DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61252#0353
LANSDOWNE COLLECTION.
309
The companion picture—-
40 Portrait of the Marchesa Ricciarelli.—She wears
a robe with full white sleeves; the head-dress a blue hand-
kerchief, loosely, and even wildly, thrown round the head.
In the right hand a pen, and in the left a book. The figure
is turned off to the right, but the eyes are looking round at
the spectator. The features small, refined, and intellectual;
but with a “ lurking devil” in the expression, which is
rather alarming, while it adds to the fascination of the
picture. B.
These two portraits are from the gallery of the Casa
Nicolini, one of the most celebrated of the old collections
at Florence.*
SARTO (Andrea del), b. 1488 ; d. 1530. [See p. 243.]
41 A RipOSO.—The Virgin and Child, with St. Joseph,
The Virgin seated on the ground, f full length, holding the
Infant on her knee; St. Joseph leaning on his staff behind.
Figures life size. A picture of consummate beauty, as re-
gards the composition, colour, and chiaroscuro. The head
of the Virgin is the same which Andrea del Sarto has so
frequently introduced—the portrait of his wife, (Lucrezia
da Baccio, of whom Vasari gives no pleasing character.)
He was one of the earliest painters who desecrated sacred
subjects, by abandoning altogether the ideal types, and
turning them into portraiture.^ L. II.
Purchased from Lord Radstock’s collection.
42 A small Study—for the famous fresco, “ The Madonna
del Sacco,” in the church of the Annunziata, at Florence.
Brilliantly and delicately coloured. It differs from the
* In Passeri’s Life of Salvator, I find no mention of a Marchesa Ricciarelli.
The Abbe Ricciardi was the friend and correspondent of Salvator. The “ lady
of his love” at Florence, was Donna Lucretia, “ una donna di bell’ aspetto e di
buona qualita,” who lived with him at Florence, and accompanied him to Rome.
Such, however, was the character of Salvator, and his mode of life, that he may
have been in love with this marchesa also.
+ Andrea del Sarto was one of the earliest painters who took down the Vir-
gin from her throne, and placed her on the ground. It was also about his time
that the Riposo as a subject became fashionable.
t Fra Filippo Lippo was, I believe, the first who set this ill example, about 1450.
309
The companion picture—-
40 Portrait of the Marchesa Ricciarelli.—She wears
a robe with full white sleeves; the head-dress a blue hand-
kerchief, loosely, and even wildly, thrown round the head.
In the right hand a pen, and in the left a book. The figure
is turned off to the right, but the eyes are looking round at
the spectator. The features small, refined, and intellectual;
but with a “ lurking devil” in the expression, which is
rather alarming, while it adds to the fascination of the
picture. B.
These two portraits are from the gallery of the Casa
Nicolini, one of the most celebrated of the old collections
at Florence.*
SARTO (Andrea del), b. 1488 ; d. 1530. [See p. 243.]
41 A RipOSO.—The Virgin and Child, with St. Joseph,
The Virgin seated on the ground, f full length, holding the
Infant on her knee; St. Joseph leaning on his staff behind.
Figures life size. A picture of consummate beauty, as re-
gards the composition, colour, and chiaroscuro. The head
of the Virgin is the same which Andrea del Sarto has so
frequently introduced—the portrait of his wife, (Lucrezia
da Baccio, of whom Vasari gives no pleasing character.)
He was one of the earliest painters who desecrated sacred
subjects, by abandoning altogether the ideal types, and
turning them into portraiture.^ L. II.
Purchased from Lord Radstock’s collection.
42 A small Study—for the famous fresco, “ The Madonna
del Sacco,” in the church of the Annunziata, at Florence.
Brilliantly and delicately coloured. It differs from the
* In Passeri’s Life of Salvator, I find no mention of a Marchesa Ricciarelli.
The Abbe Ricciardi was the friend and correspondent of Salvator. The “ lady
of his love” at Florence, was Donna Lucretia, “ una donna di bell’ aspetto e di
buona qualita,” who lived with him at Florence, and accompanied him to Rome.
Such, however, was the character of Salvator, and his mode of life, that he may
have been in love with this marchesa also.
+ Andrea del Sarto was one of the earliest painters who took down the Vir-
gin from her throne, and placed her on the ground. It was also about his time
that the Riposo as a subject became fashionable.
t Fra Filippo Lippo was, I believe, the first who set this ill example, about 1450.