DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51584#0159
MANTEGNA.
155
who had given such early proofs of assiduity and
ability must ultimately succeed; and though Andrea
was still poor and but little known, and the Bellini
family already rich and celebrated, he did not hesi-
tate to bestow his daughter on the youthful and
modest suitor. This marriage, and what he re-
garded as the revolt of his favourite disciple, so
enraged Squarcione that he never forgave the
offence. Andrea having soon after completed a
picture which excelled his first, his old master at-
tacked it with the most merciless severity, and
publicly denounced its faults : the figures, he said,
were stiff, were cold—without life, without nature ;
and observed sarcastically that Andrea should have
painted them white, like marble, and then the
colour would have harmonized with the drawing.
This criticism came with a particularly ill grace
from him who had taught the very principles he
now condemned, and Andrea felt it bitterly. The
Italian annotator of Vasari remarks very truly,
that excessive praise often turns the brain of the
weak man and renders the man of genius slothful
and careless; but that severe and unjust censure,
while it crushes mediocrity, acts as a spur and ex-
citement to real genius. Andrea showed that he
had sufficient strength of mind to rise superior to
both praise and censure; he felt with disgust and
pain the malignity of his old master ; but he knew
that much of his criticism was just. Instead of
155
who had given such early proofs of assiduity and
ability must ultimately succeed; and though Andrea
was still poor and but little known, and the Bellini
family already rich and celebrated, he did not hesi-
tate to bestow his daughter on the youthful and
modest suitor. This marriage, and what he re-
garded as the revolt of his favourite disciple, so
enraged Squarcione that he never forgave the
offence. Andrea having soon after completed a
picture which excelled his first, his old master at-
tacked it with the most merciless severity, and
publicly denounced its faults : the figures, he said,
were stiff, were cold—without life, without nature ;
and observed sarcastically that Andrea should have
painted them white, like marble, and then the
colour would have harmonized with the drawing.
This criticism came with a particularly ill grace
from him who had taught the very principles he
now condemned, and Andrea felt it bitterly. The
Italian annotator of Vasari remarks very truly,
that excessive praise often turns the brain of the
weak man and renders the man of genius slothful
and careless; but that severe and unjust censure,
while it crushes mediocrity, acts as a spur and ex-
citement to real genius. Andrea showed that he
had sufficient strength of mind to rise superior to
both praise and censure; he felt with disgust and
pain the malignity of his old master ; but he knew
that much of his criticism was just. Instead of