DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7598#0024
492
ANDREA MANTEGNA.
[chap. vii.
before him, on the one hand, the two large upright engravings of
Mantegna, representing " the taking down from the cross," and
" the burial of Christ," probably intended as companions ; and, on
the other, the same subject as the last-mentioned print, represented,
in figures of greater dimensions, on a large plate, lengthways. In
these three engravings, he will discover the same diligent attention
to minute detail throughout; all of them are finished in the same
manner by diagonal hatchings; the figures in all are designed
with intelligence; and the heads are full of character and expres-
sion. But in the first two pieces, he will observe, in the arrange-
ment of the groups and the drawing of the individual figures,
a certain simplicity of manner, joined to a meagerness of
form, characteristic of the middle of the fifteenth century, which
he will in vain search for in the other; wherein the artist, besides
exerting himself to give a greater fulness and sweep of outline to
the naked parts of the figures, and increased expression of grief to
the countenances, (an expression which, in the head of St. John,
perhaps borders on grimace,) has also adopted a more artificial mode
of grouping; and successfully endeavoured, by uniting the several
parts of his composition into a few large masses, to give the whole
a greater breadth of effect. In this latter print, moreover, he will
find that the heads of the principal figures are wholly unaccom-
panied by the diadems or glories, which are delineated, and even
fore-shortened, with so much care, in the two former; and which,
as I have often had occasion to remark, became gradually discarded,
by the best Italian artists, after the middle of the fifteenth century.
In short, after a careful comparison of these pieces, he will, per-
haps, agree with me in the opinion, that the first two were
executed at an early period of the artist's career; the third, towards
its close.
With respect to the number of engravings by Mantegna at
present known, the * two Italian writers lately mentioned, differ
very considerably in opinion. Lanzi, (torn. i. p. 94, ediz. 1795,)
speaks of their amounting to " near fifty; most of them of large
ANDREA MANTEGNA.
[chap. vii.
before him, on the one hand, the two large upright engravings of
Mantegna, representing " the taking down from the cross," and
" the burial of Christ," probably intended as companions ; and, on
the other, the same subject as the last-mentioned print, represented,
in figures of greater dimensions, on a large plate, lengthways. In
these three engravings, he will discover the same diligent attention
to minute detail throughout; all of them are finished in the same
manner by diagonal hatchings; the figures in all are designed
with intelligence; and the heads are full of character and expres-
sion. But in the first two pieces, he will observe, in the arrange-
ment of the groups and the drawing of the individual figures,
a certain simplicity of manner, joined to a meagerness of
form, characteristic of the middle of the fifteenth century, which
he will in vain search for in the other; wherein the artist, besides
exerting himself to give a greater fulness and sweep of outline to
the naked parts of the figures, and increased expression of grief to
the countenances, (an expression which, in the head of St. John,
perhaps borders on grimace,) has also adopted a more artificial mode
of grouping; and successfully endeavoured, by uniting the several
parts of his composition into a few large masses, to give the whole
a greater breadth of effect. In this latter print, moreover, he will
find that the heads of the principal figures are wholly unaccom-
panied by the diadems or glories, which are delineated, and even
fore-shortened, with so much care, in the two former; and which,
as I have often had occasion to remark, became gradually discarded,
by the best Italian artists, after the middle of the fifteenth century.
In short, after a careful comparison of these pieces, he will, per-
haps, agree with me in the opinion, that the first two were
executed at an early period of the artist's career; the third, towards
its close.
With respect to the number of engravings by Mantegna at
present known, the * two Italian writers lately mentioned, differ
very considerably in opinion. Lanzi, (torn. i. p. 94, ediz. 1795,)
speaks of their amounting to " near fifty; most of them of large