DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62783#0164
96
FRESCO PAINTING.
was sometimes painted in oil, with white lead for the lights) from
which he did not depart in the slightest degree, in the execution of
his picture; and he painted in this manner rapidly, without
hesitation, and with great tranquillity, which may be clearly seen in his
picture of the Nativity, in the picture of the Children in St Bartho-
lomew, in that of the Flight at Sampieri, and in many others. And
this is the true method, although idle persons may say that making
so many designs is a tedious operation which fatigues the mind, and
causes weakness in the execution of the picture, and that it is an
unnecessary labour which is quite thrown away, and that it is better
to make the design on the picture itself. I have never seen any
picture of Annibale, or even of Ludovico, without having had it in
my power to see the designs, either before or after having seen the
picture, and they were as elaborate and highly finished, as I said
those of Agostino were. This may be easily observed in the famous
collections of their most serene Highnesses of Tuscany and Modena ;
at Rome, in the collection of the learned Bellori; at Bologna, in the
collections of the Buonfigliuoli, Pasinelli, Negri, Polazzi, and in my
own collection.”—Malv. Fels. Pitt. Vol. I. p. 484.
The following anecdote shews that large paintings were sometimes
successfully executed in fresco without cartoons.
“ But those who were not acquainted with his (Csesare Baglioni)
witty and facetious character would have been very likely to have
thought him silly, and this actually happened to him the first time
that he was called to Parma, to paint some of the rooms of the ducal
palace there, when he was observed by the other painters to pass
his time as joyfully, and to think no more about the work, than
if it had been play, while they were working so hard at theirs.
They, as they ought to do, made many sketches, and forming from
them a perfect design, prepared from it a cartoon. They then set
the cartoon against the place the picture was to occupy, and
observing whether it suited, they corrected and adjusted it; while
he, laughing and sneering at these preparations of theirs, which he
called impediments and annoyances, after playing his flute, boasted
that he would begin to scratch the lime at once with a nail without
so many sketches and drawings. And it being therefore believed,
and told to the Duke, that he was no less sillv than rash, the Duke
sent for him, and asked him what his intentions were, and whether
he chose to paint his two rooms or not. He replied that he had
come there for no other purpose than to obey his Highness, and as
FRESCO PAINTING.
was sometimes painted in oil, with white lead for the lights) from
which he did not depart in the slightest degree, in the execution of
his picture; and he painted in this manner rapidly, without
hesitation, and with great tranquillity, which may be clearly seen in his
picture of the Nativity, in the picture of the Children in St Bartho-
lomew, in that of the Flight at Sampieri, and in many others. And
this is the true method, although idle persons may say that making
so many designs is a tedious operation which fatigues the mind, and
causes weakness in the execution of the picture, and that it is an
unnecessary labour which is quite thrown away, and that it is better
to make the design on the picture itself. I have never seen any
picture of Annibale, or even of Ludovico, without having had it in
my power to see the designs, either before or after having seen the
picture, and they were as elaborate and highly finished, as I said
those of Agostino were. This may be easily observed in the famous
collections of their most serene Highnesses of Tuscany and Modena ;
at Rome, in the collection of the learned Bellori; at Bologna, in the
collections of the Buonfigliuoli, Pasinelli, Negri, Polazzi, and in my
own collection.”—Malv. Fels. Pitt. Vol. I. p. 484.
The following anecdote shews that large paintings were sometimes
successfully executed in fresco without cartoons.
“ But those who were not acquainted with his (Csesare Baglioni)
witty and facetious character would have been very likely to have
thought him silly, and this actually happened to him the first time
that he was called to Parma, to paint some of the rooms of the ducal
palace there, when he was observed by the other painters to pass
his time as joyfully, and to think no more about the work, than
if it had been play, while they were working so hard at theirs.
They, as they ought to do, made many sketches, and forming from
them a perfect design, prepared from it a cartoon. They then set
the cartoon against the place the picture was to occupy, and
observing whether it suited, they corrected and adjusted it; while
he, laughing and sneering at these preparations of theirs, which he
called impediments and annoyances, after playing his flute, boasted
that he would begin to scratch the lime at once with a nail without
so many sketches and drawings. And it being therefore believed,
and told to the Duke, that he was no less sillv than rash, the Duke
sent for him, and asked him what his intentions were, and whether
he chose to paint his two rooms or not. He replied that he had
come there for no other purpose than to obey his Highness, and as