DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22421#0324
260 THE BRITISH MUSEUM. Letter IX.
The death of Virginia (Bartsch, vol. xiii., p. 108, No. 5), par-
taking also of Roberta's early manner, indicates an original design
of very inferior merit.
Of the admirable but rare engraver whose works are inscribed
P. P., only four plates (described by Bartsch, vol. xiii., p. 356, &c.)
are here. He belongs, in my opinion, decidedly to the school of
Northern Italy. Since writing the above this opinion has been
confirmed by the researches of my friend Herr Harzen, the well-
known connoisseur, who has ascertained* that this engraver is no
other than the painter Martino of Udine, scholar of Giovanni
Bellini, who is known in the history of art by the name of Pelle-
grino da S. Daniello.
The Lion Hunt (No. 1). The conception of this spirited and
delicately treated plate is throughout of a landscape character, and
indicates in every respect the school of Romagna. In many
points it recalls Lorenzo Costa. The artist probably executed
the drawing for this engraving during his residence in Ferrara.
LTere is also a reversed copy of the size of the original.
A rich allegorical composition (No. 3). Bartsch has closely
described this plate, though without attempting any explanation of
the various puzzling allusions. In the beauty of the figures, the
grace of the motives, the fine drawing of difficult positions and
foreshortenings, no less than in the intelligent and masterly execu-
tion, this engraving is of the highest class of merit; while the
treatment of the shadows with the dry point gives it, as Bartsch
remarks, the look of the most highly finished modern pen-drawing.
The composition corresponds in spirit, proportions, feeling for
beauty of form, as in all other respects, with the latest works of
Andrea Mantegna—for instance, with the two allegorical pictures
painted for the Marchesa di Mantua, now in the Louvre. Nor is
the decided influence of this master to be wondered at, when we
remember that he was the brother-in-law of Giovanni Bellini. It
is also very interesting to compare with it the plate described by
Bartsch as engraved in the dotted manner, and which in some
part, owing to the worn state of the plate and to the badness of
the work, gives the idea of a woolly uncertain lithograph,
cannot, however, persuade myself that this retouching is the wori
of Pellegrino da S. Daniello himself, as Herr Harzen believes.
* Peutsches Kanst-Blatt, 1853, Nos. 23, 24, and 28.
The death of Virginia (Bartsch, vol. xiii., p. 108, No. 5), par-
taking also of Roberta's early manner, indicates an original design
of very inferior merit.
Of the admirable but rare engraver whose works are inscribed
P. P., only four plates (described by Bartsch, vol. xiii., p. 356, &c.)
are here. He belongs, in my opinion, decidedly to the school of
Northern Italy. Since writing the above this opinion has been
confirmed by the researches of my friend Herr Harzen, the well-
known connoisseur, who has ascertained* that this engraver is no
other than the painter Martino of Udine, scholar of Giovanni
Bellini, who is known in the history of art by the name of Pelle-
grino da S. Daniello.
The Lion Hunt (No. 1). The conception of this spirited and
delicately treated plate is throughout of a landscape character, and
indicates in every respect the school of Romagna. In many
points it recalls Lorenzo Costa. The artist probably executed
the drawing for this engraving during his residence in Ferrara.
LTere is also a reversed copy of the size of the original.
A rich allegorical composition (No. 3). Bartsch has closely
described this plate, though without attempting any explanation of
the various puzzling allusions. In the beauty of the figures, the
grace of the motives, the fine drawing of difficult positions and
foreshortenings, no less than in the intelligent and masterly execu-
tion, this engraving is of the highest class of merit; while the
treatment of the shadows with the dry point gives it, as Bartsch
remarks, the look of the most highly finished modern pen-drawing.
The composition corresponds in spirit, proportions, feeling for
beauty of form, as in all other respects, with the latest works of
Andrea Mantegna—for instance, with the two allegorical pictures
painted for the Marchesa di Mantua, now in the Louvre. Nor is
the decided influence of this master to be wondered at, when we
remember that he was the brother-in-law of Giovanni Bellini. It
is also very interesting to compare with it the plate described by
Bartsch as engraved in the dotted manner, and which in some
part, owing to the worn state of the plate and to the badness of
the work, gives the idea of a woolly uncertain lithograph,
cannot, however, persuade myself that this retouching is the wori
of Pellegrino da S. Daniello himself, as Herr Harzen believes.
* Peutsches Kanst-Blatt, 1853, Nos. 23, 24, and 28.