DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61670#0309
LA VERNA
171
work in imitation of Andrea. All are probably of a late
period, dating either towards the end of the fifteenth or the
beginning of the sixteenth century.
What a contrast as we leave this church where all
the artists are at their best, Andrea rising almost to the
level of Luca and Giovanni to that of Andrea, to come
upon the meretricious Pieta in the open chapel outside!
This large altarpiece represents almost the lowest depths
to which the atelier sank, both for triviality of sentiment
and poor execution. It is a highly-coloured and mechanical
imitation of the Pieta by Giovanni in the Museo Nazionale,
Florence.
Between this last extreme of the school’s decline and the
fine altarpieces of Andrea several atelier works may be placed,
the Madonna and Child in the Refectory of the Convent
(known to me only through the photograph, for no woman
is allowed to enter), the medallion with the Holy Lamb
in the centre of the vaulting of the Chiesa Maggiore, the very
late relief over the door of the Cappella delle Stimate repre-
senting S. Francesco receiving the Stigmata, and the two many-
coloured works right and left of the screen which divides
the Chiesa degli Angeli, interesting only as specimens of
realistic treatment, and for the opacity and mixed tones, no
longer clear or clean, of the glazes, a characteristic of the late
school.
But one more work remains to be noticed, the Crucifix
in the tiny Chapel of La Penna, on the very summit of the
rock, a mile’s climb from the convent. This, though of little
importance as a work of art, has the interest of bearing a date,
earlier than from its style would have been judged. The
Crucifix is polychromatic, with much clear brownish-yellow.
It is insignificant in feeling, poor in modelling, and much
restored. Below it in glazed terra-cotta, evidently part of the
original altarpiece, is the inscription, Caroli Angelarivs
Antonivs, 1482. Whether this refers to the date of execu-
171
work in imitation of Andrea. All are probably of a late
period, dating either towards the end of the fifteenth or the
beginning of the sixteenth century.
What a contrast as we leave this church where all
the artists are at their best, Andrea rising almost to the
level of Luca and Giovanni to that of Andrea, to come
upon the meretricious Pieta in the open chapel outside!
This large altarpiece represents almost the lowest depths
to which the atelier sank, both for triviality of sentiment
and poor execution. It is a highly-coloured and mechanical
imitation of the Pieta by Giovanni in the Museo Nazionale,
Florence.
Between this last extreme of the school’s decline and the
fine altarpieces of Andrea several atelier works may be placed,
the Madonna and Child in the Refectory of the Convent
(known to me only through the photograph, for no woman
is allowed to enter), the medallion with the Holy Lamb
in the centre of the vaulting of the Chiesa Maggiore, the very
late relief over the door of the Cappella delle Stimate repre-
senting S. Francesco receiving the Stigmata, and the two many-
coloured works right and left of the screen which divides
the Chiesa degli Angeli, interesting only as specimens of
realistic treatment, and for the opacity and mixed tones, no
longer clear or clean, of the glazes, a characteristic of the late
school.
But one more work remains to be noticed, the Crucifix
in the tiny Chapel of La Penna, on the very summit of the
rock, a mile’s climb from the convent. This, though of little
importance as a work of art, has the interest of bearing a date,
earlier than from its style would have been judged. The
Crucifix is polychromatic, with much clear brownish-yellow.
It is insignificant in feeling, poor in modelling, and much
restored. Below it in glazed terra-cotta, evidently part of the
original altarpiece, is the inscription, Caroli Angelarivs
Antonivs, 1482. Whether this refers to the date of execu-