DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61542#0323
i$37] A FOLLOWER OF SAVONAROLA 273
was probably executed in Verrocchio’s life-time; a
tempera-painting of an angel bringing the Sacrament
to the penitent St. Mary of Egypt, formerly in the
Convent of Santa Chiara and now at Berlin, and the
graceful little Annunciation, in the Uffizi. Here the
youthful Virgin turns round with uplifted hand and
an expression of surprise on her face at the Angel
just alighted on the floor, and through the round arches
and elegant pilasters of the open loggia, we look out
on a lovely stretch of green lawn and woodland shades.
These park-like landscapes, watered with running
streams and planted with long avenues of trees, whose
spreading branches throw deep shadows on the grass,
recur continually in the pictures of Lorenzo, and
form charming settings for his favourite themes of
the Annunciation or Noli me Tangere.
A. nude Venus which has lately been discovered in
the magazines of the Uffizi, and which originally
adorned the Medici villa at Cafaggiuolo, reminds us
that this gentle painter of sacred stories was among
the artists who studied antiques in the Medici
gardens with Leonardo and Michelangelo. But
the fiery eloquence of Savonarola sank deep into
Lorenzo’s gentle nature and influenced the whole
course of his life and art. He became an ardent
piagnone, and burnt his studies of nude and pagan
subjects on the Bonfire of Vanities, during the
Carnival of 1497. In later years he remained
closely associated with the artists who had been
known as the most devoted followers of Fra Giro-
lamo. He painted the portrait of Benivieni, the
poet who gave up writing carnival songs and
licentious ballads to compose Lauds and hymns
was probably executed in Verrocchio’s life-time; a
tempera-painting of an angel bringing the Sacrament
to the penitent St. Mary of Egypt, formerly in the
Convent of Santa Chiara and now at Berlin, and the
graceful little Annunciation, in the Uffizi. Here the
youthful Virgin turns round with uplifted hand and
an expression of surprise on her face at the Angel
just alighted on the floor, and through the round arches
and elegant pilasters of the open loggia, we look out
on a lovely stretch of green lawn and woodland shades.
These park-like landscapes, watered with running
streams and planted with long avenues of trees, whose
spreading branches throw deep shadows on the grass,
recur continually in the pictures of Lorenzo, and
form charming settings for his favourite themes of
the Annunciation or Noli me Tangere.
A. nude Venus which has lately been discovered in
the magazines of the Uffizi, and which originally
adorned the Medici villa at Cafaggiuolo, reminds us
that this gentle painter of sacred stories was among
the artists who studied antiques in the Medici
gardens with Leonardo and Michelangelo. But
the fiery eloquence of Savonarola sank deep into
Lorenzo’s gentle nature and influenced the whole
course of his life and art. He became an ardent
piagnone, and burnt his studies of nude and pagan
subjects on the Bonfire of Vanities, during the
Carnival of 1497. In later years he remained
closely associated with the artists who had been
known as the most devoted followers of Fra Giro-
lamo. He painted the portrait of Benivieni, the
poet who gave up writing carnival songs and
licentious ballads to compose Lauds and hymns