A History of Painting in Italy, Umbria, Florence and Siena, from the Second to the Sixteenth Century (Volume 3) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1908. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV THE UMBRIAN SCHOOL AND THE PAINTERS OF GUBBIO, FABRIANO, AND THE MARCHES UBBIO and Fabriano, which were centres of art culture in the vX thirteenth century, were as near to Siena, geographically, as they were near to Siena in their forms of painting. The Umbrian school is hardly to be distinguished from that of Siena, except in a certain feebleness and strained application of those qualities of grace which are conspicuous in Simone. The Gubbians were painters of great delicacy, given to minute finish and decorative detail; subtle designers, studying varieties of tint in patterns, and careless of effects of movement and contrasted light and shade. It was natural that men of this artistic temper should have begun with miniature, and subsequently applied the skill of the miniaturist to larger pictures. The first master of Gubbio whose name occurs in contemporary literature is Oderisio, of whom Dante wrote in the Purgatorio that he did honour to his native place though he was but second to Franco of Bologna.1 The Umbrian school, founded by Oderisio and Franco Bolognese, is remarkable for a clear, gay, and transparent colouring, which charms by the bright softness of its tones. Minute ornament of tasteful and capricious outlines does not exclude a certain elegance and breadth of drapery. But grace rather than power, tenderness rather than majesty, are the qualities and defects which time developed. Delicate finish and research of detail absorbed too much labour and attention, and wall paintings, whatever their size might be, remained but miniatures on an extended scale. In Umbria, no doubt, painting dates from the remotest times; yet in Gubbio it may be difficult to point to any name older than that of Oderisio, the contemporary of Giotto and of D...