti, whose school he had frequented when in Rome. He was also a good fresco painter; and I have seen his works in the choir of the Conventual church in Casale di Monferrato, where he added figures to the perspective of Natali of Cremona. But subjects of humour were his forte. In these he had an exhaustless fancy, fertile and ever creative. Nothing can be more amusing than his masks, representing quarrels, dances, and such scenes as form the subjects of comedy. Luti, who was his master in Rome, extolled him as one of the first artists in this line, and even equalled him to Ghezzi. This information respecting Gio. Agostino was communicated to me by his son, the Cavaliere often mentioned in the course of this work,[70] and who died in 1795.
The artists of this school, of our own day, will doubtless also receive their meed of praise from posterity. They are now industriously occupied in establishing their own fame, and conferring honour on their country. The rising generation, who are entering upon the art, may look for increased support from the Genoese academy, recently founded for the promotion of the three sister arts. Within these few years the members of this academy have been furnished with a splendid domicile, with an abundant collection of select casts and rare designs. With such masters and so many gratuitous sources of assistance to study, this institution may be already numbered amongst the most useful and ornamental of the city. This establishment owes its existence to the genius and liberality of a number of noblemen, who united together in its splendid foundation, and who continue to support it by their patronage.
[64] It is inserted in the 7th vol. of the Lettere Pittoriche, p. 148.
[65] The decree is given by the Cavalier Ratti in the notes to Soprani. The names of the noble painters, amateurs of the art, may be found in those two authors.