International studio (40.1910)

The John G. Johnson Collection

Francesco da Rimini, with
the Squarcionesque fruit
wreath, illustrates the ming-
ling of North Italian and
Central Italian motives. Sev-
eral other works, as a Ma-
donna on an Early Renais-
sance throne with curtains
and a landscape vista and
the Christ Child holding a
bird, and an upright Ma-
donna with the Child seated
on a cushion holding an
apple or orange, may belong
to the Marches. I can make
little of the Madonna ascrib-
ed to Melozzo da Forli, but
there is an Angel Gabriel
of Melozzo's following—per-
haps a Palmezzano—and an
important Madonna by the
now well-known Roman
painter, Antoniazzo, a pupil
of Melozzo, who is also at
times close to the more typi-
cally Umbrian Firenzo. A
fine single figure of a Male
Saint holding a lily, repro-
duced by F. M. Perkins in
his important notice of the i ' i i

collection with a tentative isU^BL

attribution to Alvise VlVar- Collection oj John C. Johnson, Esq.

ini, seems to me inspired by j^q^a attributed to squaecioxe
Fiorenzo in its nervous
draughtsmanship—quite like

Alvise's—and to be, perhaps, by Antoniazzo. Madonnas of great charm I omit for want of

One should compare Mrs. Gardner's beautiful definite notes.

Annunciation, disputed now between Antoniazzo The representation of the north Italian schools,

and Fiorenzo. A small Mystic Marriage oj St. including the Venetian, is very strong. The lead-

Cathcrine may also be in this milieu. It is ing masters may be seen in typical work, mostly well

similar to a picture in the Vatican Gallery and known. The Lady Worshipping an Idol, already

may be compared with certain works ascribed to mentioned, is the earliest example in this region,

the youth of the north Italian Micrino d'Alba. We give a reproduction of a recently acquired

The brilliant Magdclen, a bold, rapid improvisa- Madonna attributed to Squarcione, but the rare

tion ascribed to Signorelli, is either a very late ex- dignity and beauty of the work depend largely on

ample of that master or an able atelier piece. We the color. A rope of coral, wonderfully painted

have the true Umbrian strain in a suave Madonna against the pale sky, exhibits a fresh note of eager

of the school of Perugino. The Virgin adores the research into values of tone and color—and a new

Child on her lap between a youthful St. John the technique; also a representative ideal joined to the

Baptist and St. Stephen. Several other semi- decorative, which, with the lighting of the stuffs

Umbrian works will repay study: as a good St. and a tense harmony of wonderful mottled greens,

Peter, strong in color; an upright Pieta, Christ light wine reds and other notes, seems to lie at the

between Mary and the Magdclen. I no doubt basis of the style of the young Giovanni Bellini,

overlooked some things in this region, and several We surely have at least a clear relationship here to

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