DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61670#0409
WORKS IMITATIVE OF ANDREA 223
freedom in the use of colours, dramatic action, and landscape
backgrounds.
The best of these altarpieces is the Nativity in the right
aisle of S. Lorenzo, Bibbiena, which was without doubt executed
before 1520, since it bears the arms of Cardinal Bernardo Dovizi,
who died in that year. The Virgin recalls the Madonna of the
Montepulciano Tabernacle. The shepherds on either side are
dramatic in gesture, and their faces strong and expressive. The
landscape stretches back in thoroughly pictorial fashion. The
nude figure of S. Sebastian in the Predella is well and boldly
modelled. The glaze is good, and the sections more carefully
joined than usual, proving a comparatively early date, probably
not far from the Ascension of La Verna. The whole altar-
piece is thoroughly characteristic of Giovanni’s style, and seems
mostly modelled by his own hand.
The Nativity of Citta di Castello is a reversed and
exaggerated repetition of the foregoing, landscape back-
ground and dramatic action being more strongly accen-
tuated. Here we get our first glimpse of the thoroughly
Verrocchiesque type of face, imitated from the Christ of Or
S. Michele—a face with pronounced features, hair parted in
the centre, smoothed over the head and hanging on the
shoulders in flowing ringlets, cloven beard, and that same
half-hypocritical expression which is so unattractive in the
Or S. Michele group. The sections are much less carefully
joined, and the development of action and of the polychromatic
scheme point to a later date than the Bibbiena version.
The Nativity in the Church of S. Chiara, Borgo S. Sepolcro,
is another variation of these landscape scenes with figures in
dramatic action (half imitated from Andrea, yet showing
strongly the Donatellesque influence), in which Giovanni’s
hand is plainly visible. In the Lunette above he has copied
Andrea’s Annunciation of the Innocenti cortile, adding much
more fervour and energy in action and expression.
Very pictorial is the deep landscape, very lively and
freedom in the use of colours, dramatic action, and landscape
backgrounds.
The best of these altarpieces is the Nativity in the right
aisle of S. Lorenzo, Bibbiena, which was without doubt executed
before 1520, since it bears the arms of Cardinal Bernardo Dovizi,
who died in that year. The Virgin recalls the Madonna of the
Montepulciano Tabernacle. The shepherds on either side are
dramatic in gesture, and their faces strong and expressive. The
landscape stretches back in thoroughly pictorial fashion. The
nude figure of S. Sebastian in the Predella is well and boldly
modelled. The glaze is good, and the sections more carefully
joined than usual, proving a comparatively early date, probably
not far from the Ascension of La Verna. The whole altar-
piece is thoroughly characteristic of Giovanni’s style, and seems
mostly modelled by his own hand.
The Nativity of Citta di Castello is a reversed and
exaggerated repetition of the foregoing, landscape back-
ground and dramatic action being more strongly accen-
tuated. Here we get our first glimpse of the thoroughly
Verrocchiesque type of face, imitated from the Christ of Or
S. Michele—a face with pronounced features, hair parted in
the centre, smoothed over the head and hanging on the
shoulders in flowing ringlets, cloven beard, and that same
half-hypocritical expression which is so unattractive in the
Or S. Michele group. The sections are much less carefully
joined, and the development of action and of the polychromatic
scheme point to a later date than the Bibbiena version.
The Nativity in the Church of S. Chiara, Borgo S. Sepolcro,
is another variation of these landscape scenes with figures in
dramatic action (half imitated from Andrea, yet showing
strongly the Donatellesque influence), in which Giovanni’s
hand is plainly visible. In the Lunette above he has copied
Andrea’s Annunciation of the Innocenti cortile, adding much
more fervour and energy in action and expression.
Very pictorial is the deep landscape, very lively and