[29] Amandaire—almond-shaped. Strictly speaking, the aureola is the nimbus of the whole body, as the nimbus is the aureola of the head. In Fairholt’s “Dictionary of Terms in Art” is an engraving showing a saint standing in the centre of an almond-shaped aureola—[Ed.]
[30] Grisaille—white and black.—[Ed.]
[31] Probably Alfonso is thus designate!.—[Ed.]
[32] This is obviously a misconception. Lanzi, alluding to the picture, says, “Had Leonardo desired to follow the practice of his age in painting in distemper, the art at this time would have been in possession of this treasure. But being always fond of attempting new methods, he painted this masterpiece upon a peculiar ground, formed of distilled oils, which was the reason that it gradually detached itself from the wall,” &c. And a later authority, Kugler, thus writes: “The determination of Leonardo to execute the work in oil-colours instead of fresco, in order to have the power of finishing the minutest details in so great an undertaking, appears to have been unfortunate.” Distemper differs from fresco in that it is painted on a dry, and not a damp, wall; but in both the vehicle used is of an aqueous, and not an oily, nature.—[Ed.]
[33] Deacon of the Church at Aquila, and afterwards attached to the court of Charlemagne. Paul, who died about the year 799, was distinguished as a poet and historian.—[Ed.]
[34] Or San-Gemignano, a small town between Florence and Siena.—[Ed.]
[35] Giorgione studied under Giovanni Bellini, younger brother of Gentile, and son of Jacopo. M. Lacroix does not even mention Giovanni Bellini, though he is generally esteemed before his father and brother, besides being the master of two of the greatest painters of the Venetian school, Titian and Giorgione; who, however, soon cast aside the antiquated style of their early instructor.—[Ed.]
[36] The famous picture, an altar-piece, representing “Christ bearing his Cross,” known by the name of Lo Spasimo di Sicilia, from its having been painted for the convent of Santa Maria della Spasimo at Palermo, in Sicily. It is now in the Museum of Madrid.—[Ed.]
[37] We can find no authority to support this statement.—[Ed.]
[38] Holbein died of the plague which prevailed in London in 1554.—[Ed.]