Memoirs of Early Italian Painters; And of the Progress of Painting in Italy. Cimabue to Bassano (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. 1874. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... RAPHAEL SANZIO D'UEBINO. Born 1483, Died 1520. I Have spoken at length of two among the great men who influenced the progress of art in the beginning of the sixteenth century--Lionardo da Vinci and Michael Angelo. The third and greatest name was that of Raphael. In speaking of this wonderful man I shall be more diffuse and enter more into detail than usual. How can we treat in a small compass of him whose fame has filled the universe? In the history of Italian art he stands alone, like Shakspere in the history of our literature; and he takes the same kind of rank, a superiority not merely of degree, but of quality. Everybody has heard of Raphael; every one has attached some associations of excellence and beauty, more or less defined, to that familiar name: but it is necessary to have studied profoundly the history of art, and to have an intimate acquaintance with the productions of contemporary and succeeding artists, to form any just idea of the wide and lasting influence exercised by this harmonious and powerful genius. His works have been an inexhaustible storehouse of ideas to painters and to poets. Everywhere in art we find his traces. Everywhere we Page 2IG. THE NEW YORK 39.--Raphael Sanzio D' Urrino. From a Portrait by himself, in the Uffiti Gallery. PUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR, LENOX AN8 TILUEN FOUNOATIONS. recognise his forms and lines, borrowed or stolen, reproduced, varied, imitated--never improved. Some critic once said, "Show me any sentiment or feeling in any poet, ancient or modern, and I will show you the same thing either as well or better expressed in Shakspere; in the same manner one might say, "Show me in any painter, ancient or modern, any especial beauty of form, expression, or sentiment, and in some picture, drawing, or print after Rapha...