DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61523#0019
Division II.—Drawings and Sketches.
15
Gentile BELLINI.
Painter: b. about 1426, d. 1507: pupil of his father Jacopo and fellow-
worker with his brother Giovanni: worked principally at Venice (1479-
1481 at Constantinople).
44. Study of a Turkish soldier seated.
Pen-and-ink.
From the Payne-Knight collection.
45. Study of a Turkish woman seated.
Pen-and-ink.
From the Payne-Knight collection.
These two companion studies are at once first-rate examples of the delicate
pen-work practised by some Venetian artists of the time, and interesting
memorials of the visit paid by the elder of the Bellini brothers to Con-
stantinople on the invitation of Mahomet II. in 1479-80. Two similar
drawings are in the Stadel Institute at Frankfort-on-the-Maine (B.M.).
VENETIAN SCHOOL.
46. Design for a chalice.
Pen-and-ink.
From the Arundel, Sadler, John Barnard, and Holford collections.
This extraordinarily elaborate and beautiful drawing for jeweller’s work
has long been famous under the name of Mantegna, and as such was
engraved by Hollar when it was in the collection of the Earl of Arundel.
It has, however, neither the specific stamp of Mantegna’s style, nor the
freedom and boldness of his touch (compare the three following authentic
and excellent examples, nos. 49, 50, and 51), but in minuteness and regu-
larity of workmanship is more akin to the preceding examples by Gent.
Bellini. Its real origin is probably in the school of Murano, where was
produced much beautiful church plate and jewellery. Some of the
special forms both of arch and plait ornament which occur in this drawing
are to be found in chalices and other plate actually existing in the
Treasury of St. Mark’s at Venice. Specially fine is the band of child
angels round the narrow part of the stem, with the apostles in niches
below and the Passion scenes on the cup above (B.M.).
Andrea MANTEGNA.
Painter (the greatest of his age in the North of Italy) and engraver: b.
1431, d. 1506: pupil and adopted son of Fr. Squarcione: worked at
Padua, Mantua, where he lived for many years in the service of Lodovico
Gonzaga, and Rome.
47. The “ Calumny of Apelles”: Innocence arraigned before the
Unjust Judge.
Pen-and-ink.
From the Van der Schelling, Gautier, Barnard, Esdaile, and Lawrence collections.
This subject, taken from a description by Lucian of a picture painted by
Apelles, was a favourite one in Renaissance art (see the picture by Botti-
celli at the Uffizi). The names of the personifications are given in Latin
as Suspicion, Ignorance, Envy, Calumny, Innocence, Truth, Remorse, &c.
This, perhaps the most beautiful drawing by Mantegna, was copied by
Rembrandt while it was in Holland, and the copy is also in the Museum
collection (B.M.).
15
Gentile BELLINI.
Painter: b. about 1426, d. 1507: pupil of his father Jacopo and fellow-
worker with his brother Giovanni: worked principally at Venice (1479-
1481 at Constantinople).
44. Study of a Turkish soldier seated.
Pen-and-ink.
From the Payne-Knight collection.
45. Study of a Turkish woman seated.
Pen-and-ink.
From the Payne-Knight collection.
These two companion studies are at once first-rate examples of the delicate
pen-work practised by some Venetian artists of the time, and interesting
memorials of the visit paid by the elder of the Bellini brothers to Con-
stantinople on the invitation of Mahomet II. in 1479-80. Two similar
drawings are in the Stadel Institute at Frankfort-on-the-Maine (B.M.).
VENETIAN SCHOOL.
46. Design for a chalice.
Pen-and-ink.
From the Arundel, Sadler, John Barnard, and Holford collections.
This extraordinarily elaborate and beautiful drawing for jeweller’s work
has long been famous under the name of Mantegna, and as such was
engraved by Hollar when it was in the collection of the Earl of Arundel.
It has, however, neither the specific stamp of Mantegna’s style, nor the
freedom and boldness of his touch (compare the three following authentic
and excellent examples, nos. 49, 50, and 51), but in minuteness and regu-
larity of workmanship is more akin to the preceding examples by Gent.
Bellini. Its real origin is probably in the school of Murano, where was
produced much beautiful church plate and jewellery. Some of the
special forms both of arch and plait ornament which occur in this drawing
are to be found in chalices and other plate actually existing in the
Treasury of St. Mark’s at Venice. Specially fine is the band of child
angels round the narrow part of the stem, with the apostles in niches
below and the Passion scenes on the cup above (B.M.).
Andrea MANTEGNA.
Painter (the greatest of his age in the North of Italy) and engraver: b.
1431, d. 1506: pupil and adopted son of Fr. Squarcione: worked at
Padua, Mantua, where he lived for many years in the service of Lodovico
Gonzaga, and Rome.
47. The “ Calumny of Apelles”: Innocence arraigned before the
Unjust Judge.
Pen-and-ink.
From the Van der Schelling, Gautier, Barnard, Esdaile, and Lawrence collections.
This subject, taken from a description by Lucian of a picture painted by
Apelles, was a favourite one in Renaissance art (see the picture by Botti-
celli at the Uffizi). The names of the personifications are given in Latin
as Suspicion, Ignorance, Envy, Calumny, Innocence, Truth, Remorse, &c.
This, perhaps the most beautiful drawing by Mantegna, was copied by
Rembrandt while it was in Holland, and the copy is also in the Museum
collection (B.M.).