Citation link:
https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/vasari1851bd4/0540
532 LIVES OF THE ARTISTS.
inferior to her sisters Soplionisba and Lucia. Europa has
already executed many portraits, the likenesses of gentlemen
in Cremona, which are indeed entirely natural and beautiful.
One of the likenesses executed by her hand, that of the
Signora Bianca her mother namely, was sent into Spain
and pleased Sophonisba greatly, as it did every one who
saw it. And since the. fourth named sister, Anna, who is
still but a little child, has also begun to devote herself and
with much profit, to design, I know not what further to say,
than that there must be a great inclination received from
nature, and that to this much practice must needs be added,
before any can hope to equal what has been dene by these
four noble and richly gifted sisters,* who have proved them-
selves enamoured of all the highest qualities, but most espe-
cially of those which appertain to design. At a word the
house of the Signor Amilcar Anguisciola (the most fortunate
father of an admirable and honoured family) appears to me
to be the very abode and dwelling-place of painting, or rather
of all the excellencies.
Meanwhile, since women so well know how to produce
living men, what marvel is it that those who please to do
it should prove so perfectly able to make the painted sem-
blance ? But to return to Giulio Campi, of whom I have
said that these young ladies were disciples; in addition to his
other works there is to be mentioned a large picture which
he painted on cloth to serve as the covering of the organ in
the cathedral church; this is in tempera, it exhibits a vast
number of figures, the subject chosen being events in the
history of Esther and Ahasuerus, with the Crucifixion of
Haman. There is, moreover, a graceful picture by his hand
on the Altar of San Michele in the same church, but since
this Giulio still lives, I will say no more at present in rela-
tion to his works.
The sculptor Geremia, of whom we made mention in the
life of Eilarete,f was also a Cremonese; there is a large
work in marble by his hand in San Lorenzo,^ a house of
* There was a fifth sister, named Elena, but she became a nun.
■f “ This is an error of memory in our author,” remarks one of his com-
patriots, “since he has not mentioned the sculptor, Geremia, in the Life of
Filarete but he has named that artist in the Life of Filippo Brunellesco,
which will be found in the first volume of the present work.
+ This also is an error ; the work in question is the Tomb of the Saints
inferior to her sisters Soplionisba and Lucia. Europa has
already executed many portraits, the likenesses of gentlemen
in Cremona, which are indeed entirely natural and beautiful.
One of the likenesses executed by her hand, that of the
Signora Bianca her mother namely, was sent into Spain
and pleased Sophonisba greatly, as it did every one who
saw it. And since the. fourth named sister, Anna, who is
still but a little child, has also begun to devote herself and
with much profit, to design, I know not what further to say,
than that there must be a great inclination received from
nature, and that to this much practice must needs be added,
before any can hope to equal what has been dene by these
four noble and richly gifted sisters,* who have proved them-
selves enamoured of all the highest qualities, but most espe-
cially of those which appertain to design. At a word the
house of the Signor Amilcar Anguisciola (the most fortunate
father of an admirable and honoured family) appears to me
to be the very abode and dwelling-place of painting, or rather
of all the excellencies.
Meanwhile, since women so well know how to produce
living men, what marvel is it that those who please to do
it should prove so perfectly able to make the painted sem-
blance ? But to return to Giulio Campi, of whom I have
said that these young ladies were disciples; in addition to his
other works there is to be mentioned a large picture which
he painted on cloth to serve as the covering of the organ in
the cathedral church; this is in tempera, it exhibits a vast
number of figures, the subject chosen being events in the
history of Esther and Ahasuerus, with the Crucifixion of
Haman. There is, moreover, a graceful picture by his hand
on the Altar of San Michele in the same church, but since
this Giulio still lives, I will say no more at present in rela-
tion to his works.
The sculptor Geremia, of whom we made mention in the
life of Eilarete,f was also a Cremonese; there is a large
work in marble by his hand in San Lorenzo,^ a house of
* There was a fifth sister, named Elena, but she became a nun.
■f “ This is an error of memory in our author,” remarks one of his com-
patriots, “since he has not mentioned the sculptor, Geremia, in the Life of
Filarete but he has named that artist in the Life of Filippo Brunellesco,
which will be found in the first volume of the present work.
+ This also is an error ; the work in question is the Tomb of the Saints