CHAP. I.

THE Arts of Designing have had their rise, progress, decay and revival. De­signing derives it's Original from the divine Understanding it self, as the first great Exemplar of all Beings: When God created Man, he ^(a) took Earth, and formed it into Shape, and breathed into it the Breath of Life; thus the first Design or Draught of human Figure comes immediately from God himself: Who has furnish'd us with a Faculty receptive of various Ideas, and capable of distinguishing their Forms one from another; this Distinction is the first Principle of Designing: It is connate with us, [Page 2]but improved by Study of the Art, wherein two Things are to be considered, 1st. The Picture or Image of the visible Object in our Imagination. 2dly. The Art of laying it Down, or represen­ting it by the Hand. The Imagination is far stronger in some than in others, either by a na­tural Genius and strong Tendency this Way, or by a particular Gift of Heaven. For Moses says, of ^(b) Bezaleel, that God had filled him with his Spirit in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.

It is therefore the Spirit of ^(c) God which is the first Author of Designing, and it ought rather to be look'd upon as a ^(d) Gift of Heaven, than an Invention of Man. This Truth has been ac­knowledged in all Ages, the Children of Seth, were very careful to engrave on ^(e) two Pil­lars the Principles of Astronomy, That that Sci­ence might not Perish in the Deluge which they were assured would happen.

Their care was rewarded with the desired Suc­cess, for those Pillars remained standing a long time after Noah; and there are some that Write, that the Sons of Seth found out the Way of re­presenting Images and ^(f) Portraitures in Paint­ing. [Page 3]But in the mean time we have no manner of certainty, that these Arts of Designing were practised before the Deluge. History leaves us in the dark, and relates very little of the Acti­ons of Mankind in the first ^(g) Age. But we may probably Conjecture, that Noah who had Commerce with the Sons of Seth, who had known Adam, learnt those Arts from them, and that he was a very good Geometrician. This is evident from the Structure of the ^(h) Ark, which was a piece of naval Architecture, and presupposed the Art of ⁽ⁱ⁾ Designing, from which Geometry is inseparable.

CHAP. II.

IN the 2d ^(a) Age, the Art of Designing be­gan to appear in Sculpture and Architecture; for after Noah had re-peopled the Earth, the As­syrians began to Cultivate these Arts. The first Essay that shewed it self, was the Tower of Ba­bel, which was never perfected by reason of the Confusion of the Languages.

Belus commonly called Nimrod, the ^(b) First King of the Assyrians, was the Author of that famous Structure; and afterwards in the same Place built Babylon, where he arrogated to him­self divine Adoration. Ninus's Son erected to him the first Temple in the World, and consecra­ted ^(c) Statues to his Memory; which was the first Rise of Idolatry. It was this Ninus who founded Ninive, a City of ^(d) three Days Jour­ney in length, and made himself Master of all Asia. His Wife Semiramis finish'd the Walls of [Page 5] Babylon, which were reckoned one of the seven Wonders of the World, to which might have been added, the Gardens wherewith that City was adorned, and which were on the Tops of the Palaces.

Semiramis, Moreover caused the Mountain ^(e) Bagiston to be cut in the Shape of several Statues, and carried the Arts and Sciences into ^(f) Egypt, and among the Thebans after having Conquered those Kingdoms. All Historians agree, that Babylon was a very ^(g) beautiful City; that it was full of magnificent Buildings, and Famous for the Temple of Jupiter Belus: That it had a hundred Gates of Brass, which shews us that the Fusion of Metals was then in Use, and that other pieces of Workmanship which depend on Designing were then discovered.

Hence it is also Evident, that the Arts of Designing were not found out by Chance, since those first and excellent Pieces of Architecture and Sculpture could not have been performed without the Help of Art, which had been trans­mitted down to those great Designers contem­porary to ^(h) Noah, and removed but two Ge­nerations from Adam.

CHAP. III.

THESE Arts having been so successfully practised among the Assyrians, were by them carried into Egypt, and all their Conquests; in so much that the Egyptians were the first who cultivated them. Their Labyrinth was a proof of it. It was a ^(a) Building so admirable, that besides its ingenious Windings and Meanders, there were all the Temples of the Egyptian Gods adorned with Columns of Porphiry, with the Statues of their Divinities and of their Princes, with several rich Palaces which made that Edifice so famous and remarkable, that the first Archi­tects of Grece were wont to travel thither to Study [Page 7]the Depth of the Rules of their Art. This fa­mous Labyrinth and the wonderful Buildings it included, give us a lively Idea of the surprising Greatness of the Architecture and Sculpture of this People; their Pyramids, their Obelisks which are still to be seen, and the Fragment of the Co­lossal ^(b) Image of Sphinx, the Head whereof was a hundred and twenty Foot in Circumference, are evidences of this Truth.

In the 3d ^(c) Age, these Arts flourish'd in the Reigns of the Pharaohs: Abraham when he tra­vell'd into Egypt, Taught there Arithmetick and Astrology. The Assyrians and Chaldeans employ'd themselves so much in Sculpture, that it became common, not only in the Temples but in Pri­vate-houses, as Laban had Idols which his ^(e) Daughter Rachel stole, when Jacob and his Fa­mily parted from him.

After that Jacob went and lived in Egypt, where his Posterity encreased, and learned the Arts of Designing, and ^(f) gave a Proof of the Pro­gress they had made therein in the Wilderness, by the ill Use they put them to. For being tired with expectation of Moses's return down from the Mount, they made the ^(g) Golden Calf, where­upon he forbid the making of Idols and Idolatry. After this by the Order of God he chose ^(h) Be­zaleel ^(d) [Page 8] zaleel and Aholiab to make Golden Images of Che­rubins, and all the Ornaments of Architecture and Sculpture for the Tabernacle, and the Ark of the Covenant.

CHAP. IV.

WE have no certainty that the Art of Designing was in Grece before the year of the World 2600; but that from the Egyptians it went to the Phoenicians, under Agenor, who Reigned at Tyre. His Grandson Cadmus brought the first Letters and ^(a) Arts into Grece: There he Built Thebes; which he called so from the fa­mous Thebes in ^(b) Egypt.

About the end of the Third Age ^(c) Athens was founded by its First King Cecrops, who came from Egypt; where it is very probable he also laid the first Foundations of the Arts and Sciences: It was here the famous Dedalus was [Page 9]born of the Royal ^(d) Family, excellent in the Art of Designing, and Famous for his ^(e) Ma­chines, and self-moving Statues; he was also the first Engraver we have mentioned in the Gre­cian History.

This Learned Man Travelled into Egypt to see the Labyrinth, from whence he formed the de­sign of that he afterwards Built in Crete; and though it was not the hundredth part of that in Egypt, notwithstanding it was so famous for the Beauty of the Architecture and Sculpture, that it was reckoned ^(f) among the Seven Wonders of the World.

Thirty four years after the Institution of the Olympick Games ^(g) happened the destruction of Troy, at which time Architecture and Scul­pture were much cultivated by the ^(h) Grecians.

This is sufficiently evidenced by the structure of the Trojan Horse, which an ingenious En­graver made for them, who was also an excel­lent Architect; ⁽ⁱ⁾ after that he Built the City [Page 10]of Metapontus; the Citizens ^(k) whereof to testify the Veneration they paid to his Memory, kept the Iron Tools wherewith he made the Trojan Horse, as venerable Relicks in the Tem­ple of Minerva. The elegant Description Homer gives us of the Buckler of Achilles, is a sufficient evidence that the Arts of Cutting and Engraving were practised in Grece; for that famous ^(l) Poet expresses so elegantly the Beauty of that Work, that his Descriptions seem rather to be Engraven than Writ: He moreover feigns, by reason of its Excellence, that it was wrought by Vulcan himself.

As for the Trojans, it cannot be denied but that Engraving was in use among them; for that Poet tells us, that Eneas ^(m) took particular care to carry his Penates, or Houshold Gods along with him; particularly the Palladium of ⁽ⁿ⁾ Troy, and the Idols of the Samothracians he took along with him into Italy.

CHAP. V.

ONE hundred and fifty six years after the destruction of Troy, Solomon being about to Build a Temple to the true God, would not undertake that peice of Work, till, by diligent search, he had found out all the most able and in­genious Workmen, both in his own Dominions and elsewhere. To this end he had recourse to the King of Tyre ^(a) his Friend; who sent him Hiram, whom, through respect, he called Father, and who excelled in all Arts, as appeared by the Architecture of the Temple, and of the ^(b) Palaces which he inrich'd with innumerable Ornaments of Sculpture, and Works of Gold.

In these spacious Buildings were to be seen the ^(c) Magnificent Throne of Solomon, the Cherubims, the Vessels of Gold, the Altar, the Pillars and great ^(d) Sea of Brass, which held 300 Measures of Water, supported by Twelve Brazen Oxen: All which rich Works demonstrate that Hiram was skilled in the Art of Founding, as well as other parts of Designing.

Solomon after this, led astray by his Concu­bines, Built Temples to the Goddess of the ^(e) Sidonians, to the Idol of the ^(f) Ammonites, and to that of the ^(g) Moabites: After which Jeroboam, and several of the Kings of Israel, continued the Worship of false ^(h) Gods; which made employment for the Gravers and Architects.

CHAP. VI.

SCulpture had hitherto been much more used by the Babylonians than by the Jews, because that Kingdom had been always in a very flou­rishing condition. Nebuchadnezzar made a Golden Image of ^(a) Sixty Cubits high, and Six broad. The Proportion of its breadth to its heighth, shews us the nice Symmetry that was followed by those Ancient Artists, particularly also in the Statue of Laocon, wherein the same Measures were used; its heighth was Thirty Measures, [Page 13]and its Diameter Three; thus Multiplying Thirty by Two, and you have Sixty for the heighth, and Multiplying Three by the same Number, you have Six for the thickness; which are the same Proportions with that great and rich Statue of Nebuchadnezzar.

Hence we may Note by the by, That the Excellent Designers of all Ages have made use of the same Rules and Proportions to express the Beauty and Symmetry of Human Bodies by. This magnificent Work of Nebuchadnezzar's suf­ficiently proves that the Arts of Designing flourished under the Babylonian Monarchy. For to undertake the making a Statue of Gold of Sixty Cubits, there must needs be excellent Gravers in the Kingdom; whence it also ap­pears credible, that that Art had been there suc­cessfully continued for Fourteen hundred Years, which was the time since it began to flourish there, as we have noted, under the Reigns of Ninus and Semiramis his Wife.

But Cyrus after the Conquest of Babylon, esta­blish'd there the Monarchy of the Persians: It was he who order'd the rebuilding of the ^(b) Temple of Jerusalem, and who restor'd to the Jews their Liberty. He sent ^(c) Sanabasser from Babylon to lay the Foundations of that Structure, and commanded the raising of Mony for that end; and he also restored to the Jews all the rich Spoils of the Temple of Solomon, [Page 14]which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away when he destroy'd it.

Artaxerxes did not yield to him in point of Mag­nificence and Grandeur; for the Galleries and Porches of his Gardens were adorned with ^(d) Marble Pillars: He had Beds of Gold and Silver even down to the Floors which were of Alabaster, and inlaid with Emeralds, which render'd a very agreable and charming Variety. Hence we see, that the Arts of Designing continued in as great Splendour in the Monarchy of the Persians, as in that of the Babylonians.

CHAP. VII.

IN the fourth Age Pigmalion ^(a) King of Tyre, did no ways degenerate from the ex­cessive Love the Princes of Phoenicia entertained for the Arts, and this gave Occasion to the Story that was reported of him (viz.) That this King was punished for the Hatred he bore to Women, by falling violently in ^* Love with an [Page 15]Ivory Statue he had made. This demonstrates that Graving was practised with a particular Esteem among the Tyrians, since that Great Prince made it one of his chiefest Pleasures.

His Sister ^(b) Dido, brought the Arts and Sciences among the Carthaginians by establishing her self at ^(c) Carthage, and the Arts flourished there with that Success, that no Place in the World was in that Point before it. The Statue of Apollo which was in the Temple of that God near the ^(d) Gate of Carthage, sufficiently testifies the happy Progress Sculpture had made therein.

This Figure was all of Gold; the Soldiers of Scipio pillag'd this ^* Temple which was all over guilt, and broke to pieces that magnificent Statue, which amounted to a thousand ^(e) Talents of Gold.

The Triumph which this General made of the Spoils of Carthage, sufficiently shews that these Arts flourish'd there, in a very great Heigth, for Rome had never yet seen any triumphal En­trance that equall'd this of Scipio Africanus. For there was display'd a prodigious quantity of Gold and Silver, with a great Number of ^(f) antient Statues, very rich, and Bucklers of Gold, where­of that of Asdrubal was so excellently Engraved, that it was kept it the Capitol. Whence it ap­pears that those great Carthaginian Generals were very Curious, and Admirers of these Arts, parti­cularly Hannibal, who during his Retreat with Ar­taxes the King of Armenia, practised Architecture: Since it was he who laid the Platform of the Capital City which from that King was called Artaxata, and survey'd all the Buildings of it at the request of that Prince.

CHAP. VIII.

THE Arts of Designing were brought into Greece by Cecrops and Cadmus, who carried them along with them out of Egypt and Phoenicia to the Grecians. Painting being one of those Arts, and which had appeared down from the Time of Semiramis, with Architecture and Gra­ving, went also to the Greeks, since that is insepa­rable from Designing. But the happy Time when Painting began to be in it's greatest Splendor in all the States of Greece, was in the eighteenth ^(a) Olympiad, when the famous Painter Bularchus lived, who is most Celebrated of any of those Times. He drew the Battel of the Magnesians, and the Picture was Sold for it's ^(b) weight in Gold; which shews that Painting was then in very high Esteem, which was about the Year of the World 3400.

Some Ages after appeared the Works of ^(c) Peneus, Brother of Fidias, who painted the Battel of Maraton which the Athenians gain'd over the Persians with great Applause: And in this excel­lent Piece, which was in the Porch of Pecilla, he represented the Captains of both sides in the heat of the Battel. ^(d) Miron and Polignotus, in the ninetieth Olympiad had so great Reputation, that the Athenian Senate ordered them to Paint the Delphick Temple, and that which was called the Porch of Athens.

The Amphitrions who were the Heads of the Se­nate, were so pleased with their Performances, that, as a further acknowledgment of the Merit of these two Painters, they assign'd them very fine and handsome Lodgings. At this Time there were a great many very Famous Painters, and among the rest ^(e) Zeuxis, famous for the Excel­lence of his Pencil, and the Riches he acquired. He had Contemporary with him Eupompus, Timanthus, [Page 19]Androcida, ^(f) Euphranor, Parasius and several others; the last excell'd particularly in the Just­ness of his Proportions: Eupompus brought up Pamphilus the Macedonian, Master of Apelles. Pam­philus was instructed in all the liberal Arts, par­ticularly Arithmetick and Geometry, without which he esteem'd it impossible to Succeed in Painting.

By his Authority and the Regulations he made in the Academy of Painting ^(g) he engaged the most considerable Youth of the City of Scicione, and of all Greece, to learn the Arts of Designing, which then were esteemed Liberal, and had in so high Veneration, that only the ^(h) Nobility and Gentry were permitted to Exercise them.

Hence this City became very Famous for the great Number of excellent Painters and Engravers that were bred in it: Apelles who was the Scholar of Pamphilus carried Painting to that degree, that the Antients allow'd him one of the first Places among Painters, by reason of his great [Page 20]Qualifications: Which honour obliged ⁽ⁱ⁾ Pro­togenes his Rival to acknowledge him for his Ma­ster. Thus Alexander the Great justly chose Apel­les for his chief Painter; he gave him great Ri­ches, and made him a Present even of his own Mistress ^(k) because he perceived that he was passionately in Love with her.

The Persons of Quality had the same Esteem for Painting as this great Prince, wherein they fol­lowed his Inclination. This is verified in the Story of Aetion, who after having Painted the Nuptials of ^(l) Alexander and Roxana, exposed the Work to publick View in the great Assem­bly of the Olympick Games, where Proxenidas [Page 21]one of the Deputies of Greece then presided. He was so charm'd with the Beauty of this Picture, and thence conceived so great an inclination for the Painter, that he gave him his Daughter in Marriage.

CHAP. IX.

SCULPTURE, which began to be culti­vated with a great deal of Honour in Greece by the famous Dedalus, and those of his School, continued there, and in something above a thousand Years arrived at its highest Pitch of Glory: ^(a) Fidias was one of those who ren­derd the Art of Engraving most illustrious. His [Page 22] Minerva made of Gold and Ivory, which was twenty five Cubits high, was an incomparable piece of workmanship; and his Jupiter Olympius was no less surprizing, which has been esteemed one of the seven wonders of Designing. Glicon the Athenian, who made the Statue of Hercules, which is yet at Rome in the Court of the Palaee of Farnese, was one of the Rivals of this famous Fidias, as also ^(b) Alcamenes and several others who flourish'd about that time.

After these great Men appeared Scopas, Leoca­res, Briaxis and Timotheus who made, by order of Qeen Artemisa, the Tomb of Mausolus her Hus­band: They wrought each of them one ^(c) Face, and it was augmented by a fifth Artist with a Pyramid of twenty four Degrees: It was sustained by thirty six Columns, and on the top of this great Edifice was a Chariot of Marble made by Pytis the Engraver. This ^(d) Mausoleum was one of the seven Wonders of the World, and this is enough to give us an Idea of the Excellency of these designers, and of the beauty of their works.

^(e) Praxiteles was one of the most Ingenious and most famous Engravers of his time; and the two Venus's which he made for the Cities of Gnidia and ^(f) Coos are so many illustrious Proofs both of his capacity and glory.

Polycletes of Sicione made himself also Famous by the curious Statue he made, and principally that of ^(g) Diametes, which was sold for one hundred and ten Talents.

Lysippus ^(h) Engraver to Alexander the Great, gain'd a very great reputation for his Skill, and for having made seventy Statues in Brass. This Conquerour would have his Statue from no other hand than that of Lysippus, and his Picture by none but ⁽ⁱ⁾ Apelles.

Chares, his ^(k) Pupil acquired no less esteem for the Colossus he made at Rhodes, which was ninety Foot high. At that time Sculpture was studied so much at Athens and Corinth, that there were made numberless Statues of Marble and Brass, as also in the other flourishing Cities of Greece, and their Colonies, as in Sicily where De­dalus had long before planted the Arts of Design­ing, and in the Maritime Cities of Italy, particu­larly at Tarant. Where Lysippus made a Colossus of Brass of sixty Foot high.

CHAP. X.

ROMULUS founded Rome in the ^(a) Year of the World 3330, and reigned there thirty eight Years, and a little before the first Tarquin ^(b) one of his Successors, Clcophantus a Corinthian [Page 25]brought Painting among the Latines, and into Toscany. He followed thither Damaret the Father of Tarquin who governed that Province: Thus in a Temple of Adea a City of that Coun­try, was to be seen more antient Painting than at Rome, which was not defaced in the time of the first Emperors, although it was always bare and uncover'd, which proves that the paint­ing was in Fresco.

There was to be seen at Lanuvium a Place in Toscony, an Atalanta and a Helena ^(c) by the same Cleophantes, painted naked, and of so charming ^(d) Beauty, that a certain ^(e) Minister of the Emperor Caius became passionately in Love with one of them. This Passion of his, sufficiently attests the Excellency of those rare Pieces, and made Pliny to assert that among all the Arts that depended on Designing, there were none that arrived so soon to perfection as that of Painting.

The esteem which reigned for this excellent-Art, still encreased at Rome in the time of the Consul, Mexala ^(f) who presented the publick with a Piece whereon was painted the Battel he ob­tain'd over the Carthaginians, and King ^(g) Hieron. Scipio also caused the Picture of the victory he gain'd in Asia to be set up in the Capitol; Fabius

Pictor ^(h) of the race of Consuls signaliz'd himself by the Temple of Health which he paint­ed, this piece was yet remaining in the time of the Caesars. Marcus Scaurus ⁽ⁱ⁾ was a very great lover of Painting, he compounded with those of Sicione for the Mony they owed the Ro­mans, and instead of Mony took Pictures of those of Sicione, and carried them to Rome: The esteem which this Art was in encreasing, the Palaces and Temples began to be filled with Pictures, by the Gifts of great Men. Caesar the ^(k) Dictator dedicated the Pictures of Ajax and Medea to the Temple of Venus; Augustus ^(l) hung two in the Court of his Palace, the one of War, and the other of the Triumph of Alex­ander the Great, painted by the illustrious Apelles.

Agrippa his Favourite extremely admired Paint­ing, and gave for two Pictures ^(m) twelve thousand Sesterces: Tiberius ⁽ⁿ⁾ also set so high a Value on Painting, that he spared no price to [Page 27]obtain the Picture called the Archigallus of ^(o) Zeuxis. In the time of Augustus painting was in a very high Esteem, and arrived to it's highest de­gree of Perfection. Nero ^(p) who was always filled with magnificent Ideas, caused his Picture to be drawn one hundred and twenty Foot high; One of his Servants adorn'd with Pictures the Por­ticus of Antium ^(q) where there were painted several skirmishes of the Gladiators, during the time of the Plays, which was one of the most glorious Festivals of Painting; for the Courtiers not only admired the Arts of Designing them­selves, but also engaged their Princes to ^(r) en­courage them; a happy time for them to arrive to perfection in!

CHAP. XI.

AFTER the Reign of the Kings Scul­pture began to appear at Rome; they erect­ed a Statue to Horatius ^(a) Cocles, to Immor­talize the Victory he obtain'd over the Army of Porsena; and at the same time was set up in the Via Sacra the Equestral Statue of Clelia.

But in the time of the Consul Marcus Scaurus this Art was continued with greater ardency, when he embellished his Theatre with Three thousand Metalline Statues.

Several other Consuls contributed also by their Victories to the enriching of Rome with the Spoils ^(b) they got from the two ^(c) Si­cily's, from Africa and from Greece; the most con­siderable of these Spoils were the Statues which shone at the Triumphs of these Consuls. This appeared at the Triumphs of Fabius Maximus, of Marcellus, of Scipio, and of Paulus Emilius: [Page 29]Fabius carried from ^(d) Tarant. a Statue of Her­cules of a prodigious Magnitude. He had it set in the Capitol by his own, which was of Brass.

Marcellus ^(e) when he was called home from Sicily to Rome, brought thither along with him the finest of the Statues and Pictures from Sira­cuse, to adorn, first his Triumph, and then Rome. The Triumph of Scipio was also very fine by reason of the Statues and Riches he brought from Carthage.

But that of ^(f) Paulus Emilius surpassed them all, his Triumph continued Three days.

The first day was wholly taken up in seeing the Painting, and Pictures, and Statues pass along, whereof some were of an extraordinary great­ness, with several other Beauties of the Art of [Page 30]Designing, which were drawn through the City on Two hundred and fifty ^(g) Chariots.

Under the first ^(h) Emperors, Sculpture ar­rived to it's highest perfection: The love which the Romans entertained for so celebrated an Art, appeared by a Statue of Lisippus ⁽ⁱ⁾ which Agrippa placed before his House.

Tiberius admiring the excellence of this Statue, caused it to be removed and set in his Palace; but this so much enraged the People, that they rose in the Theatre against this Emperor, and obliged him to return it to it's former Place. Nero caused his ^(k) Statue to be made also by Zeno­dorus; it was of Brass, and One hundred and ten foot high. The Art of Casting such great Co­lossus's was very wonderful; but it was ^(l) lost after the death of this excellent Engraver.

As for the Art of Cutting out in Marble, it remained at Rome till after the Emperor Adrian, and that in the same excellence it was in in the time of the first Ancients.

For under the Reigns of Vespasian and Titus, the Arts continued to flourish; the fine Scul­ptures which adorned the Temple of Peace, and the Arch of Titus, shew what excellent En­gravers there then were. What remains of those excellent Engravings on that Arch, sufficiently testify this truth; as also that incomparable Sta­tue of Laocon, which was found among the ru­ins of the Palace of that Prince, and which is still admired by all the Lovers of Designing as much as in the time of Pliny, who has left us the Names of the Three ^(m) ingenious Engravers who wrought jointly this excellent piece of Sculpture, which contain'd the Statue of Laocon and his Two Children.

The excellency of this Art continued under the Reign of Trajan: That great Emperor after his Victories, made it his business to adorn Rome with Architecture and Sculpture. The Sculpture on his Column, and the Bass Relief of Constan­tine's Arch, which was copied after that of Tra­jan, are sufficient Testimonies that the Art did not decline in his time, nor in Adrian's, who suc­ceeded him. For that Emperor was himself skilled in ⁽ⁿ⁾ all manner of Polite Learning, in Painting, Engraving, and Architecture; this [Page 32]was the reason he so much advanced the Arts of Designing, that in his Reign they remained in all the splendour they had arrived to.

This Learned Prince took also care to enrich his own Tomb with a great number of Statues. He had so great an affection for his Favourite Antinous, that he caused his Statue to be made in Marble; and this is that elegant Figure which is still to be seen in the Palace of Belvidere at Rome, and is one of the finest and most correct Pieces of Antiquity.

There were also in the happy Reigns of An­tonine and Marcus Aurelius, several excellent Pie­ces of Sculpture, whereof there yet remain the famous Column of Antonine, the Brazen Horse which is in the Capitol, and some Pieces of Bass Relief to be seen there also; but after the time of these Illustrious Emperors, Sculpture and Painting began to be less minded.

CHAP. XII.

ARCHITECTURE which had arrived to a great perfection among the Assyrians, the Egyptians and the Phenicians, made no less progress among the Grecians. We have already shewn that Dedalus had practis'd it at Athens, in Candie, and in ^(a) Sicily, this Art continued among the antient Grecians to acquire new de­grees of perfection, as well as the other Arts of Designing, which were grown there very Fa­mous. This People demonstrated their capacity in Architecture by their Buildings: And particu­larly by the Labyrinth of Lemnos, which Emulo, Rholo and Theodorus built in imitation of that fa­mous one of Dedalus. This Labyrinth of ^(b) Lemnos was so considerable, that it surpassed that of Crete by more than one hundred and forty Columns.

The other magnificent Buildings and lofty Temples which adorned the Cities of Greece, make appear the Excellency of their Architecture. The Temple of ^(c) Jupiter Olympius was an [Page 34]admirable Structure, since the Romans found the ^(d) Columns and Spoils of it so rich that they carried them to Rome to adorn the Temple of Ju­piter Capitolinus. The Temple of Cizicus ^(e) was no less beautiful than that of Olympius, for it was so rich and curiously made, that between all the Joints of the Stones there were inlaid threds of Gold to separate them.

As for the Temple of Trallius ^(f) built by the Architect Argellius, it must needs have been of an extraordinary Beauty, for he composed a whole Treatise of the proportions of the Ionic and Corin­thian Orders, according to which that Edifice was built, and consecrated to Esculapius. Argellius work'd with his own Hands the most important Parts of it, which shews that he was an Engraver as well as Architect.

But of all the Temples of Grece, and all its Colonies, the most Famous was that of Diana of the ^(g) Ephesians, which deserved to have been reckoned among the seven Wonders of the [Page 35]World. The first Model of this Temple was made by the ingenious Archiphron; after him Ctesi­phon had the management of it, and Dinocrates ^(h) rebuilt it after it had been burn'd down. This Structure was four hundred and twenty five Foot long, two hundred and twenty Foot broad, and had one hundred and twenty seven Columns each sixty Foot high: They were the Gifts of so many Kings, whereof thirty six were Engraven, and one was done by the hand of the famous ⁽ⁱ⁾ Scopas.

The Mausoleum which Artemisa caused to be built, whereof this Engraver worked one of the four sides, was no less admirable for the Architecture than for the Sculpture of it; it contained four hundred and eleven Foot circuit, and was Sixty Foot high up to the Platform, whereon was set a Piramid sustain'd by thirty six Pillars, which made that Superstructure equal in heigth to the rest, and was made by four of the most ingeni­ous Architects and Engravers of all Grece.

Architecture continued there in its full heigth, not only during the time of the ^(k) Grecian Re­publicks, and of their Kings, but also under the Reign of the Roman Emperors, and particularly under that of Adrian, who built several famous Edifices at Athens.

CHAP. XIII.

AFTER Marcellus had ^(a) conquered Si­cily, Architecture grew more and more perfect at Rome; and that which demonstrates this is the Theatre which bears his Name, and which he built. For it is one of the finest and most regular Pieces of Architecture the Antients have left us.

This Art came from Grece into Italy with Paint­ing, and the other Arts of Designing about four hundred and sixty Years before Marcellus, which was in the time of Porsena King of Tuscany.

This Prince was so magnificent in building, that he gave orders to make a Labyrinth ^(b) in Imitation of the Grecians, in the place he design'd for his Burial. It was so curious, that it was no ways inferiour to the Labyrinth of Crete, or that of Lemnos: Which makes it evident that Archi­tecture flourishing in Toscany, soon went to Rome, after the Romans were Masters of that Province: Insomuch that the Buildings which were erected in that City in the time of the Republick, were nobler than those that were built under the Reign [Page 38]of the Kings. For the great Men of that Re­publick endeavour'd to exceed one another in sumptuous and magnificent Buildings.

Marcellus did not content himself only to build his famous Theater, but he built also a Temple to Vertue and another to Honour.

Marius was no less zealous, to leave to Poste­rity marks of his Victories. His two Trophies in the Capitol are witnesses of this, as also the excellent Architecture of his triumphal Arch at Orange, which is a glorious Memorandum of the Battel he obtain'd over the Cimbri.

But Marcus Scaurus's Son in Law was, of all those illustrious Personages who bore a part in the Government of the Commonwealth, the most noble in his Buildings; for during the time he was an Edil, he embellish'd Rome with surpri­zing Edifices: His great Theater is an illustrious Mark of this. It could contain eighty ^(c) thou­sand Persons: There were three Scenes the one above the other, with three hundred and sixty Columns: Those of the first Rank were of Mar­ble, and thirty eight Foot high, the second Rank were of Crystal, and the third of gilded Wood. This illustrious Person made two other Theaters of Wood, sustain'd on great Axle-trees, that af­ter the Plays were done, they might be turned round thereon, and joyn'd into one Amphithea­ter, to shew the Combats of the Gladiators, of the Athletae or Wrestlers, and of the wild Beasts.

There was nothing more glorious in Rome than the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. Tarquinius Su­perbus [Page 39] ^(d) first built it, and after it had been burnt the first time, it was rebuilt by Scylla, and enrich'd with the Columns of the ^(e) Temple of Jupiter ^(f) Olympius which he caused to be brought out of Grece, and set up there in place of the Pilasters that were there before: Afterwards having suffered damage by the Fire at the Vitel­lian Revolution, Vespasian caused it to be mended. But being a third time burnt, it was built again by Domitian more Magnificent than ever it had been before. For this Prince who excessively loved Building, was so curious, that he caused all the ^(g) Columns to be cut at Athens, and he enrich'd this Temple to that degree, that he caused it to be all over Gilded, and laid out on­ly for the gilding it, twenty one ^(h) millions and six hundred thousand Livres.

The other Buildings made by several Consuls before the Emperors, were all according to re­gular Architecture, as the Amphitheater of [Page 40] ⁽ⁱ⁾ Pompey, which contained above forty thou­sand Men; It was his Free man Demetrius who caused it to be built in imitation of that of Miti­lene. Pompey built near his Amphitheater the Temple of Victory; and his Palace was an ad­mirable piece of building, as also the House of Lucullus and his Gardens.

Moreover in the Consulship of M. Lepidus, and Q. Catulus it is certain that there was nothing finer at Rome, than the Marble Buildings, and Pieces of Painting that were done at the Char­ges of these great Men, to adorn this City, which at that time had in it an hundred Palaces, that were equal in Beauty to that of Lepidus. As ^(k) Pliny relates.

CHAP. XIV.

JULIUS CAESAR no lefs affected building than those great Men who went before him: His Palace, and the Circus ^(a) which he aug­mented, are sufficient Proofs of it. Augustus also had the same Affection for Architecture, as was evident in his Palace, which by reason of it's Beauty was called the great and magnificent Pa­lace of Augustus. Plutarch in the Life of this Emperor, takes notice that he adorn'd Rome with several publick Buildings, rebuilding those that had been ruined, leaving them the Names of their first Founders. His most considerable Buildings were the Temple of Apollo in his Palace, the Por­ticus, and a Library which he filled with Greek and Latin books, the Mausoleum, and a Park for the People to walk in.

Moreover he further finished the Temple of Jupiter Olympius, begun long since at Athens. All [Page 42]the ^(b) Favourites of this Prince were great Ad­mirers of this Art, among whom ^(c) Agrippa appear'd to be one of the greatest, who by a greatness of Soul truly Noble undertook to adorn the Campus Martis and all the Places round about it.

He brought down thither the Water named Aqua Virginis to make Baths, and adorn'd that Place with Gardens, Porticus's and a great Hall ^(d) to pay the Troops in, and several other Buildings, whereof the most Famous that is still [Page 43]to be seen entire, is the Temple of the Pan­theon ^(e).

Thus magnificent Building was in very great Esteem in the time of ^(f) Augustus; His last words when dying testify this, he said, That he found Rome built of Brick but he left it built of Mar­ble. This Magnificence of his, inspired his Suc­cessors with the same Ambition: For Tiberius was very curious and loved all the Arts of Design­ing. Nero also took a great Phancy to fine Build­ings; this appears by his Palace which was call'd the gilded House, the remains whereof are of the finest Architecture of Antiquity. It continued in the same excellence under Vespasian and Titus: This is evident by the Temple of Peace, by the Amphitheater and Triumphal Arch which they caused to be made.

Domitian ^(g) imitated these Princes in their Love for magnificent Buildings: He rebuilt the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, more Magnificent than it was before, for he ordered all the finest Pillars that could be found to be brought out of Greece. He moreover built his House more magnificently than any that had been yet seen, as also the Temple of Minerva, and that of the Flavians. The Regularity of Architecture con­tinued and was practised in the same perfection in the time of Trajan ^(h) by Apollodorus his Architect. The famous Bridge over the Danube which this Prince caused him to build, was wonderful by reason of it's largeness, and considering the Ra­pidity of that River. The Palace of Trajan, and his ⁽ⁱ⁾ Triumphal Arches, and his Mag­nificent Column, whereon was Engraven the History of his great Actions against the Daci, sufficiently testify the Skill of Apollodorus in the Arts of Designing.

This ingenious Architect continued to adorn Rome by his Art, under the Reign of Adrian [Page 45] ^(k) who not only loved Architecture, but also practised it, for he was jealous of the Merit of Apollodorus, because he did not approve of the Model or Design of the Temple of Venus which that Emperor had made. He also caused the Temple of Pantheon to be repaired, as also that of Neptune, and of Augustus and the Baths of Agrippa.

But his finest Piece was the Adrian Bridge with the Mausoleum of that Emperor, which was an excellent Piece of Architecture. Antonine the Successor of Adrian was no less Magnificent in his Buildings; for he erected a stately Temple to Adrian his Father. He repair'd his Tomb, the Amphitheater, the Temple of Agrippa, the Bridge of the Tiber, the Gate of Gaiete, that of Terra­cina, and the Baths of Ostia, the Aqueduct of An­tium, and the Temples of Lavinium. Marcus Au­relius, was also a great lover of the Arts and Sci­ences; he took particular care to Educate there­in his Son Commodus, causing him to learn De­signing. Architecture also continued to flourish under several of the latter Emperors, even down to Constantine.

The love ^(l) Severus entertain'd for this Art, appear'd in the beauty of his Triumphal Arch, [Page 46]and in the Model he made of a great Hall which contain'd above a hundred Toises, or six hundred Foot. The Circus of Caracalla was great and splendid; and also under Gordian, Aurelian and Dioclesian there were very considerable Build­ings.

But after the Reign of Constantine and his Son Constantius Architecture began to decline at Rome; there were no more skilful Architects left, nor Princes whose curiosity led them that way: Hence Architecture lost it's antient Splendor, and began to decline, as Painting and Sculpture had done before, whereof we shall treat in the second Book of this History.

CHAP. I.

IN the First Book of this History we have discours'd of the Original and Progress of the Arts that relate to Designing, until the time they began to decline, and afterwards to fall; in this Second Book we shall continue to relate the causes of their Decay and Ruin.

The Roman State in the time of the Repub­lick, and of the first Caesars, was in very high Reputation for having raised the Arts to their highest Perfection. But this Monarchy, after the death of Marcus Aurelius, began to lose the Grandeur it had before gained. For several Emperors succeeding in a short time one after another, tarnish'd the Glory of the Empire by their Cruelties and Debaucheries, and Civil Wars, which caused insensibly the Ruin of the Arts of Designing.

It was no fault of Marcus Aurelius that the Arts began to decline after his Reign; for he took particular care to Educate his Son Commodus therein, making him learn to [Page 48]Paint ^(a) and Engrave while he was young, finding his Genius easy and capable of Learn­ing any thing whatsoever. But this good Edu­cation was soon stifled, by reason he abandon'd himself to all sorts of Debaucheries as soon as he succeeded him in the Throne; which makes us look upon the Reign of Commodus as the be­ginning of the declension of Painting and Scul­pture; and this is evident in the Statue of this Emperor, which is called Hercules Commodus, which is still to be seen at Rome in the Palace of Belvidere ^(b). One may note by this Figure, that the Art declin'd; for although it be of a just and true Proportion, and the Head of it ve­ry fine, yet there is not that nicety and perfecti­on which appears in the Statue of Antinous and other Figures that preceeded it, and are to be seen in the same Palace.

This Art of Engraving continued to decline in the following Reigns, for it is certain that un­der Severus ^(c) it was very much fallen from the Beauty it had arrived to in the time of the first Caesars: This is visible by the Triumphal Arch of that Emperor, which is still to be seen at Rome; for in this Work the Sculpture that re­presents the Historical part is much altered, for it neither has the Designing, nor any thing of [Page 49]the curious Workmanship of the Excellent Ancients.

CHAP. II.

IN this Decay of the Arts of Designing, Ar­chitecture did not so soon decline as the other Arts: For in the Arch of Severus it is in its perfect Beauty, and equal to what was done in its most flourishing State. On which account it was happier than Painting or Sculpture, for it maintained its just Regularitie, till the time of Constantine the Great. The Triumphal Arch of that ^(a) Emperor is a proof it: The Corin­thian Order is therein used in its Purity and Per­fection; on the contrary, the Sculpture is very rude and gross: This may be observed in the Bass Relief of the imbossing and of other small Figures below the Compartments; which [Page 50]shews evidently that Sculpture, and the Art of Designing in Human Figures were declined at Rome, and reduced to the worst condition they had ever been in.

Architecture did not decline so soon as Paint­ing and Sculpture, because it was longer pro­tected by the Princes, by reason of its necessity and usefulness.

This is to be seen by Ammianus ^(b) Marcelli­nus, who writ the arrival of the Emperor Con­stantius ^(c) the Son of Constantine the Great. He tells us that this Prince brought to Rome Hormisda a famous Persian Architect, to shew him the famous Buildings of the Ancients, both in that City and in all Italy.

But the truest reason of the continuance of true and well-order'd Architecture, is that the study of it is founded on Measures and Propor­tions of Geometry and Arithmetick, which makes the imitation of it much more easy than that of the Human Figure; for besides the Measures and Proportions therein to be obser­ved, it is necessary to study the different Po­stures, the lively Expressions, the Passions and [Page 51]Motions of the Muscles, and an infinity of other Parts, which must be known to be Excellent in Painting and Engraving.

These fine Parts and Turns wherein the Ex­cellence of the Arts consists, began first of all to be lost in Designing, which continued with­out that relish of Art down from the time of the latter Empire, and of Constantine. This is evident in his Triumphant Arch, by his Medals, his Statues in the Capitol, and the Images of Christ Jesus ^(d) and the Apostles, which this Emperor caused to be made in Silver, and set up in the Church of St. John of Latran, which are of an ordinary and common Sculpture. These Faults are also to be seen in the Mosaick Painting, and other Pieces which this Prince caused to be made.

On the contrary it was observed, that till that time the Beauty and Art of Architecture and its Ornaments remain'd, as may be seen in the Ca­pitels of Constantine's Arch, in those of his Baptistery ^(e) and the Bases of their Columns, where there are Foliages and other Flourishes very well Cut.

It is for the same reason we have noted in Ar­chitecture, that Sculpture also preserved its Per­fection and Beauty longer than the other Arts of Designing, because the aforesaid Sciences are of such use therein.

CHAP. III.

THAT which contributed to the destructi­on of the Art of Designing at Rome, was the removal of Constantine to establish the Empire at Bizantium: For he hired the best Artists in Rome, and carried away an infinite number of ^(a) Statues, and every thing that was fine and rich, to embellish his new City.

At the same time the Zeal for the Christian Religion very much contributed to the declen­sion of Painting, of Sculpture, and of Archi­tecture; for the Christians to extirpate Idolatry, seeing themselves Masters of the Empire, over­threw and broke down the most considerable Statues of the Gentile Gods, and demolished their finest ^(b) Temples.

This also caused the decay of Architecture; for the Christians transported the Columns of Adrian's Mole to Build therewith the ancient Church of St. Peter at Rome. They did the [Page 53]same by several other celebrated Temples ^(c) of that City to Build the Church of St. Paul without the Walls; that of St. Mary the Elder, and of several others, which they embellish'd for the most part with the curious Relicks of the ancient Architecture. But in all these great Structures it is to be observed, that the just Pro­portions, and orderly distributions of the Anci­ents are not to be found.

Thus all the Arts of Designing, after Constan­tine had left Rome, decayed continually, and that before the Northern Nations came to ravage and waste the Empire and its Capital. But after that those People compleated the Ruine of the anci­ent Beauty and Orders of those noble Professi­ons, as appear'd afterwards.

CHAP. IV.

ABOUT One hundred Years after Con­stantine, Alaricus King of the Goths, Ra­vaged Italy, and took Rome: Odoacer King of Italy sack'd that City and pillag'd it; as also Gen­sericus King of the Vandals, who with Three hundred thousand Men that he brought out of Africa, laid it waste and almost quite desolate; which was not effected without the destruction of most of the Pieces of Designing. But their greatest Ruin happened in the time of ^(a) Ju­stinian, when Totila King of the Goths made that City sensible of his Indignation. He was not contented to demolish the Walls, and the proud­est Structures, but he burnt it, and in Thirteen days time it was in great part consumed by the Fire. This did so ruin the Statues and the Paintings, the Pieces of Mosaick Work, and the Imagery, that all of them lost their good Grace and Beauty.

For this reason the lower Apartments, and the first Floors of the Palaces, and other Buildings [Page 55]enrich'd with Pieces of Designing, were wholly buried under the Ruins. Those who afterwards inhabited that desolate City having Planted Gar­dens on those Ruins, they there buried those fine Pieces of Painting and Sculpture; which being found again after three hundred years, served for the re-establishment of the Arts of Designing. For under those Ruins were found Subterranean Cavities, called Grotto's, where were found seve­ral Pieces of Imagery and Painting, which on that occasion were named Grotesque.

It is remarkable, that at this taking of Rome by Totila, every thing concurr'd to the destructi­on of what was most curious in Sculpture; for the Grecians, who Fortified themselves in the Mole of Adrian, ^(b) broke in pieces all the fine Statues wherewith that place was Adorned, and made use of those Pieces to repel the Assaults of their Conquerors.

Notwithstanding as this City had been filled with such immense Riches and excellent Statues, so it was almost inexhaustible; for about One hundred Years after the sacking of it by Totila, the Emperor Constantius the Second ^(c) went thither, and though he was well received by the ^(d) Romans, yet he did not desist from taking away whatever he found of any considerable Value, and laded therewith several Vessels, which were by a Tempest driven into Sicily, where he was Killed, and the Saracens who went [Page 56]thither took those rich Spoils and carried them to Alexandria.

But if the Arts of Designing met with such ill treatment at Rome in the Declension of the Empire, they could expect no better in most of her Provinces; for the Visigoths in Spain, the French in Gaul, and the Vandals in Africa ruined all those stately Structures which the Romans had built in their Colonies, for the flourishing of Arts, which set forth the Splendor of their Empire.

CHAP. V.

ONE would have thought that the Excel­lence of Designing ought to have kept up at Rome, by reason that from the beginning of the Christian Religion, the Christians made use of Painting and Sculpture to represent the Histo­ries of the old and new Testament, to adorn their Churches and Tombs. This is indeed True; but then, considering that these Paintings and Sculptures were only for the Instruction of Chri­stians in solitary and subterranean Places, where they celebrated Divine Service, they did not trou­ble themselves with the Curiosities of Designing, nor giving their Pieces that nicety and beauty as those did who lived under the first Caesars; inso­much, that when the Christians in the Reign of Constantine, had the liberty of erecting Temples [Page 57]to the true God, the Arts of Designing were already declined and almost lost.

Thus all the Paintings, and Sculptures, and I­magery, and Pieces of Mosaick Work, which, they made, and were found in the antient Church were degenerated from the true relish of Design­ing: And those Pieces of Sculpture ^(a) and Architecture, ^(b) as also Painting ^(c) which were made in the first Christian Churches at Rome, are of no better Workmanship. Insomuch, that an ill and rude Way was introduced in all the Arts of Designing, and thereby we may see that the Goths and the Lombards who reign­ed at Rome and in Italy, did not carry this ill Way into their own Countries, but continued it only here; and hence it is, that this rude Way of Paint­ing and Sculpture and Architecture is called Go­thick.

Moreover these Arts being in a state of de­clension among the Grecians, their Works have been called the Antient Greek Way, and not the Antient Way, to distinguish the one from the other.

CHAP. VI.

THE Arts in their Fall, did not decay at Constantinople so much as at Rome, particu­larly in the third, fourth and fifth Age: By rea­son that Constantine the Great, his Son Constanti­us, Theodosius, Arcadius and Justinian ^(a) were zea­lous to render the ^(b) Metropolis of their Empire, as flourishing and magnificent, as was Antient Rome.

To that end they built great Halls, Aque­ducts, Porticus's, Circus's, Palaces enriched with Statues which they had among the Spoils of Greece and Asia, and set up in the middle of open Pla­ces, Obelisks of ^(c) Egypt and surprizing Columns [Page 59]all over Engraven. They built also several other fine and great Churches which they adorn'd with Painting and Sculpture. Hence it was that the Arts of Designing were maintain'd with Splen­dor in Greece: For Constantine did not only set up rich Images in the Temples, but at all the Gates of Constantinople, and of his Palaces, as at that which was called the Gate of the Brazen Porch.

The Emperor Constantius had no less esteem for fine Buildings and the Arts of Designing, than his Father. But Theodosius the Great who was a very zealous Protector of them, has left us illu­strious Marks of his Esteem for them, in that fa­mous Pillar which he caused to be erected in that City in imitation of that of Trajan: And on this Pillar he caused to be Engraven in Bass Relief, the History of his famous Actions. In this magnifi­cent Work of Theodosius, is to be seen much of the antient relish of Engraving, which shews that Sculp­ture was not so much declined in Greece as in Italy. This is very evident in the designment of an illu­strious Column, which is still kept at Paris in the Royal Academy of Sculpture and Painting.

We may also conclude that Painting kept up in its Excellency longer at Constantinople than at Rome, for these two Arts have always been inse­parable both in their rise and fall. The glorious Protection which this great Emperor gave them, appears under the Head de Excusatione Artificum, ^(d) wherein this Prince frees from all Charges [Page 60]and Tributes the Professors of Painting and their Families. Hence it appears that this Art was ex­ercised in Greece with Honour, and it is very Cre­dible that there were several fine Pieces whereof the Antient Fathers of the Eastern Church have given us the descriptions and elogy.

St. Gregory ^(e) of Nice assures us, he could not refrain from Tears at the sight of a Picture, wherein Abraham was represented about to Sa­crifice his Son: Without doubt this Holy Father would not at all have been touch'd with any Sense of Grief, if there had not been an extra­ordinary and lively Beauty in this Piece: In his Oration of St. Theodore ^(f) he describes the greatness and magnificence of a Temple Con­secrated to that Saint. He takes notice that his Martyrdom was extraordinary well done, and that the Characters of the Grief and Constancy of this Martyr, of the Fierceness and Cruelty of the Tyrant, and the Assistance of our blessed Lord to Crown this happy Saint, were as le­gible in this Piece as in a Book: Insomuch, that these Pictures on the Walls were like a lively and useful Sermon.

Saint Basil ^(g) confirms the same Thing, and says, that Painters do as much by their Figures, as Orators by theirs; and that both equally serve to persuade, and raise the Contemplators to Vertue: Hence we may conjecture that there was a great deal of Art employed in these Pieces, without which they would not have af­forded so much matter of Meditation to these two Fathers. Hence it appears to me, that we have just reason to assert that Painting did conti­nue in its Excellency even till this Time at Con­stantinople and in the Oriental Churches. This is also apparent, for, that there were some excellent Painters among the Greeks in the Year eight hundred: For there was nothing more surprizing, nor of greater usefulness than a Piece of the Day of Judgment done by Methodius, which so sensi­bly affected Bogoris ^(h) King of the Bulgarians, that it converted that Prince, and afterwards all his Subjects, to Christianity.

Whence we may conculude, That the Honour paid to the Images ⁽ⁱ⁾ of the Saints from the beginning of the Christian Religion, has been a great means of the preservation of this Art: For in all the Countries where this Worship has been abolish'd, Painting and Sculpture did not only decline, but were entirely destroy'd.

CHAP. VII.

IMAGES in the Christian Religion begun from the time of Jesus Christ: The first that was made, was made by a Lady, whereof there is made mention in St. Luke Chap. 8. Ver. 46. who drawing near our Saviour behind, touched the Hem of his Garment, and immediately her bloody ^(a) Issue was cured. This holy Wo­man as an acknowledgment of her Cure erected in the City of Caesarea a Statue of Jesus Christ. It was of Brass, and at his Feet was the Statue of this Woman, in a supplicant Posture. She [Page 63]was so acceptable to God that he gave a miracu­lous Vertue, to a Plant that grew at the Foot of this Statue, and when it was grown high enough to touch the Fringe of this Image it healed all Sorts of Diseases ^(b). Several Historians record this Truth, particularly Eusebius of ^(c) Caesa­rea, who was an ocular Witness of the Truth of it; and Sozomen reports that Julian the Apo­state, by reason of the hatred he bore to Jesus Christ, caused this famous Statue to be taken away, and ordered his own to be set up in its Place: But he was immediately punished for this Sacri­ledge, for Lightning falling thereon consumed it to Ashes.

There are other Authors who write, that from the time of the Apostles there were also Images of the Painting of Jesus Christ ^(d), and that our Blessed Saviour was the Inventor of them, at the Solicitation of Abagarus King of Edessa, who having heard of the Miracles of Christ Je­sus, sent a Painter to draw his Picture; but when he could not lay down the Design of it, by rea­son of the shining Rays that issued from his di­vine Looks, our Lord to satisfy the Request of [Page 64]the King of Edessa, covered his Face with a lin­nen Vail, whereon he imprinted his divine Image, and sent it to that Prince by vertue whereof he was healed of a Disease otherwise incurable. In the time of the Apostles were also to be seen Images of the Blessed Virgin; for St. Luke made several of them: This is witnessed by St. Gregory the ^(e) Patriarch of Constantinople in what he writes to the Emperor Leo Isaurianus.

Theodorus ^(f) farther shews us, that the Em­peress Eudoxia sent one of these Images painted by St. Luke to ^(g) Pulcheria Augusta; there is also one to be seen at this Day at Rome, made by the same Saint, which is carefully kept by the Religious of Saint Sylvester.

Although the History of the Portrait of Christ Jesus sent to Abagarus, and that of the Portrait of [Page 65]the holy Virgin painted by St. Luke, are scrupled and contested about by some, notwithstanding I thought fit to relate them here, to shew the An­tiquity of Images after the Example of the second Nicene Council. Those of the Apostles ^(h), Con­fessors and Martyrs have been also Painted and Engraven in the Infancy of the Church. The same Saint Gregory tells us the same Thing, as Pope Adrian I. relates in what he writ to Constantine and Irenaeus. He assures us, that there were kept in the Basilicum and in the Vatican the ⁽ⁱ⁾ Portraitures of St. Peter and St. Paul, which are those which Saint Sylvester shewed to the Emperor Constantine ^(k) the Great, after he was convert­ed.

Hence we may believe, that the Worship of Images had its rise at the very beginning of the Primitive Church, and that it continued till the time of the Emperor Leo Isaurus in the East, which continued the Practice of the Arts [Page 66]of Designing, although degenerated from their Excellence, yet less so in the Provinces of the East than the West.

CHAP. VIII.

THE advantage which the Arts of Design­ing had to maintain themselves longer in the East than in the West, did not last long, for they suffered an entire overthrow in several Pro­vinces of the Grecian Empire, by the Sect of Ma­homet, which begun to appear in the Year 624. This false Prophet took Damas, and ruined Syria, and his Sect encreasing in Arabia, Egypt, Libia, Barbary, Spain and even on this side the Pyrenean Hills, destroy'd all the antient Buildings, and Pieces of the Arts of Designing, which escap'd the Visigoths and the Vandals.

But the greatest Desolation was made by the Saracens in ^(a) Italy; they ruled Sicily for a con­siderable [Page 67]Time: And were Masters of a great Part of the Kingdom of Naples for the space of thirty Years, principally from the City of Regge to that of Gath. Moreover these Infidels car­ried their Arms even to Rome, and took the Town of Vatic; and burnt the Church of St. Peter there ^(b) and St. Paul, under the Popedom of Leo IV. and had almost taken the City. In this space of time these People destroy'd every thing that was fine and curious in these two King­doms; for at Naples and the Neighbouring Towns there are only some Remains of the fine Houses and Palaces of the antient Romans: These Pala­ces were along the Sea-shore on the Coasts from the Cape of Missena to the other side of the Puzzolo ^(c). The antient Fragments which are still to be seen in those Places, denote the Splen­dor of these Buildings; there is nothing so curi­ous and wonderful as the Fishpond ^(d) at [Page 68] Missena ^(e), which points out the footsteps and foundations of a noble Palace: The Remains of the Vineyard of Luculus, of the Baths of Cicero, and of the ^(f) Bridge of Caligula built on the Sea, of the Amphitheater and Theater of Puzzolo, of the Temple of Castor ^(g) and Pol­lux at Naples, and of several other Antient Works, which were places of delight of the Romans in that Country, make us regret the Ruine of those fine Buildings.

Those mischiefs make us look on this false Reli­gion, as one of the most fatal Plagues that ever happened to Architecture, Sculpture and Paint­ing, for it is one of the Principles of the Maho­metan Sect, to make no Image of any living Creature: And this has caused in all the Ter­ritories of the Turks not only the declension, but the utter destruction of the Arts of Designing.

CHAP. IX.

IN the other Parts of the Empire of Constan­tinople a hundred Years after Mahomet, the I­conoclastes set about breaking and demolishing of Images: Which could not be done without the great loss of Painting and Sculpture in all the Parts of that Empire.

Leo Isaurianus from a mean Birth came to the Em­pire according to the Prediction of two Jews, who for an acknowledgment to them on that Ac­count ordered the destruction of all Images throughout his Dominions. This gave the first rise to the Heresy of the Iconoclastes, whereof he was chief: For as soon as he thought himself establish'd on his Throne, he shew'd his Fury against the Catholicks by his Edicts, and other Violences. Which particularly appear'd when he set on Fire the famous ^(a) College of the Or­thodox, [Page 70]therein to Burn the head Master and twelve Professors for having reprehended him for his Errors: And all these generous Defen­ders of the Faith were therein consumed, with every thing that was of any Value in that Aca­demy, which had the finest Library of all the East.

He moreover caused all the Paintings in the Churches to be defac'd, and those which could be taken away, whether Pictures or Statues, he caus'd to be pil'd up together in the great Square in Constantinople, where they were burnt with all those that could be found in private Houses.

Constantine called Copronimus ^(b) Son of Leo, succeeded him both in the Empire and in the ha­tred he bore to Images: For it was this Constan­tine who caused all the admirable Paintings of Mo­saick in the Church of Nostre Dame to be cut to pieces, as also those of the Palace of the Bla­quernes, which the Empress Pulcheria had caused to be there made, and which even Leo himself had spared, and in their Room this Emperor ordered to be drawn on fresh Plaister, Land­skips and Birds. They broke down and defac'd all the Remains of any Images on the Altars and Walls of the Church, and even on the sacred Vessels and Ornaments.

Nicetas the false Patriarch, to please this Prince caused all the fine Mosaick Paintings in his little Hall of Audience to be broke to pieces, as also a great Wainscot that reached all along the great [Page 71]Auditory of his Palace, enrich'd with Bass Relief; and he also caused all the Walls of the Churches to be plaistered over, where there were Images painted, that he might not leave the least Foot­step of any Images in the Patriarchal Palace, as his two Predecessors had done.

After Constantine Copronimus, his Son Leo con­tinued to destroy Images during the five Years which he reigned: But under the Regin of Con­stantine and Irenaea his Mother they were re-esta­blished. But afterwards Nicephorus after having dethron'd this Princess, persecuted the Catholicks as did his Predecessors.

The Emperor Michael Curopolatus, re-establish'd Religion, and Images for a short time; for he was dispossess'd by Leo the Armenian, who was al­so an Iconoclast, who caused to be defaced, bro­ken and cast into the Sea, and the Fire, all the Images which had been re-established. Michael furnamed the Lisping, his Son, continued in the same Error. But Theophilus who succeeded this last, was yet a greater Enemy to Images and Painting: For he was not contented to take away those that had escaped the fury of these Emperors, and which only served for Orna­ment, but also declared himself an utter Ene­my to, and Persecutor of all Painters, and for­bid them the Exercise of their Art.

This Prohibition was made in particular to the glorious Monk Lazarus, who was an Excel­lent Painter, who notwithstanding did not desist from painting Pieces of Devotion: Theophilus ir­ritated at this, caused him to suffer great Tor­ments, but he continuing notwithstanding his pious Exercises therein, he caused red hot Plates of Iron to be apply'd to his Hands, to burn his [Page 72]Flesh, thinking thereby to spoil his Working, and that he could thereafter Paint no more, which made him without any difficulty grant this Ex­cellent Painter to the requests of the Empress Theodora, who begged him. Lazarus being cured of the Wounds he had receiv'd by these cruel Torments, and privately shut up in the Church of St. John the Baptist, he there notwithstand­ing his burnt Hands, made his Image.

This happy Lazarus surviv'd Theophilus, and after the Death of this Prince Lazarus painted ex­cellently well the Image of our Saviour, which was set upon the principal Gate of the Imperial Palace which was called the brazen Gate, in the room of that ^(c) which Leo the Armenian had caused to be taken away.

Hence we may conclude, that the Iconocla­stes were the ruiners of Painting and Sculp­ture in the Grecian Churches, which perfected the destruction of the Arts of Designing, which continued in that Condition to the Fall of the Grecian Empire. The Servitude they were after­wards reduc'd to, did not permit the revival of those Arts, but only to continue in their Churches the Worship of Images, painted after an ill Way [Page 73]after the ^(d) Greek, and not the Antient Man­ner.

CHAP. X.

AFTER the Arts of Designing were de­clined at Rome, in the time of the latter Empire, by all those unhappy Accidents that happened to that City, they also underwent the same Fate in the Provinces of Italy, where the Goths and other barbarous Nations destroy'd the fine Roman Buildings, whereof there re­main only some famous Footsteps of their Ruine.

Theodoricus one of their Kings having establish­ed the Seat of his Kingdom at Ravenna, his Reign was long, glorious and peaceful; and as he very much loved Building, he apply'd him­self in his Capital at Rome, and in the principal Places of Romania, and Lombardy to build several Palaces and Churches, which are yet to be seen, all of them of a rude Way, very remote from good Principles of Architecture, and the exact Rules of the Antients. For these Buildings are after the Gothick Way, which had spread it self through all Italy, and in several other Places of Europe. The Gothick Architects chiefly embel­lish'd their Works with Capricious Ornaments, which were to be seen on the Capitels of their Pillars: They adorn'd their Works with a great number of small delicate Parts, and several Threds which resembled Osiers, quite contrary to the Antient Architecture: This Gothick Way [Page 75]is still to be seen in the Churches of Raven­na and other Places which Theodoricus built ^(a).

This is remarkable in the Round Church of St. Mary near this City: The Vault of this E­difice is one only Stone, which also made the Cupolo, which is thirty ^(b) Foot in Diame­ter; this causes Admiration in those who are not acquainted with the Beauty of Architecture nor Designing, nor their Proportions. This Church was built by the Queen Amalasonta Daughter of Theodoricus, for a Sepulcher for this Prince.

CHAP. XI.

THE Gothick Way in the Arts, was continu­ed in Italy after the Goths by the Lombards, who drove them out thence, and reigned there two hundred and eighteen Years. This appears [Page 76]not only in the Churches of Pavia, of Milan, of Bresse, and other Buildings built by Luitprand, and their other ^(a) Kings, but also in all the other Churches in France that were built about that time.

For after the French had got the Mastery of the Romans, they banish'd thence the Arts of Designing, and no more regarded the Excellent Idea's of the Antient Architecture, such as was to be seen at Orange, Nismes, St. Remi, Bordeaux and other Places where the Romans had made good Architecture to flourish.

But far from that these French Artists forgot, and laid aside the true Method and Rules of the Antient Architecture: Insomuch, that the Way called Gothick grew into Use with all the Nations of the West.

Hence it is that the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul built at Paris, by Clovis the first Chri­stian King, and called at this day St. Genevieve, is of this Gothick Way, and quite contrary to the Rules of good Architecture: One may also take notice of this rude Way of Architecture in the Church of St. Germain-des-Prez, built by Childe­bert Son of this King; here one may observe the ill State and Condition of Designing and Sculp­ture on the Capitels and four Bass Reliefs of the Choir of this Church, and in the Figures of the Porticus: For all the Sculptures there, are done without Design, Relish or Art.

We may pass the same Judgment on the Paint­ing of those Times as on the Sculpture, for when the true Genius of Design was wanting in the one, it was also deficient in the other: The Church of St. Martin de Tours is a Proof of this. There is to be seen over the great Vault a Cru­cifix of a sort of Painting not at all exceeding the Graving in the same Church, which is after the antient Gothick Way.

In the Reign of Dagobert was built the Church of St. Dennis in France, which is of the same Sort with those other Buildings, though made with great care and neatness. This Prince built several Churches after the same Way in Alsatia, and several other Provinces of Germany, which he Conquered, and where he left as Marks of his Piety, several Abbies which he founded.

CHAP. XII.

THIS rude Way of Building continued du­ring the first and second Race of our Kings, as is evident by the Churches Charlemain built in several Cities of his Empire which are all after the same Way.

This Great Emperor after having been Crown'd at Rome, and regulated the publick and private Affairs of that City, and even those of the Pope, and the Church as to temporal Affairs; he visit­ed the Cities of Italy, and left as a Testimony of his good Will to Florence, the Church of the Apostles which he there built, of a better and finer Order than those that were built before the Reign of this glorious Prince, or the others that were made since the decay of Architecture, to the revival of the Arts of Designing: For the Bodies of the Pillars, the Capitels, and the Arches of the Church are done with a great deal of Grace and true Proportion: This Church has always been esteemed by Architects to be of singular Beauty; and Ser-bruneleschi one of the most famous Artists thought fit to take this Church for a Model of the Churches of the Holy Ghost, and St. Laurence at Florence which are of his Designing.

In the Church of the Apostles, may be read on the side of the great Altar, the Foundation of it Engraven on Marble in these Words. In the Year eight hundred and five, the 6th of April, Charles the King of France at his return to Rome entred into Florence. He was receiv'd with a great deal of Joy, and presented by the Burgers with several Chains of Gold. There is yet to be seen on the Altar of this Building a Plate of Brass, whereon is written the Foun­dation and Consecration of it by the Arch­bishop of Turpin, in the Presence of Roland and Oliver.

CHAP. XIII.

THE Gothick Way continued after Charle­main, during the second Race of our Kings, and under the Reigns of most part of the third; under these last Princes there was no Change, neither in Architecture nor Sculpture, which is the reason we see nothing well ordered in their Palaces: This is apparent in the Palace of King Robert at St. Martin, and that of St. Lewis at Paris. These Buildings have nothing but the Gothick Way in them. This method continued after this King: And is to be seen in Nostre-Dame at Paris, which his Successors finished.

All the Beauty of this Church consists in its vast Greatness and fine Plane, and ingenious Cutting of the Stones, and some delicate small Parts or Pieces of Architecture, which notwith­standing sustain great Weights. Notwithstand­ing the true Orders of Architecture, and good Sculpture is there wanting; every thing is after the Antient Gothick Way, which was followed in France till the Reign of Lewis the XII.

By what has been said in this Book, we may conclude, that the Arts of Design decay'd as soon as the Princes of the latter Empire grew out of love with them, and no longer protected them: This Neglect of them began the Ruine of these Arts, which encreased during the Civil Wars, by the sackings of Rome, and the desolation of the Provinces of its Empire. The Infidels and [Page 81]the Hereticks contributed much to this Misfortune in several Places, and that even to the total De­struction of these illustrious Professions.

But that the Reflections we make on the Fall of these Arts may be useful to those who learn Designing, it will be necessary to know where­in consists the ill and rude Way which was intro­duced in the time of their Declension, that it may be avoided for the Future.

It may be remarked in the first Place in the Gothick Pieces, that what they had of Rude or Ill in them, proceeded from the Ignorance of those that made them, in the just Proportions of the human Figure, which is the solid Foundati­on of just Designing; since all their Statues are dis­proportionate. For the most Part have their Heads either too great or too little, the Hands and the extreme Parts too thin and slender, their Postures without any choiceness, nay without in­tention or expression. Also in the cloathing of their Figures, are to be seen Cloaths cut in Pleats and Folds where naturally there are none; in short, their Works have nothing that can please the View or deserve the Attention of those that are Curious.

These are faults which ought to be avoided, as wrong Principles, by the Pupils of Designing: Who ought to apply themselves immediately to the just Proportions of the Antients, for therein consist the true Beauties of the Art.

They ought to begin with the Studies of Geo­metry and Perspective, and with the Postures which naturally express the different Actions of the Body, and Passions of the Soul. They ought to take care to learn Anatomy, that they [Page 82]may know the Motions of the Muscles, and ob­serve their just Contorsions.

These are the means which ought to be follow­ed to arrive to the Knowledge of the true Beauty and Excellency of these Arts: It has been hereby, that the excellent Modern Painters, and Engra­vers, and Architects have made such advances, to whom we are obliged for the Re-establishment of Painting, of Sculpture, and of Architecture: Which shall be the Subject of the Third BOOK of this History.

CHAP. I.

AFTER having shewed in the Second Book of this History, the causes of the declension and fall of Painting, and Sculpture, and Architecture, by the ill and rude Methods, and decay from that Ex­cellence which they had arrived to among the ancient Grecians and Romans; we will shew in this Third Book how these Arts by little and lit­tle emerged from the rude Gothick way, and continued their Re-establishment from the year 1013, to the end of 1500; wherein they ar­rived to their primitive Perfection, and passed from Italy into several other Parts, and particu­larly into France, by the singular Favour they found under our Kings, Francis the First, Henry [Page 84]the Fourth, and Lewis the Great, who now esteems it as a part of his Glory to have made the Arts of Design to Flourish.

These Arts of Designing began first to be re­vived in Toscany, before they were known in other Countries. For as the Tuscans were the first among the Ancients who practised them, so they had the advantage of being the first in Italy who rai­sed them from the low state to which they were fallen. Thus in the year 1300 there began to appear at Florence a better sort of Architecture than the ancient Gothick; for in the Church of St. Miniate, Built in that time, Architecture may be observed to creep out of its barbarous Methods, and to Imitate in all the parts of that Building, the way of the Ancients.

After this happy beginning, the Arts of Designing continued on to their Perfection in Toscany; and the Pisans in the year 1016 Founded their great Church, called the Dome of Pisa: The Commerce they had by Sea, and particularly into Greece, was a favour­able means for the Re-establishment of Ar­chitecture and Sculpture, for they brought thence several Columns and Fragments of ancient Architecture of Marble, which they made use of in the Fabrick of this Church.

They brought together by these means se­veral Engravers in Italy, and also Grecian Painters, who Work'd after their own old Methods; for only using in their Painting simple Lines, which they Coloured all over equally without any Shadowing, their Works [Page 85]were not very Artificial; notwithstanding these Remainders of Art taught the Italians the practice of Painting in Water-Colours, in Fresco, and Mosaick.

But among all these Grecian Artists, those of Pisa were the most fortunate, in happening on the Architect Bouchet ^(a) of Dulichium, the most Ingenious of his time: This he made appear in the Cathedral of Pisa; for besides the greatness and fine Plan he made in this Church, he made use with a great deal of dexterity, of those ancient Pie­ces of the Grecian Architecture to compose his; which were Fragments that the Pisans had brought from Greece.

This famous Building stirr'd up throughout [Page 86]all ^(b) Italy, and particularly in Toscany, those who had any Genius for Designing.

It was in this City of Pisa where the Pupils of these Greek Architects Built the Church of ^(c) St. John: They also Built others Conse­crated to St. Luke ^(d) and some to Pistoia, but they did not at all exceed their Masters: There remain the Footsteps of the old Greek way, chiefly in the Sculpture, as is to be seen in the Bass Reliefs of St. Martin of Luques, finished by Nicholas ^(e) Pisan, who learn'd of those Grecian Artists, but he surpass'd them, for there is a great deal of difference between his Work and theirs.

This Nicholas was the first Engraver who be­gan to perfect Sculpture after its revival; for to surpass those who taught him, he set himself to study the fine Bass Reliefs of the Ancients which the Pisans had brought from Greece, and which [Page 87]are to be seen in the Church-yard of Pisa. They are of a good Order, and Ancient, particularly that which represents the Hunting of Atalanta and Meleager.

The study of these Bass Reliefs furnished him with sufficient light to make some happy advan­ces in Sculpture; and this he sufficiently shew'd in the Sepulcher of St. Dominick at Bulloign, and his other Works. This shews that this Art, as well as Architecture, began to arrive to perfe­ction at Pisa, at Bullogn, and at Rome, and ^(f) Florence, which is apparent by the Beauty of the Cathedral of St. Mary Delfiore, which Arnolphus Lapo began to Build in the year 1298, and which Philip Bruneleschi afterwards finished.

CHAP. II.

PAINTING which was almost lost, began to revive again in the Church of St. Miniate at Florence, as is to be seen in the Mosaick Paint­ing of the Choir: This was done about the Year 1013, and till the Year 1211 wherein Cimabüe was born, we do not see that that Art acquired much perfection.

John Cimaboüe was born at Florence with a natu­ral Genius and Inclination to Designing, which made him neglect other Studies to which he was design'd by his Father: For he deceived his Tu­tors, and was continually amusing himself in gratifying the Inclination and Tendency of his Genius. The opportunity which he had of the Society of two Grecian Painters, who came to Florence to Paint the Chappel of Gondis, was very lucky for him to satisfy his Inclination that Way: And when his Father saw him employ all his time in seeing them Work, he began to despair of his Sons succeeding in Learning, and so e'ne let him learn to Paint of these two Greeks.

The Genius and Application which Cimaboüe had for Design, made him soon surpass his Ma­sters: Insomuch that his Works distinguishing themselves from the ill and rude Ways, which were then in use, spread his Reputation through all the Neighbouring Towns, where he made several Pieces; this began to raise Painting again, [Page 89]and gained this Painter the ^(a) Esteem and Ap­plause of Men of Credit and Curiosity.

Particularly of the Famous Darotus, and the Celebrated Petrarchus.

But the greatest Honour which Cimabos recei­ved, was when the King of Naples, Charles d'Anjou, went to see him Work on the Picture of St. Mary Novella. This Honour caused a particu­lar Joy in the Citizens of that City, insomuch that they made Feasts and publick Rejoycings.

For this reason we may say, That the Prote­ction which Charles of Anjou ^(b) gave Painting, in the Honour he did Cimabos, was one of the first means of the revival of this ART.

Thus Designing and Painting began to Emerge out of Ignorance, wherein they had lain buried for above nine hundred Years in Italy; and Hea­ven then began to favour them, visibly pouring out its Gifts on the Person of Ghiotto Pupil of Ci­mabos. For when he was a young Child, and in the Country guarded his Fathers Flocks, he pra­ctised Designing with a sharp pointed Stone for a Pencil on the Ground which he had made smooth on purpose, where he drew the Figures of his Sheep. One day as Cimabos walk'd out into the Fields, he found little Ghiotto busied about this Affair, which made him stop and admire him. He asked him, and told him if he had a mind to follow that Employment he would teach him [Page 91]Painting, which he accepted of with all his Heart, having also gained his Fathers consent.

In a short Time Ghiotto learnt of his Master the Principles of the Art, and far surpassed him therein, by the study and imitation of Nature, applying himself chiefly to draw Pourtraictures and Histories, which gain'd him so much Repu­tation, That Pope Benedict the IX. sent for him to Rome, where he drew several Pieces in the Church of St. Peter. After this his Successor Clement the V. carried him to the City of Avignon, where he painted several Works in Fresco, and some Pieces for France.

But at his return to Florence, Robert King of Na­ples, writ to Prince Charles of Calabria his Son, to send him Ghiotto to Paint in the Church of St. Clare, which he had newly built. It was very Ho­nourable for this glorious Painter to be sent for by this Generous Prince: He loaded him with Goods, and Honours and Caresses, and took as much Pleasure in seeing him Work as Alexander did in Apelles.

CHAP. III.

THE Honours and Riches which Cimabos and Ghiotto received from the Popes, and the Kings of Naples, and the Republick of Flo­rence encouraged them to Work and raised Design­ing [Page 92]and Painting from their low State and Con­dition. These Favours caused a general Esteem for these Arts: For the better sort of People and the Courtiers always affect what their Princes love, which insensibly engages the approbation and curiosity of all the People in general.

It is therefore most certain that the Esteem of Great Men for Arts, is the first and readiest Means to make them Flourish: The Honour and Riches which Ghiotto ^(a) had of the Royal Family of Anjou, acquired him very much Reputation in the Republick of Florence. At his return to Na­ples he had ordered him by that Family an Annu­al Pension of a hundred Florens of Gold. Thus we may look upon the first Reigns of the Kings of Naples of the House of Anjou, as those who kindled the Sparks of Emulation in Italy, among those who followed the Arts of Designing: Which advanced the Re-establishment of them; and we may say in praise of this August Family, that [Page 93]if the People of Tuscany have had the glory to be the first revivers of these Arts; the French Kings of Naples were the first Protectors of Paint­ing, and the first who made it Re-flourish.

The Riches which Ghiotto gain'd, supply'd him with the means of establishing at Florence a School of Designing, famous by the great Number of Pupils that were there ^(b) brought up.

This Painter was also very well versed in Scul­pture and Architecture. He made the Design of one of the fine Brazen Doors of the Chancel in St. John's Church in this City, and it was En­graven by Andrew ^(c) Pisan.

This Man was as Famous for Sculpture, as Ghiotto for Painting; for Andrew following the Designs of this Painter studied the antient Way with care, and became one of the most Famous of his Time.

Estienne Florentin, Tadeus Gaddi, Peter Cavallini, and several others were Scholars of Ghiotto; and not inferiour to their Master. These brought up likewise other Pupils, who continued to bring Painting to perfection, and took pains therein which can never be sufficiently applauded; for in the Year 1350 at Florence they formed an Acade­my of Designing, which was the first that was founded since the Revival of this Art.

CHAP. IV.

IF the Assemblies of the Platonists near Athens, were of Use to the Greeks in forming their Academy: Those of several Painters at Florence were no less so to the Italians, establishing there the first Academy of Design in Italy. To this end there first assembled Ten ^(a) Painters, who had the Honour to Establish it.

They began this Establishment with a great deal of Piety. They founded it under the Au­spices, and after the Invocation of the Great St. Luke: And James Cassentino one of the Pu­pils of Tadeus Gaddi, made the Picture of the Chappel of the Academy, where this Saint was painted drawing of the blessed Virgin; on one side of the Virgin Cassentini painted all the Aca­demists, and on the other all their Wives.

This ingenious Society was afterwards encou­raged and assisted by the Princes de Medicis, which perfected at Florence the Establishment of the Arts which relate to Designing: For there have since gon out of that School a great Number of Paint­ers, Engravers, and Architects, who embellish'd that famous City, and all Italy like another Sicione, where in the time of the first Antients the first Academy of Designing had been establish'd: This quickly shew'd at Florence those great Ge­nius's, Laurence Ghiberto, Le Donatele, Ser-Bruneles­chi and several other ingenious Contemporaries.

This Famous Ghiberto ^(b) was a Goldsmith, [Page 97]Painter, Sculptor and Architect: There are to be seen of his Hand two fine Brazen Gates curiously wrought in the Church of St. John, the Excel­lence whereof is sufficiently set forth by Michael Angelo, when he says in admiration of them, that they deserved to be the Gates of Paradise. And when the Republick ordered those Works to be made, they chose out Eight of the best Italian Sculptors, who all made Essays in little Models; that thereby they might determine by whom this Work should be made.

Donatello and Ser-Bruneleschi, altho' they them­selves were of the Number of the Eight, cry'd out aloud at sight of the Model of Ghiberti, that that Model was the finest of all the Essays proposed: Whereby we may see that there was a very good Understanding between these famous Restorers of Sculpture, and that they did Justice one to another. Donatello gain'd a great deal of Honour to Sculpture by the excellent ^(c) Works which are to be seen of his at Florence.

He gave to this Art the Perfection, and fine Air of the Antients, above any one who did pre­ceed him.

This is evident by his excellent Statue of St. George, the Beauty whereof is described at large by Francis Bochi.

Ser-Bruneleschi, Friend of Donatello was an ex­cellent Goldsmith, Sculptor and Architect, and revived the true and antient Way by the indefati­gable Care he took, by going to Rome, to discover the true Rules of the antient Architecture, which yet adorn that City, and stir up the Admira­tion of the Intelligent beholders. This ingeni­ous Man particularly there studied the admirable Structure of the Pantheon, whence he received a great deal of light, for building the Great Church of St. Mary del Fiore, at Florence, which all the Designers and Architects were almost in despair of ever finishing, which notwithstanding Brane­leschi happily brought to Perfection by means of his Study and Pains.

The ARTS were not yet arrived to so high a degree of Perfection at Rome as at Florence: For Pope Eugenius the IVth in the Year 1431, ordered the making of the Brazen Gates of the Church of St. Peter in imitation of those of St. John at Florence, and not finding Men capable at Rome, he sent to search them at ^(d) Florence; but those who had that Order, did not follow it in finding the most Capable and Ingenious, for those Gates of St. Peter are a great deal less Curious than those of the Baptisterium of St. John, built by the Illu­strious Ghiberti.

There appeared afterwards at Florence, Andrew Verrocchio, who by means of his vast Study, became of a Goldsmith an excellent Sculptor and En­graver, not only in Brass, but also in Marble: He was also a good Architect; and when he was esteem'd of the Rank of the first Sculptors he was preferred to Donatello, and to Ghiberti in making St. Thomas feeling the Side of our Saviour, which he made of Brass, for the Oratory of St. Michael.

But as Verrocchio studied every Thing belonging to Designing, he would also needs practise Paint­ing with the same Ardor as Sculpture, for which reason he left off working at that, and set himself to Painting, and brought up therein several Ex­cellent Pupils; among the rest Peter Perdugino and Leonardo da Vinci. This last from his Youth began to surpass his Master. Verrocchio seeing this, left off his Pencil, and betook himself again to Sculp­ture; his last Piece was that Famous Figure in Brass on Horse-back of Bartholomew Cogleone da Bergamuos, which is to be seen in Venice in the Square of St. John and St. Paul.

Florence was moreover the Country of Do­minick Ghirlandaio, whom Nature made a Painter; for those who had the Education of him bred him a Goldsmith, but he soon left it to follow Painting. Dominick working at the Goldsmith's Trade, apply'd himself continually in the Shop to drawing those who passed by, and afterwards quitted that Profession, and gave himself wholly up to Painting. At last Pope Sixtus the IVth sent for him to do some Pieces in his Chappel of the Vatican. He was accustomed to say, that De­signing was the true Painting, and that Mosaick was the most lasting, in which he particularly excelled. This Painter brought up several Inge­nious [Page 100]Disciples, of the number of which was the Great Michael Angelo Buonaruoti, who deserves to be esteemed among the best.

Leon Battista Alberti ^(e) at the same time very much improved the Arts of Designing: For he was very well versed in Arithmetick, Geo­metry and other Learning, which made him Ingenious in all the Arts. This may be seen by the excellent Treatises of Painting, Sculp­ture and Architecture which he left behind him: He was the First of the Moderns who writ of them, and there are some Pieces of Archi­tecture to be seen of his of very good Me­thod and Order at Florence, at Rimini, and at Mantua.

Thus the Arts of Designing continued to revive in Tuscany both in Theory and Practice, by the Protection which they there found, which [Page 101]produced a great number of good ^(f) Masters, and ingenious Disciples, in the Florentine Acade­my, who afterwards spread over other Cities of Italy, where they contributed to the Re-establish­ment of these Arts.

CHAP. V.

THE Florentines, and the other Italians, were not the only Persons who labour'd to per­fect Painting: For some others on this side of the Mountains contributed much thereunto, al­though they had not the same advantages for Designing, as those of Italy, in having for Mo­dels [Page 102]and Patterns the fine Bass-Reliefs of the An­cients.

The Generosity of Charles the VIth contributed very much towards it among the French; and was the first means to engage our Nation to Employ more than ordinary care on Painting, and par­ticularly on Glass, which is called Glass-Paint­ing ^(a), and which is used in Churches, where­in the French have surpassed the Italians, and other Nations.

For this King to ^(b) excite his Subjects to the Love and Practice of Painting, granted them great Priviledges, and Exemption from Taxes, and Subsidies, and Lodging of Soldiers.

Flanders which had been anciently a Province of this Kingdom, apply'd it self at that time very much to Painting, and above all to drawing of Portraits, which drew the Flemings from the Go­thick Manner, and by this means Painting arri­ved to Perfection in that Province, by reason of the great number of Painters, which were in all the Low-Countries, and of the considerable Commerce they made of their Pictures in Foreign Countries.

But among all these Painters, he to whom the Art is the most obliged, is John Van-Eick, sur­named of Bruges, because he came to inhabit there. He was an Extraordinary Chymist, and by help of that Art he found out new Varnishes for his Pictures, that wanted it, as do all those that are wrought in Distemper.

But one Day as he had finished a Picture with a great deal of Care and Time, he varnish'd it, and set it to dry in the Sun; but as soon as he perceived that the Heat had warp'd it, and crack'd it so that one might see through the Joints of it, which spoil'd it: To avoid such Accidents for the future, he found he must seek out for a Varnish that might dry in the Shade; and because he found that the Oyl of Wall-Nuts and Linseed, were the most drying, he made use of them with some other Drugs, and so made a new Varnish, which no Painter in the World had yet found out, and which was so earnestly desired.

After this he tri'd to mix his Colours with these Oyls, and seeing that they were not en­damaged by Water, but that that made the Colour sink somewhat the deeper, and that it shined without Varnish; He found out by this means, with a great deal of Joy, that profitable Inven­tion of Painting in Oyl. He made thereof several Pictures, the Reputation whereof pre­sently spread it self throughout all Europe; and this excited a great Curiosity in Painters to know how John of Bruges made his Painting so perfect. In the mean time he kept his Secret to himself, and permitted no body to see him Work, that he might make so much the more advantage of his Discovery.

But this Painter becoming old, imparted his Secret to Roger of Bruges, his Pupil, and Roger communicated it to Ausse, who was his, which [Page 105]gave occasion to bring Painting in Oyl into use, and to the Flemish-Merchants to make an advantageous Trafick of it throughout the World, although the way of Painting in Oyl did not go out of Flanders for several Years, till the time that certain Florentine-Merchants sent out of the Low-Countries a Picture of John of Bruges, to Al­phonsus, the first King of Naples. This Picture for the Beauty of the Figures, and the Invention of the Colouring, was very much esteemed by this Prince, and all the Painters of his Kingdom, and among the rest by Antonello da Messina, who had so vehement a desire to learn the Secret of Paint­ing in Oyl, that he immediately went from thence to Bruges in Flanders.

CHAP. VI.

ANtonello da Messina was scarce arrived in Flan­ders, but he contracted an acquaintance with John of Bruges, by Presents which he made him, of several Pieces of Designing after the Ita­lian way; and John seeing himself Old, resolved to teach Antonelle to Paint in Oyl, and he did not leave off till he had perfectly attain'd that way. Antonello, after the Death of John van Eick, return­ed into Italy to impart the Secret he had learnt; but when he had been some Months at Messina, [Page 106]he went to Venice ^(a), where he establish'd him­self, and made several Pictures, which were esteemed by the Nobles, and by all those of the City, which acquired him a great Reputation.

Among the Painters that flourish'd at Venice at that time, Dominicus Venetianus was one of the most celebrated; he very much caressed Anto­nelle at his Arrival, and thereby acquired his Friendship, insomuch that he shew'd him the way of Painting in Oyl. After which Dominick in the Year 1478. carried this way of Painting in Oyl to Florence. He there made several Pieces [Page 107]after this new way; but he was unfortunately Assasinated by Andrew dal Castagno, who became Jealous of his Knowledge, although he had learnt from him the way of Painting in Oyl. Thus Antonello and Dominick carried this way to Florence and Venice, and the way of doing it be­came known throughout all Italy, which was very advantageous to this Art, in bringing it to the Perfection it arrived to, in the Year 1400, and the whole Century 1500.

CHAP. VII.

IN the other Provinces of Italy, as well as in Tuscany, and the State of Venice, there were several Persons at the same time apply'd them­selves to revive the Honour of the Arts of De­signing, but not in so great a number as at Flo­rence, where their Genius's were naturally incli­ned to learn it; and who also had among them the advantage of an Academy of Designing, which was in no other Cities. Thus we see that the Art began to come to Perfection not only at Venice, but also at Ferrara, at Mantua, and at Bul­loign, where Francis Francia was of the first Rank. Laurence Costa of Ferrara, his Disciple, made several of the finest Pieces that had yet ever appear'd there, although they were only painted in Di­stemper.

Costa was very much honoured by Francis Gon­sague, Marquiss of Mantua, who caused him to Paint a Chamber in his Palace of St. Sebastian: This Painter had several Pupils ^(a), and it was he who taught the first Principles of the Art to Old Dosso da Ferrara.

Andrew Mantegna learnt Painting about this time of James Squarcione ^(b) of Padua, who lived at Mantua: Andrew was very much esteemed by Gonzagues, Marquiss of that State: The Triumph which he painted in his Palace, of which there is to be seen a Print, gain'd him so much Reputati­on, that Pope Innocent the Eighth sent for him to Rome, to Paint the Palace of Belvidere; and after having acquired a great deal of Honour at the Court of Rome, he returned to Mantua, where he ended his Days.

Gentil da ^(c) Fabriano practised Painting at Ve­rona, and taught it to James Bellini, who was con­temporary with Dominick Venetianus; but when this last left Venice to dwell at Florence, there was no body left at Venice to dispute with him the Prece­dency. He had two Children, ^(d) John and Gentil, whom he taught to Paint; they surpassed their Father in a little time, and we may truly say, it was these two Brothers who introduced the right Method of managing Colours in the Venetian School, after having brought up several Ingeni­ous Disciples, one whereof was the Famous Geor­geone da Castel-Franco.

The Reputation of the two Brothers, Bellini, encreasing at Venice daily, by the great number of Pictures which they made, went even to Constan­tinople, [Page 110]for the Republick made a Present of their Works to Mahomet the II. who was so charmed therewith, that he sent for the Painters who had done them.

The Senate immediately sent Gentil Bellin, who at his Arrival at Constantinople, presented that Emperor with one of his Pictures, who so much admired it that he thought it impossible for Man to Express any thing so much to the Life.

This Great Prince not being able to keep Gen­til any longer by reason of his Religion, which forbids Pictures, took his leave of this Famous Painter, heaping Honours upon him, as on a Person of the highest Reputation, offering him to grant him any thing he would demand of him. But Bellin only desired a Letter of him to signify to the Republick the Satisfaction he had received in him, which this Sultan readily and joyfully consented to; and Bellin ^(e) at his return gave it the Senate, who assigned him a Pension during Life.

CHAP. VIII.

As Painting became more perfect at Venice, by those Ingenious Painters I have menti­oned, so the Great ^(a) Genius's in that Art con­tinued daily to bring about the Re-establishment of the Arts of Designing.

Among the rest, the Illustrious Leonard da Vinci became a great Master therein; for from his Birth he had all the Advantages of Nature, which procured him an easy Entrance into all the Arts that depend on Designing, and Mathema­ticks, Musick, and Poetry, wherein he was Ex­cellent.

Leonard learn'd of Andrew Verrocchio Painting and Sculpture, but in a short time surpassed his Master in Painting; he studied Perspective, and the Arts that depend thereon, and penetrated in­to the most hidden Secrets of Anatomy, ^(b) and the Motion of the Muscles, by the Studies which he made under Mark Anthony de la Tour, Professor in that Science.

The Beauty of the Celebrated Leonardo, ad­vanced his Reputation throughout all Italy, and beyond it, which made Lewis Sforza, Duke of Milan, send for him to come to him. The first thing he set about, was to Re-establish the Aca­demy of Architecture, founded at Milan a hun­dred Years before, by Micheline. For he shewed the way to that Assembly to leave their old Go­thick Manner. He made for this Prince several Pictures, and among the rest, the admirable Supper of the Refectory of St. Dominick: He found out the Invention of making the Canal, which carries the Water from Adda to Milan, and to make that River navigable for thirty Miles beyond it.

But as Leonardo was always meditating on ex­traordinary Things, for the Glory of the Prince whom he served, he made a Model in Earth of a Figure on Horseback, of a remarkable heigth, and singular Beauty, with a design to Cast it in Brass; but that was not done, whether for the difficulty of Founding so great a Work, or for some other Reason; and this fine Model was ruined when the French conquered the Mila­nese.

After Lewis Sforza was carried into France, Leonardo returned to Florence, where he Painted several Pieces, and designed upon large thick Pa­per, like Pastboard, which Raphael also made use of, and thereon brought to Perfection the Me­thod of Perrugin, his Master. Julian de Medicis did no less Honour to Leonardo da Vinci, than the Duke of Milan. For, besides the other Caresses he shew'd him, he carried him to Rome to the Election of Leo the Tenth, and he receiv'd of this Pope the like Honour; but the Jealousy be­tween [Page 115]him and Michael Angelo displeas'd the Court of Rome, and obliged him to go into France, where Francis the I. had passionately desired his Company, for the Esteem he had for his Person, and Pictures, which hung up in his Closet at Fontainbleau.

In this Royal House this Painter grew Aged, and made an Illustrious End; for after he had re­ceived much Honour and great Riches from this Generous Prince, he fell Sick; and when his Majesty was advertised of it, he went to Visit him. Da Vinci would needs raise himself up to receive so glorious a Visit; whereon finding himself extream Ill, the King approaching him Embrac'd him, and he Expired ^(c) in his Arms.

This Great Monarch loved Learning and Arts, with so much Passion, that he esteem'd it a Glory to Paint and Design; and it may be said, That this King revived Painting, and Sculpture, and Architecture. For he was not contented to send for Leonardo da Vinci only, but he drew from [Page 116] Florence a great number of Ingenious Men, as Andrew ^(d) del Sarto, Rosso, Dominick the Floren­tine, Salviati, and several other Excellent Pain­ters, and Excellent Sculptors; as he did also from Mantua, Primaticcio, a Bolonian, and Nicho­las of Modena, all of whom work'd in, and embellish'd the Royal Houses, and stirr'd up the French to Emulation, which made them very much improve in the Art of Designing.

Among these Illustrious Italians, Andrew del Sarto held the first Rank in the Florentine-School, for the Correctness of his Designing, and because he had raised Painting to his highest Degree of Perfection.

Peter Perugino ^(e) had the same advantage at Florence, and at Rome, where he made several Excellent Pieces, and particularly in the Chappel of Sixtus the Fourth.

But that which augmented the Glory of this Ingenious Painter, was, that he had for his first Disciple, Raphel Sanzio d'Urbin.

CHAP. IX.

IT was Raphael d'Urbin, who raised Painting in the last Age to its highest degree of Per­fection: His Works which are at Rome, at Flo­rence, at Bologna ^(a) and in France are illustri­ous Proofs of it, and give Subject both for our Admiration and Study.

This rare Person had a very happy Genius, and from his Infancy a great Inclination for Painting: He learn'd the Principles from his Father, in the City of Urbin, which was his Native Country: But his Father seeing that from his Youth he ex­ceeded him, put him to Peter Perugino one of the most renowned Painters of Florence: Whom Ra­phael in a short time so well imitated, that often­times the Work of this Disciple surpassed that of his Master. After Raphael had left Perugino, he travelled to Siena, where he heard of the great Esteem that was made at Florence, of a Piece whereon was designed a Battel which the Fa­mous Leonard da Vinci made for the Council Hall. He understood also that there was another Piece of Designing very much admired, which Michael Angelo had done in the same Hall, where Leonard and Michael Angelo had painted each one half. This obliged Raphael to leave his Work to go to Florence to see these two Famous Pieces: Which he had no sooner seen, but he bethought himself that he must study hard to acquire those Excellen­ces in Designing, wherein he then acknowledg­ed himself inferiour to those two Ingenious Paint­ers.

Thus he studied very hard to acquire the true Idea of those fine Airs of the Head, that round­ness, force and perfection of the Works of Leonard: he also observed the Beautiful outlines of the na­ked Figures, in the Designs of Michael Angelo, and that that Beauty and Correctness proceeded from the true Proportion, and natural Situation of the Muscles, and the just observation of their Motions; Raphael that he might acquire this Knowledge, set himself diligently to study Ana­tomy, and his whole Design was to quit the [Page 121]manner of his Master Peter Perugino, wherein he happily succeeded: For it was generally more petite, a dryer, and a harder manner than that of Leonardo, or Michael Angelo.

This Method of Perugino had not that roundness nor true Gusto as the Pieces of Frà Bartholomew ^(b), of St. Mark, one of the Imitators of Leomard. Bartholomew by help of his Studies, and the great Esteem he had for the Works of that Excellent Man, arrived to that degree of Perfection in true Designing, that he was one of the most Excellent Painters of his Time. Several Pictures which are at Florence and at Lucca, in the Churches of St. Mar­tin and St. Romanus are illustrious Proofs it: They appear to this Day as fresh as if they were newly painted: For besides the Beauty of their Design­ing they had a very fine Colour, and a wonder­ful Relief caused by a just distribution of Light and a grand Force of Shadow, with an admirable Union and Perfection.

The Beauty of these excellent Pieces very much charmed Raphael at Florence, and obliged him to contract an intimate Friendship with Bartholomew, from whom he learn'd with a great deal of Care [Page 122]and Advantage the way of Painting and Colour­ing: The Friendship of Raphael was also no ways disadvantageous to Frà Bartholomew, for Raphael communicated to him the Rules of Perspective, which he was not before so well acquainted with as he.

Thus Raphael Sanzio, joining to the Gifts Hea­ven had favoured him with, all the care and dif­ferent Studies that were necessary, formed that fine Method of his, which shines through all his rich and judicious Compositions. His Postures are easy, natural and lively in each Expression, his Proportions elegant and taken from the fine Figures of the Antients, all the Airs of his Faces so noble that they seemed to have something of Di­vine in them; in short, he finish'd all the Extremi­ties of his Figures with the utmost Perfection, and had the truly fine Way of cloathing them; these are those excellent Parts of the Art which make his Pictures the most perfect among the Moderns, which this great Painter has made appear in the Palace of the Vatican, in all the Halls, and all the Lodges which he painted.

This is particularly to be seen in his Piece of the Transfiguration at St. Peters, in Montorio, which has always been esteemed as one of the chief Pie­ces of Painting, and best Pictures in the World. Those also which Francis the I. caused him to make in Oyl, and which are carefully preserved in the Cabinet of the King, sufficiently testify this Truth.

This Piece of the Transfiguration was also the chief Ornament of his Funeral Pomp, which re­doubled the publick Sorrow, when they saw that admirable Picture, near the Body of that rare Person, and that Death had so soon deprived that [Page 123]Excellent Painter of Life, who will always live in the memory of the Lovers of this Art.

By this it is easy to judge that Raphael, was the most excellent Genius in this ART, of the last Age, and that he carried it to its highest Per­fection. But we may also say, that this admirable Man was Happy to flourish under the Popedoms of Julius the IId. and Leo the Xth. Princes very zealous for the revival of the Arts of Designing. For this last Pope loved Raphael with such an Af­fection, that at the time this Excellent Painter dyed, this Generous Pope had proposed to Ho­nour him with a Cardinals Hat ^(c), and these Hopes hindred Raphael from concluding a Marri­age with the Neice of Cardinal de Bibbiena, who desired it with a great deal of Zeal.

CHAP. X.

AT the same time that Raphael and his School revived Painting at Rome, the ingenious Artists of Lombardy ^(a) no less contributed to­wards it in their Country: So that we may look upon the beginning of the last Age, as the happy Time wherein the Arts of Designing arrived in Italy to their highest Perfection.

For about that time, Antony ^(b) da Correggio by a particular Instinct of Nature, without having any Master, acquired a very agreeable and charm­ing Way of Painting. This ingenious Man may be well termed the first Painter of Lombardy, al­though the course of his Life was but short, and his Merits not sufficiently known to those who employ'd him: Notwithstanding his excellent Works had the happiness of being Esteem'd as Patterns of the finest Way of Painting, and to have shewed the true Relish and Perfection of the Art to Baroche, to Procaccino and the Famous Cara­ches, who all zealously imitated him, and particu­larly Studied his Works: Especially those which [Page 126]made the City of Parma so Famous, as the Paint­ings in Oyl of this Illustrious Painter, which are in the Churches of St. Anthony, St. John and St. Francis, and in other Places: But Hannibal Caracche set himself to study the finest Ways, the fine Airs of the Head, the Roundness, and the Relief which are very surprizing in those admira­ble Stroaks, which Correggio painted in Fresco, in that City in the Churches of the Cathedral and of St. John. It was from these fine Pieces that the Chevalier Lanfranc, took his Idea, in that fine Piece he did at Rome, in the Church of St. An­drew de Laval, and in others that he painted at Na­ples; for Le Corregio was the first of the Painters who made that Sort of Pieces in Fresco: And of such a surprizing Design, that the Figures seem'd streight and upright contrary to the Nature of the concave Superficies of the Vault, and those ex­cellent Pieces serve still for Patterns to those who study the same Sorts of Work.

We may also rank among the famous Painters of Lombardy, Francis Mazzuolo ^(c) call'd Parmeggiano, [Page 127]and Polidore Caravaggio: The Beauties which are to be seen in the Pictures of the first, Surprize at first Sight of the beholders; which was caused by his agreeable Way of Painting.

He had so happy a Genius, that at the Age of sixteen Years he made of his own head several fine Pictures at Parma, and in the State of Man­tua, where he work'd till he was nineteen Years of Age, and then he went to Rome; the Repu­tation of the Works of Raphael, and of Michael Angelo drew him thither: He carried along with him three little Pictures, and his own Portrait; which were no sooner seen by Cardinal Datary, but he was introduced to Pope Clement the VIIth. who was charmed with the Beauty of his Pictures. Parmeggiano by this means got into the Service of the Pope, for whom he made several Pieces, and, during the time he was at Rome he so much studi­ed the Paintings of Raphael, that People used to say of him, that the Spirit of that great Painter was transfused into Parmeggiano.

This young Painter had such a Love, and so assiduous an Application to his Art, that being at Rome when it was Sacked by the Imperialists in 1527, and some Soldiers entring into his Cham­ber when he was at Work, he was not at all con­cerned, and so he was taken and set to be ransom­ed: And bought himself off by some of his Pi­ctures, being happily fallen into the Hands of a German Captain who was a great lover of Design­ing; but he was no sooner at Liberty, but he was taken again by other Soldiers, who robbed him of all he had. This misfortune caused his Return into Lombardy, where in 1548, he dyed at thirty six Years of Age.

Polidore da Carravaggio learned Painting in the School of Raphael, and perfected himself by a through Study of the Antients: His Painting is very Admirable, so well mixed with Lights and Shadows, that it made him pass in that Point for the best Painter that ever was. The Art of Designing is very much indebted to him for his rich Inventions of Trophies, Vessels and other Ornaments which he left to Posterity.

CHAP. XI.

THE School of the Bellini having, as we have seen, begun to revive the true Gust of Painting; their famous Disciples Georgeone and Ti­tian, did much exceed them; for they were ac­knowledged, as they yet are, by all Painters, for the greatest Masters in the Arts of Colouring, and making Landskips, that ever were.

Georgeone ^(a) del Castel Franco was brought up at Venice; he learn'd to play on the Lute to admi­ration, and having also a good Voice, he became an Excellent Musician. He also apply'd himself there to Painting, where after having in a short time learnt the Way of the Bellini, he surpassed them, by reason of the vivacity of his Genius, and his strong Inclination to Painting, and his [Page 129]Studies on the Pieces of Leonardo da Vinci, whom he happily imitated in the force and sweetness of his Manner. It was by these means that Georgeone attain'd to the true Way of Painting and Colour­ing, for which he was fam'd at Venice and in Trevi­san, and for the Pieces in Fresco which he there painted, and for the Pieces in Oyl of the Por­traitures of the greatest Captains, as that of the Prince Gaston de Foix which is to be seen in the Kings Cabinet.

He also gave proofs of his Wit and Knowledge in a Dispute he had at Venice with some Sculptors, concerning the Preeminence they pretended to over the Painters, because Sculpture represents all the Parts of the Body, whereas Painting re­presents only one: But he shew'd them the con­trary of this in one of his Pictures, wherein he shewed four different Sights or Parts of a Figure. To do this he painted a naked Man who shewed his Shoulders, and on the Ground he represented a Fountain where were to be seen by Reflexion the ^(b) Fore-parts of the Figure. On one of [Page 130]the sides he made a Suit of polish'd Armor whence one of the Sides was reflected, and on the other side there was seen a Looking-Glass which reflected the other: And after this way Georgeone repre­sented at one View those different Aspects; and this Picture was esteemed one of the best of his Painting. This excellent Person dyed at the Age of thirty four Years of the Plague in 1511, with this further Encomium, that he had taught the true Way of Painting to Titian and Sebastian, af­terwards called Frate del Piombo.

Titian Vecellio of Cadora was born in 1477, he came to Venice at ten Years of Age, where he gave the first hints of his Inclination to Painting; his Friends put him to John Bellino, where he pre­sently discovered an excellent Genius for learning all the Arts necessary and requisite to Painting. But in the Year 1507, finding that the Method of Georgeone surpassed that of Bellino, he imitated Georgeone with a great deal of care, and be­came his Disciple, and even exceeded him, for he be­came the most famous Colourer of his Time: As all Painters have since acknowledged.

This obliged Michael Angelo to say when he knew Titian at Rome, That if at the beginning of his Studies, he had been as happy as the Floren­tines, and the Romans, to have had as well as they the Antiquities to have learned by, he would been the first Painter in the World.

Notwithstanding Titian Designed the best of any of the Venetian School; he particularly ex­celled in Design those of the last Age, and this appear'd in his Picture of Loves which was at Rome, in the Ludovisian Vineyard: For the Illu­strious Poussin studied afterwards with the Famous Sculptor Francis Fiamingo, who made the Cupids in that Piece, and who by this means learned thereby the true Gusto and way of making In­fants, whereby he got so great an Esteem for Sculpture.

Moreover this great Reputation of Titian ^(c) made him sought to by all the Princes of Europe, to draw their Pictures, of whom he obtain'd great Honours and large Pensions: Those which he ob­tained from Charles the Vth, and Philip the IId, sufficiently testify the Esteem they made of his Merit in Italy, Germany and Spain, where he glo­riously embellish'd the Escurial, as he had done other famous Cabinets of Europe.

CHAP. XII.

BY the Examples of all those great Men we have but now mentioned, it is evident, that this Curiosity had got among the Great Princes of the last Age, who gave Proofs even to Emulation of their endeavours to Revive the Arts of Designing. Thus Painting and Archite­cture made great Progresses by the Protection they found from the Princes, and the Ingenui­ty of those Excellent Persons who Cultivated them.

At this time these Arts continued to flourish at Mantua; for after Designing had begun to be established there by the Curiosity of those Mar­quiss's and Dukes, who employ'd Leon Baptista Alberti Costa, and Andrew Mantegna, the famous Julio Romano made that City very fine.

Thus, when this Illustrious Designer had fi­nish'd Painting Constantine's Hall at Rome, which Raphael, his Master, was to have done; Frede­rick, Duke of Mantua, went thither, where he was so charm'd with Julio, that he oblig'd him to leave Rome, and come to Mantua.

He there immediately ordered him to Build the Palace of T. whereof he afterwards painted all the Apartments; and it was in these Magni­ficent Works, that he shew'd the Greatness and Vivacity of his Genius; there is to be seen on the four sides of the Hall, which is painted in Fresco, the Overthrow of the Giants; and on [Page 134]the Cieling, Jupiter darting his Thunder­bolts; as also all the rest of the Gods amazed at their Boldness. Julio, moreover, painted the Loggia or Gallery of this Palace, where are the Histories of David; and also Embellish'd the Great Hall with the Fables of Psyche and Bac­chus. He adorn'd several other Apartments with Pictures and Stucco-work, which were all very admirable.

He painted, moreover, several Battels out of Homer's Iliads in the Palace of St. Sebastian, and made fine Pieces of Tapistry for the Duke of Ferrara, which represented the Combats and Triumph of Scipio Africanus, whereof the King, the Duke of Mantua, and the Duke of Modena; have each a Suit of Hangings, very richly high­ten'd with Gold ^(a).

But as his Genius was universal, and he excel­led in all the Parts of Designing; Architecture, which is one of them, took up most of his time at Mantua; for besides the Palace of T. which he Built, he made the Church of St. Peter, and several others of a very regular Architecture. It was he also who found the way of preserving that Noble City from the Inundations of Water of the Lake, which runs round it; he Built there several Magnificent Palaces, and caused the great Streets to be enlarged, which are very beautiful.

Julio Romano gained so much here by the Esteem of the Duke, and of the Cardinal his Brother, that he used to say, this Painter was [Page 135]more Master of Mantua than he himself. Thus the Esteem and Honour he received of these two Princes, engaged him to stay there, and not re­turn to Rome, although the Pope desired it, to make him chief Architect of St. Peter's Church ^(b).

This shews us, that not only Painting flourish'd in several Cities of Italy, and at Mantua; but also that Architecture has always been insepara­ble from Designing; and more particularly to shew the Progress of Architecture after it's arrival. I will begin with it from the time of Bruneleschi, 100 Years before Julio Romano.

CHAP. XIII.

THE famous Ser-Bruneleschi began to bring Architecture out of the rude Gothick Man­ner, which had been practised at Florence, and other places, down to 1400. For he established in that City the use of the Dorick, Ionick, and Corinthian Orders, in all their Purity, and accord­ing to those just Rules he had studied at Rome in the Ancient Buildings.

Leon Baptista Alberti followed the Footsteps of this Illustrious Architect and Sculptor, and in Imitation of him continued at Florence the true Gusto of Architecture, by reason that he was an excellent Geometrician and good Designer. His Treatise of the Orders, and his Works of Archi­tecture, are a proof of it.

The famous Bramante, by his Excellent Ar­chitecture, continued to improve the latter part of this Age, as Bruneleschi and Leon Baptista had done; and also the beginning of the Age, 1500. wherin he lived. Bramante learnt Painting from his Youth, and gained his Livelihood thereby for a long time, in the State of Urbin, (where he was Born) and in several Cities of Lombardy, where he made several Pictures. But as he had also a Genius for very great things, he went to Milan to consider the Building of the great Church there, then under the Conduct and Management of Caesarianus, a very Ingenious Architect; and Bernardino da Trevio, a Milanese, [Page 138]also a good Painter, and Architect, and Engi­neer, who was very much esteem'd by Leonardo Vinci, though his way of Painting was some­what dry.

The Reflections which Bramante made on this famous Church, together with the know­ledge he gained by those two Architects, who were the Managers and Designers of it, made him have a mind to apply himself wholly to the Study of Architecture; whereupon he went to Rome, where having kept together what he had gotten by Painting, he survey'd with a particular Care and Curiosity the magnificent Ancient Build­ings of that City, those of Tivoli and of La Villa Adriana; his Affection to Architecture led him also to Naples, to observe all the fine Remainders of Antiquity which are there and thereabouts. He there met with the Protection of the Cardi­nal Archbishop, who had such an Esteem for him, that a little after he Engaged him to make at Rome the Cloyster of the Church of Peace. Afterwards he was employed by Pope Alexander VIth. and he shew'd his Skill in the Archite­cture of the Palace of the Chancery, and of the Church of St. Laurence in Damaso. He em­bellish'd, moreover, several Churches in Rome, by Frontispieces of his own Designing; that of St. James of the Spaniards, of St. Mary del l'Ani­ma, and of St. Mary del Popolo, are convincing proofs of it; as also the little Temple of the Dorick Order, which is consecrated to St. Peter in Mont-Orio: These Works and several others gain'd him so much reputation, that he was ac­kowledged the best Architect of his time; in­somuch, that in 1503. Julius the Second being Pope took him into his Service, where he con­tinued [Page 139]to gain Admiration by his Buildings in the Lodgings of the Vatican, and by those of the Palace of Belvidere. But that whereby this fa­mous Architect got the greatest Credit, was his Design of the ^(a) great Church of St. Peter at Rome, and the Foundation he laid of that in­comparable Building ^(b). Raphael Urbin, after the Death of Bramante, took care of the Archi­tecture of that Church; and there is also to be seen of his, the Chappel of Chigi in St. Mary del Popolo; but Death, which at 37 Years of Age put a period to his Life, has deprived us of those excellent Works which otherwise he would have left to Posterity.

Architecture continued at Rome in its Excel­lence by Baldassare ^(c) Peruzzi, where are to be seen of his designing some Palaces of a fine and elegant Proportion, which command the At­tention and Admiration of the Spectators, filling them with an agreeable pleasure in considering their Beauty, the effect of a rare Designment; for Balthazar excelled in Painting and Perspe­ctive, [Page 141]before he practised Architecture, and had in that Art several Disciples; Serlio was one of the first, who made any Proficiency by the Designs of Balthazzar, for he composed those Books we have under the Name of Sebastiano Serlio Bolognese.

CHAP. XIV.

GOOD Architecture began to revive in the Provinces of the Republick of Venice, ac­cording to the true Gusto of the Ancients, for there were several Illustrious Architects who came from Verona, who were happy in being Born in a City where there were so many Relicks of fine Architecture: For it is most certain that the best Precepts which can be given in the Arts of De­signing, are fine Examples, whereon Youth Cast­ing their Eyes and Thoughts with a particular Inclination for Designing, cannot but succeed: And this is an Advantage which the Italians have had above other Nations, who have render'd them­selves famous in Architecture, Sculpture, and Painting; insomuch, that it is not a wonder that in the last Age they have surpassed o­thers.

Those Ingenious Veronese Architects, were Jo­conde, Michael San Michael, and John Maria Fal­conetti. Joconde was called Fryer John Joconde, ever since he wore the Habit of the Dominicans; [Page 142]and though his first Talents were Learning and Theology, he was notwithstanding an excellent Architect, and learned in Perspective; for from his Youth he exercised himself in the true anci­ent way of Architecture, by his Studies after the Theaters, Amphitheaters, Triumphal-Arches, and other Relicks of Ancient Buildings, which make Verona famous.

When Joconde set himself to practise this Art, he was immediately very much favoured by Maximilian, who gave him Orders to rebuild at Verona the Bridge, which is called the Stone-Bridge, and which is very considerable, by reason of the Rapidity of the River, and its moving Bot­tom. Joconde from his Youth had studied the An­tiquities at Rome, and even the very Inscriptions, whereof he composed a very fine Book, which was presented to the old Duke Laurence de Medi­cis. He also made Notes on Caesar's Commenta­ries, and design'd the Description of the Bridge, which that Emperor made over the Rhine. After this Joconde was sent for from Rome by Lewis the Twelfth, for whom he raised several Buildings; the most famous were the Bridges of Notre Dame at Paris, which this Prince order'd him to make, on the Building whereof Sannazar, his Friend, made this Epigram,

But Joconde at his return to Rome, by the Death of Bramante, was made one of the Surveyors of the Fabrick of St. Peter, with Raphael d'Urbin, and Anthony Sangallo. Joconde also made at Venice some surprizing Works, for he found out the [Page 143]Invention of turning away part of the Waters of the Brinte, that they should not fill the Com­mon Shores of that City with Sand and Earth, which that River brought down along with it, and by these means he preserv'd Venice from the Accidents which threatned it. Budaeus says in Honour of this Great Man, that he return'd Thanks to God that he had so good a Master in Architecture, as Joconde, who exceeded Vitru­vius.

Michael San Michel, studied the Principles of Architecture at Verona, under his Father and Uncle, who were very good Architects; but at Sixteen Years of Age he went to Rome, and there measured the fine Ancient Buildings round about it, and thereby became skilled in every part of Architecture, insomuch that Pope Cle­ment VIIth. gave him a Pension to go with Sangallo, and Fortify the Frontiers of the Eccle­siastick State, particularly Parma and Placentia. Afterwards he returned to Verona, whose fine Gates he made, and the Republick employ'd him in the Principal Buildings of the State, in the Levant, and on the Terra Firma, among which may be reckoned the Fortress of Lido.

Moreover, John Maria Falconetti, who was al­so of Verona, was a very famous Architect: He learnt Painting of his Father; but because he did not get much by it, he set himself to Study the Antiquities of the City; after which he went to Rome and Naples, to Survey the Buildings of the Ancients, where he employ'd himself for the space of twelve Years, and omitted nothing in his Designs, neither there, nor in the Parts round about. But as he had not sufficient Means to continue his Studies long, he employ'd [Page 144]himself some Days in the Week in Painting, thereby to supply his Necessities.

Afterwards returning to Verona, and finding there no opportunity of employing himself in Architecture, he found himself obliged to take up Painting again; but through good luck he found in that City Signior Cornaro, who was a great lover of Architecture, who caused him to come to his House, where he dwelt twenty one Years; he employ'd himself all this while in Working, and exercising that Art, which Falco­netti had so much studied. Thus these three Il­lustrious Architects of Verona introduced the true Gusto and Way of Building into the Venetian State.

This true and regular Way of Building was continued there, and even augmented by James Sansovino, a Florentine, who embellish'd Venice with the greatest and most regular Buildings that are there to be seen.

The famous Sansovino began from his Youth to study Designing and Sculpture at Florence, which he very successfully practised; he enter­tain'd a great Respect for Andrew del Sarto, an Excellent Painter. After this he went to Rome, where he got acquainted with Raphael and Bra­mante, who did him Justice in their Recommen­dations of his Skill to Leo the Tenth.

The French, and the Spaniards, and the Ger­mans, had at that time great Inclinations to build themselves National Churches at Rome. The Florentines also obtain'd the same favour from the Pope.

The Florentines caused several Models to be made by Raphael, Baldassare, Anthony Sangallo, and Sansovino. It was the Design of this last [Page 145]that they chose: And Sansovino began to build the Church of St. John for the Florentines according to the Model he had made of it. But this build­ing was discontiuned during the Popedom of A­drian the VIth, a Fleming by his Countrey, who had no affection nor gust for the Arts of Design­ing: Insomuch, that if he had reigned long these Arts would have infallibly sunk into their old ob­scurity, at least at Rome.

Clement the VIIth succeeded him, and prevent­ed this misfortune; for he set to Work all the In­genious in these Arts: And James Sansovino con­tinued by these means the Fabrick of the Church of the Florentines till the Year 1527, wherein the Army of Charles the Vth besieged Rome, which chased away from that City a great Number of excellent Men. Sansovino ^(a) retired to Venice to go thence to France into the Service of Francis the Ist who very much desired him.

But being arrived at Venice with a design to get something there, because he had lost all his Goods at the pillaging of Rome; his Merit was represented to the Doge Gritti, and that he could prevent the Ruine which threatned the Dome of St. Mark. Immediately by the Order of the Doge Sansovino undertook it, and by the help of some pieces of Timber and Iron-bands which he [Page 146]invented, he set this great Work out of danger. This gain'd him so much Reputation that the Super-intendency of the Works of the Dukedom, which became vacant, was given him.

The first Work which he made for the Repub­lick was Zecca, which is the Chamber for the Money, or Treasury, with a great deal of beauty and advantage: Afterwards he was employ'd about the Fortifications of the Venetian State. Af­terwards he built the new Architecture that em­bellishes the Palace of St. Mark. He made also several Works of Brass and Marble in the Church; and considering all the fine Structures wherewith he enrich'd Venice, we may say of him that he ad­vanced Architecture in that City to its highest Perfection.

CHAP. XV.

THE great Michael Angelo Buonaruoti, had the same Honour at Florence and Rome as San­sovino at Venice: For he shewed his Capacity in Architecture in those two Cities, and in the last Age advanced that Art to its highest Perfection. The reason of this is very evident and no ways surprizing, for being the greatest Designer of his Time he became also the greatest Architect, when he apply'd his Time wholly to it as he did during his last Years.

Michael Angelo was born at Florence in 1474, with a natural Inclination for Designing; for although in his Youth he was brought up to Learning, not­withstanding he busied himself always in private about Designing: And as his Father saw that he had a very great Inclination for Painting, he put him to Dominick Ghirlandaio, for him to instruct him therein; and in a little time Michael Angelo distinguish'd himself from other Disciples, by the surprizing Facility wherewith he designed: This great Genius was very fortunately favoured by Prince Laurence de Medicis, by reason of the great Passion this Prince had to assist the Revival of the Arts, by assisting Men skilled and learned therein. This generous Temper made him establish in the Gallery of his Gardens an Academy which he fill'd with fine Pictures and Pieces of Sculpture both Ancient and Modern. Afterwards he caused to be sought out at Florence those Young Designers who promised most, to whom he al­low'd Pensions to promote the conveniency of their Studies. Those of the School of Ghirlandaio were chosen the first, and particularly Michael Angelo, who had so lively a Genius for all the Parts of Designing, that one day having taken up a piece of Marble, he set about making a Head, tho' as yet he had never handled a Chisel; which so much surprized Prince Laurence, that he conceived so great an Affection for Michael An­gelo, that besides the Pension he allow'd him, he did him the Honour to admit him to his own Table, and gave him a Lodging in his Palace. After the Death of this Prince, his Successor Peter de Medicis, continued to Michael Angelo the same Affection he had been favoured with by the Great Duke his Father.

Signor Soderini Gonfaloniere of the same Repub­lick, had no less esteem for this ingenious Man than these two Princes; and about the same time Michael Angelo made a Cupid of Marble which was sent to Rome, and hidden under Ground, to pretend that it was an Ancient one: It was af­terwards dug up and sold for such to Cardinal St. George, and this Cupid passed for one of the most rare and fine Pieces of Antiquity. Hereby this famous Sculptor acquired a great Reputation at Rome; whither he went for the first time: He continued Sculpture there with a great Applica­tion, and made a Bacchus of Marble with several other admirable Statues. At his return to Flo­rence he apply'd himself with the same diligence to that fine Art, and made a Marble David, which was set up before the Palace. Peter Soderini, and all the Citizens were so charmed with this Piece, that they obliged this famous Designer to make some more of them, some in Brass and others in Painting. Then Gonfaloniere ordered him to Paint one half of the Council Hall, and Leonardo da Vinci the other.

It was here that Michael Angelo made a Piece to Parallel that of Leonardo da Vinci which was so fa­mous. Michael Angelo in this Work gave proofs of the Excellence of his Designing, both in respect of the composition of the Subject, which was the War of Pisa, and in his correctness in naked Fi­gures: And to have an opportunity of shewing it the better, he chose the time when several of the Soldiers used to bath themselves in the River Ar­no, to introduce into his Designing naked Fi­gures, in which he was Excellent; it was this fa­mous Piece that gave Raphael and several others an insight to the Perfection of Designing.

Julius the IId being raised to the Papal Chair sent for Michal Angelo to Rome, resolving to en­gage him to make him a Mausoleum in St. Peter's ad vincula. Here is to be seen that fine Figure of Mo­ses and several others, and the excellent Archite­cture, which joined together make this fine Se­pulcher. This great Design was not executed according to the largeness of its first Model, but was reduced to what it is, whence France has the Honour of two Statues of Marble which were to be placed on each side of the Sepulcher, and which are at present in the Castle of Riche­lieu.

The working of this Mausoleum was for a long time interrupted, because the Pope set Michael Angelo to Paint in Fresco the arched Ceiling of the Chappel of Sixtus the IVth, which so much raised his Reputation, that besides the general Applause he received at Rome, he received considerable Pre­sents from Pope Julius: He deserved both the one and the other; for he alone painted that Vault af­ter so admirable a way, that the famous Caraches, who came after him, took thence their magnifi­cent Ideas in the Painting of the Palace of Farnese at Rome. Julius the IId being dead, Leo the Xth his Successor honoured Michael Angelo no less than he had done, for he employ'd him in the Archi­tecture of the Front of St. Laurence at Florence, and his Model gained more Esteem than any other.

After this in the Popedom of Clement the VIIth, he made in the Vestry of the same Church, the Sepulcher of the House of Medicis, and that Se­pulcher even till this time has passed for a wonder both of Architecture and Sculpture.

This excellent Person moreover shewed that he was Ignorant in nothing in all the Arts of Design­ing; for he also fortified the Mount St. Miniate at Florence, and thereby hindered their Enemies from becoming Masters of it.

But when the Wars of Italy in 1525 obliged several ingenious Artists to leave Rome and Florence, Michael Angelo was one of that Number, and went to Venice, where the Doge Gritti, to whom he had the honour to be known, caused him to make the Design of the Bridge of Realto, which is one of the Masterpieces of Architecture. He painted in that City some Pictures, and among others that of Leda, which he gave to the Duke of Fer­rara, who sent it to Francis the Ist.

The Wars of Italy being ended, Michael Angelo returned to Rome, and there finished the Sepul­cher of Julius the IId, after which he painted by order of Pope Paul the IIId the great Front of the Altar, whereon he represented the last Judg­ment, and it was this only which was not finished of all the Paintings of this Chappel. The Fame of this great Work in Fresco, which is all over the World, sufficiently denotes its Excellence.

Michael Angelo in his old Age apply'd himself more to Architecture than Painting and Sculpture, because after the death of Antony Sangallo Archi­tect, the Pope preferr'd Michael Angelo to any other, and made him chief Architect of the Fa­brick of St. Peter, and of the Apostolick Cham­ber, although he would have excused himself from it.

Having accepted this Charge he went to St. Pe­ter's, to see the Model of Sangallo, to finish what remain'd to be built of that great Church, and after having examined it, he publickly declared [Page 151]that that Architect had made the Model of it with­out any Art, because without side he had made too many Pillars, one upon another, and unncessary Spires, and too many small Branchings and little Members, which are quite contrary to good Architecture; lastly, that this Model was of a Gusto rather Barbarous than Ancient: Besides this he shew'd that the execution or performance of it would cost a Million more than one that he would make.

Michael Angelo caused another Model to be made in fifteen days time which cost only five hundred Crowns, whereas that of Sangallo cost four thousand, and several Years work; so that at last this great Church was finished according to the Design of Michael Angelo in the beauty we see it now, excepting the Front, which is not his, nor so well done as the Architecture of the outermost Tower and the back Part of that Church. While Michael Angelo carried on this Building, he also made several others which make part of the beauty of Rome: Such as the Palace of Farnese, and the Capitol, which excite the Admiration both of Architects and other Ingeni­ous Men.

The fine Pieces of ^(a) Michael Angelo in Paint­ing and Sculpture and Architecture, and his other good Qualities had gain'd him such an Esteem [Page 152]with the Popes whom he had the Honour to serve; that Julius the IIId used to make him sit by him and talk with him concerning the Arts of De­signing: And oftentimes this Pope would take his Part against those who criticiz'd upon him. By all these Honours which Michael Angelo recei­ved, and the universal Applause that was given to all his Works; we may conclude that it was this famous Designer, who, in that Age advanced Sculpture and Architecture with the true Way of Designing to the highest degree of Perfection that ever they arrived to, at Rome and Florence.

CHAP. XVI.

IN the time of Michael Angelo there was at Rome Sebastian ^(a) the Venetian, afterwards call'd Frate del Piombo. He had learnt of John Bellin at Venice the Principles of Painting, and of Georgeone his second Master the true Way of Co­louring. This fine Way of Colouring gain'd him the Friendship of Michael Angelo, when Sebastian came to Rome; Michael Angelo thought that this his grand Manner of Designing join'd with that of Colouring, would excel the Pieces of Raphael d'Urbin, but it did not succeed.

But the favour and protection which Sebastian received from Michael Angelo made him Prefer him to Baptista Franco, to Perin del Vago, to Baldassar Perruzzi and other Disciples of Raphael.

But these ingenious Disciples, tho' they did not equal him, yet they had Qualities which made them always esteemed, and they very much contributed to the perfection of the Arts of De­signing, as did also John d'Udine who had been one of them, who Painted all the Animals, the Flowers and Fruits which are in the Works of Raphael.

This John had also a great Genius at inventing those sorts of Ornaments, which are called Gro­tesque. This is to be seen by those he painted in the Rooms in the Vatican, and by the excel­lent Designs for Tapistry, which he made of that sort of Work, although it is agreed that it might have been done after the ancient Plaster, as some was which was found about that time in the Rooms in the Gardens of Titus, and those which were still remaining in the Temple of Peace, and in the City Adriana, and other anci­ent Buildings. Notwithstanding all the Designs which were made by John d'Udine ^(b) are so [Page 155]fine that it is questioned whether those of the Ancients were more Excellent; for this John was not only an excellent Painter, but also a very in­genious Sculptor and worker in Plaister, as is ap­parent in the small Figures of that sort of work which he has mixed among the Ornaments of the Apartments of the Vatican, insomuch that he deserves to be esteemed as the Reviver of Stucco-Work for the perfection to which he carri'd it: For it was he, who by a through examination of the Materials whereof the ancient Plaster was composed, found that it was made of Lime mixed with Powder of Marble, to give it duration and make it receive a fine Polish and Shining, as Pla­ster will have when it is worked with care.

John Francis surnamed Il Fattore of Florence was a Disciple of Raphael with Julio Romano; and may be justly considered as a Disciple of so wor­thy a Master, for after the death of that famous Painter, they jointly finished, he and Julio, the great Hall of the Vatican, where they painted the Histories of Constantine.

Perrin ^(c) del Vago a Florentine, and his Brother-in-Law, were also Disciples of Raphael; for Per­rin being at Rome where he then studied Antiqui­ties, John d'Udine proposed to Raphael to work in Plaster, and on Painting the Rooms of the Vatican which were then doing, and he painted several of them with Histories out of the Old Testament which were very well done. He af­terwards made at Rome, after the death of Raphael [Page 156]some fine Pieces in Fresco, at the Church of the Trinity on the Hill, at St. Marcellus, and several other Churches.

But the most considerable Piece of Perrin del Vago, was the Palace which Prince Doria caused him to build at Genoua, after a Model of this fa­mous Painter's, wherein he also did the Painting and the Plaster work, which still render that Building the finest and most considerable in all that City.

CHAP. XVII.

BACCIO ^(a) Bandinelli although he died be­fore Michael Angelo, may notwithstanding be accounted one who imitated his Manner: For after he had learn'd the Trade of a Goldsmith at [Page 157] Florence, he very eagerly studied Designing, and especially that famous Piece of Michael Angelo which was in the Council Hall, so that he had the Advantage of acquiring a correct Way of De­signing, to which he joined the Study of Anato­my. Baccio gave proof of his Skill by his Works, and by some Stamps he caused to be engraved by Augustin Venetianus. He also practised Sculpture with a great deal of Applause; for on account of that, and a fine Print of the Martyrdom of St. Lau­rence, which he procured Mark Antony to Engrave, Pope Clement the VIIth honour'd him with the Order of Knigthood of St. Peter. His chief Works in Marble were, the great Figure of Hercules with Cacus, which is in the Square of the Palace of Flo­rence: He made this Piece to accompany that of Michael Angelo, and that of Benvenuto Cellini which stood in the same Square. The Piece of Adam and Eve, which is at the Altar in the Cathedral of Florence, is one of his best and most conside­rable Works.

Benvenuto Cellini was a Person of particular Me­rit, he was an excellent Goldsmith, and com­posed a Book which treats of that Art, and the way of casting Figures in Brass. He came into France to serve Francis the Ist, for whom he made several Pieces in that Metal: And he had a peculiar Excellence in engraving Coins for Me­dals and Money.

We ought to place among the Illustrious Tuscans of that time Daniel da ^(b) Volterra, equally Ex­cellent in Painting, Sculpture and Architecture; he learnt of Baldassare Perruzzi, afterwards he [Page 158]was employ'd under Perin del Vaga in the Church of Trinity del Monte: And there built the fine Chap­pel of St. Helen in that Church, and painted over against it another just like it.

The Pictures in Fresco which he there made cannot be enough admired, chiefly that of the Descent from the Cross of our Saviour, the Beauty whereof is sufficiently known throughout the World, by reason of the great Number of Copies of it which are to be seen throughout all Europe. The Excellence of this Picture appears in the Composition, lively Expression and cor­rectness of Design, and the excellency of the Painting. One of his best Pieces of Sculpture is the Brazen Horse in the Royal Square at Paris.

Robert Strozzi had Commission from Queen Ka­tharine de Medicis to procure Michael Angelo to make it, but he excused himself by reason of his great Age, and advised this Lord to get Daniel da Vol­terra to do it, who accordingly undertook it; but he was so unfortunate as to miss the first Cast, but the second time he succeeded. But Death pre­vented him before he had finished the Statue of Henry the IId, who was to be set on the Horse. Thus this Work remain'd imperfect by the Death of Daniel da Volterra, and a long time after under Lewis the XIIIth it was carried away from Rome, and the Figure of that King set up in its room, as we see it at this day in the Royal Square.

There were other famous Tuscan Painters ^(d) appear'd at Florence, at the same time as niel da Volterra at Rome, among whom were Ja­cob ^(e) da Puntormo, Francis Bronzin his Disciple, and Salviati. Puntormo began under Leonardo da Vinci, and in 1512 he continued to perfect himself with Andrew del Sarto.

Bronzin was in nothing Inferiour to him, and there are to be seen of his Hand some Pictures ex­cellently well done.

Salviati ^(f) learnt Designing in the School of Baccio Bandinelli, and Painting of Andrew del Sarto. After having work'd for some time at Flo­rence and at Rome, he came in the Year 1554 into France, where he was very well received by Pri­maticcio then chief Painter and Architect to the King; but as soon as Salviati saw the Works of Rosso, who had been chief Painter to the King, and those of other Painters, he affected to find Faults in them, which raised great Ex­pectations of what he would do: He was em­ploied by the Cardinal de Lorrain to Paint in his Castle of Dampierre, but not being pleased in France he returned to his own Country.

CHAP. XVIII.

FLORENCE was not the only City of Italy, which bred Excellent Painters: for Ferrara had several, Dosso and Baptista his Brother were very ingenious. Dosso was very much extolled by the famous Ariosto, and cherished till his Death by the Generous Prince Alphonsus of Ferrara.

Alphonsus Lombardi, an Excellent Sculptor, was also Born in the same City; he made several Portraits, witness that which he made at Bologna, of the Emperor Charles the V. whereby he gain'd very great Applause, with an honourable Recom­pence from that Prince.

But one of the best Painters of Ferrara, was Benvenuto Garofalo ^(a); he began to learn Painting [Page 161] Ferrara, and Cremona, and at Mantua under Corta Ferrara. At nineteen Years of Age he went to Rome for fifteen Months, then he return'd to Mantua, and thence to Rome again, where the Works of Raphael, and Michael Angelo's grand Gu­sto of Designing charmed him so much, that he repented he had spent his Youth in studying the Lombard Manner.

This made him resolve to leave them, and become a Disciple and Imitator of Raphael, du­ring the space of two Years, because he found himself very much in favour with that great Man, whom he very unwillingly left for some Affairs of his Family, which obliged him to dwell at Ferrara.

Benvenuto Garofalo was there very much esteem­ed by the Duke, and the principal Personages of that City, for whom he painted several Pieces, in the Churches, and in particular Houses; his Works were very beautiful, by reason he fol­lowed very good and just Principles, which he received from Raphael, and took particular care to joyn thereunto the Imitation of the best Nature.

The State of Urbin continued to yield ingeni­ous Men; and the Dukes of Urbin, like them of Ferrara, of Mantua, and of Florence, contributed to the revival of the Arts of Designing. For Je­rom Genga, an Excellent Painter, was in great favour with these Dukes. He had studied under Peter Perugino with Raphael Urbin, his Illustrious Countryman; he practised also Architecture, and the Duke Guido-baldo employ'd him to build, and paint his Palaces of Urbin and Pisaro, and to fortify this last City. Bartholomew, the Son of Genga, was al­so an Architect and Engineer, as well as his Father.

From this State of Urbin came those famous Brethren, Taddeus and Frederick Zucchero, and [Page 162]the celebrated Baroche: Taddeus ^(b) learnt the Principles of Painting in the City of St. Angelo in Vado, which was his own Country; but as his Masters were but ordinary Painters, he re­solved at fourteen Years of Age to go to Rome, there to study this Art; where having nothing to live upon, he was obliged to work for Picture­sellers, and when he had got some Money, he employ'd himself in Designing, and particularly to Imitate and Copy the Works of Raphael, which he chiefly studied; by these means he became ve­ry Excellent, which may be seen in his fine Works which he has painted in the Castle of Caprarola, and the Church of Trinity on the Hill, at Rome.

His ^(c) Brother Frederick followed the same way of Painting; for he finish'd the Pictures which Taddeus had begun, and at his Death left imperfect, and was in nothing inferior to him.

Philip the II. sent for him into Spain, where he was well receiv'd by that Prince, who em­ploy'd him to work in the Escurial ^(d): At his return to Rome he began the Academy of [Page 163]Designing of ^(e) St. Luke, which was erected by a Brief of Pope Gregory the XIIIth. He was chose the first Protector of that Academy, by all the Painters, with a general Applause, for he was universally beloved not only by them, but by all Persons of Learning for his extraordinary Qualities; he had so great an Affection for them that he left them all his Goods.

In the City of Urbin was born the famous Fre­derick Baroche ^(f), who, as also the Zuccheri's, went to Study at Rome the Art of true Designing by the Works of Raphael; he also imitated in his Pictures the manner of Correggio, nearer than any other. It was this which made his Works compleat and very agreeable, and he took a great deal of care in the making of them: Insomuch, that it might have been wish'd he had been more healthful, and had settled at Rome. He might have kept up to­wards the end of the last Age the excellency of [Page 164]Painting, which was not maintain'd at that heighth, that Raphael Correggio and Titian had carried it to in Italy: By reason that Joseph Arpino and Michael An­gelo Carravagio, introduced several manners in that Art quite contrary to the beautiful Stile of those Famous Painters.

Joseph Arpino was too conceited, and would on­ly blindly follow his own Fancy, without obser­ving either Rules, or Nature; and as for Michael Angelo Carravagio, he took no care in his Choice, neither to follow Nature, or Antiquity in his Compositions: For all the Beauty of his Pictures consisted in the fineness of his Pencil, and liveli­ness of his Colours. This made the business be for some time neglected in the Roman School of Design, by following these two different man­ners, till the famous Caraches and their Disciples at the beginning of the last Age, happily Re­estabished the true Way of Design and Painting.

CHAP. XIX.

AT Venice the excellency of Painting did not decline during the whole last Age. It was there raised to a very high Degree of Perfection, chiefly in the fine Way of Co­louring by Georgeone, and Titian who lived to be very Old. The Palma's ^(a), the [Page 165] Bassans ^(b) , Pordenone, Paris Bordone, and several others were excellent Colourists and contributed to the enriching Venice by their excellent Pictures.

The Famous Paul Veronese ^(c) and [Page 166] ^(d) Tintoret, continued to embellish the Palaces and Churches of that City and of the Venetian State with a great Number of excellent Pieces: Inso­much that these Pieces both then and still cause admiration in the Curious, and serve for Exam­ples of Study to young Painters, who love this fine Way of Painting and Colouring. For it may be said in Praise of these two excellent Persons, that they were those who brought Colouring at Venice to its highest Perfection.

Jerom Mutiano of Brescia, was also of this State and learnt the Principles of Painting: Afterwards he perfected himself at Venice by the Pieces of Ti­tian, where he learn'd the true Way of Colour­ing, and drawing Landskips, wherein he was Ex­cellent. After this he went to Rome, where he continued to Study his Art with so much Ardor, that to beat Love out of his Head, which he found somewhat to hinder him, he cut off his Hair, and never stirr'd from home, till his Picture of the Resurrection of Lazarus was done, and his Hair grown again. This Work, which is to be seen at St. Mary Majore, was very much praised by Mi­chael Angelo, and acquired a very great Reputati­on to the Painter who made it, as did also that which he painted in St. Peter's, which represents the Visit of St. Antony to St. Paul the first Hermit.

He work'd for the Cardinal d'Este, who had a very great Esteem for him; he made several other Pictures at Rome, at Orvieta and at Loretto. Among the other good Qualities of Mutiano, he had an extraordinary Way of teaching Youth, and by his Will he left two Houses to the Aca­demy of St. Luke, and also something to build A­partments for the Students of Designing who were Poor; it was he who by his Credit with Pope Gregrory the XIIIth, obtained a Brief of him to found that Academy, and who caused the de­molish'd Church of St. Luke on the Mount Esqui­lino to be changed into that of St. Martin, which stood at the Foot of the Capitol, and which has been since rebuilt, and embellish'd according to the Designing of Pietro da Cortona a famous Paint­er of this Age.

Architecture, which had been brought to a very high Degree of Perfection at Venice, by the fa­mous Architects we have mentioned, was conti­nued there after the true and fine Way of the Antients, by Daniel Barbaro, Scammozzi, and Andrew Palladio, who excell'd the others, as the fine Churches he built at Venice sufficiently testify; as also the Palaces and Seats of Pleasure and other Buildings he made in the Venetian State; which are all of a true and fine Way. This, together with the ingenious Books of the Orders of Ar­chitecture, and of the Temples of the Ancients which are extant of his, are as so many perpe­tual Monuments of the Merits of Palladio.

This Art ^(e) has continued at Rome in the same Excellence Michael Angelo brought it to [...], [Page 168]Republick by means of several excellent Architects, chiefly Pirro Ligorio and Vignola, Painters and Architects.

Pirro Ligorio was of a noble Family of Naples; from his Youth he studied Designing and Paint­ing. He so passionately loved Ancient Buildings, that he designed only with Pen and Ink near forty Books full, at ^(f) Naples and Rome, and all the Provinces where there were any of those Old Buildings, or any Fragments of them remaining.

This great Designer, and excellent Painter, as is evident by his ancient Rome Engraven at large; composed also a Book of Circus's, Theaters, Am­phitheaters, which he published.

Painting was also one of his Employments at Rome. He there painted several things in the Ora­tory of Mercy, as also the Front of the House of Teodoli, and another Front of a Palace in Campo [Page 169]Martio painted in Camajeu ^(g) in Yellow and Green; he moreover made several Pieces in di­verse Parts of that City.

Afterwards Pirro Ligorio apply'd himself entirely to Architecture, and his great Capacity procured him to be Architect of the Pope, and of St. Pe­ter's, under the Popes Paul the IIId, Paul the IVth and Pius the IVth. But after the Death of Michael Angelo, Vignola was chosen with Pirro Ligorio to survey and manage the Building of St. Peter; and that with Order to follow entirely the Design of Michael Angelo. Ligorio pretended notwithstand­ing to make some alteration in it, and thereby offended Pope Pius the Vth, who turned him out of his Employ, and so the whole management of that great Edifice remained only to Vignola.

This great Man James Barozzi da Vignola went when he was Young to Bologna there to learn Painting, but finding that for want of Means and Instruction, he did not much profit therein; he resolved to set himself wholly to study Archi­tecture, for his inclination led him most that Way: He had also a particular Fancy for Per­spective, wherein he found out by his Study those fine Rules he published.

But as he knew, that to become an excel­lent Architect, it was not enough to study Vi­truvius, and to fill himself with Ideas of seve­ral fine Sciences, but that the Study also of the antient Buildings was absolutely necessary thereunto, so he resolved to go to Rome to design them. In the mean time his Skill in Painting was a great help to him; For at [Page 170]whiles he still painted, and thereby got suffici­ent to maintain his Family: This he continued till the Foundation of the Academy of Archi­tecture at Rome was finished.

This Academy was composed of several inge­nious Men, one whereof was Marcello Cervino, who was afterwards Pope. This noble Assem­bly chose Vignola to Design and Measure for them all the ancient Buildings, which made him en­tirely leave Painting, to employ his whole time on Architecture, and thereby to become one of the best Architects of his Age. The Fame of Vignola's Capacity and the Reputation he had got, were the Reason that in 1537 Francis Primaticcio, sent to Rome by Francis the Ist, gave him a Commission to mould and form some of the finest ancient Figures: And afterwards he carri­ed him into France, where he work'd for that King, in making several Designs for Buildings, which were but in part finished by reason of the Wars. He also design'd on Carton's for Primatic­cio the History of Ulysses, painted in the Gallery at Fountainbleau.

At the same time, and in the same place Vignola was employ'd in casting several Statues in Brass, of those he had modell'd at Rome, and which are at Fountainbleau, and he was so happy as to light on some very good Foun­ders, insomuch that those Brazen Figures were cast with so much Care, that they scarce need­ed any further Work.

Vignola at his Return to Rome, had the Ho­nour of being the Architect of the Church of St. Peter, and to continue that Building ac­cording to the Design of Michael Angelo. He also made the Design of the Church of Jesus: And one of his chief Pieces was the Castle of [Page 171] Caprarola, which he built for Cardinal Farne [...] He painted with his own Hand several of the Chambers with Pieces of Perspective, which were agreeable: And for the same Cardinal he finish'd that side of the Farneze Palace which stands next the Tyber.

Vignola was also employ'd by Philip the IId, King of Spain, to make the Designs of the Church of St. Laurence, and those of the Escurial. His Designs were preferr'd to above twenty others of the best Architects in Italy, and even to that which was made at Florence by the Academy of Designing. A Design also which Vignola made for the Church of St. Petronio, at Bologna, was preferr'd to several others. Those who gave this Judgment of it were Christopher Lombard, Ar­chitect of the Dome of Milan, and Julio Romano Painter and Architect to the Duke of Mantua.

Besides the fine Buildings of Vignola at ^(h) Rome, and other Places, he has also published a Book of the Orders of Architecture, wherein the beauty and fineness of his Profils have made his Name famous.

Several other famous Architects appear'd at Rome towards the End of the same Age, and among the rest Maderni, who made the Front of St. Peters Church.

Afterwards Dominick Fontana, besides the Build­ings he made for Sixtus the Vth, found out some extraordinary Inventions whereby he trans­ported the Egyptian Obelisks at Rome, and set them up in the Squares of St. Peter, St. John Lateran and St. Mary del Popolo, which [...] the finest Ornaments of that City. Fontana [...] more­over [Page 172]chosen to be first Architect and Engineer of the Kingdom of Naples. It was in this City he built the magnificent Palace of the Viceroy, and several other Edifices.

CHAP. XX.

BY what we have said of Vignola, it may be gathered that the true manner of Archi­tecture began to revive in France, and even be­fore his time, for it began under Lewis the XIIth, who caused Jocondo to come out of Italy. King Francis his Successor had the like Inclination not only for Architecture, but also for ^(a) Painting and for all the other Arts of Designing. For he sent for several Ingenious Italians into France, to whom he shewed particular Favours. Rosso, known in France by the Name of Roux, was among the chiefest of his Favourites. He was a Painter and Architect, of a good Mein, and very In­genious. This excellent Genius apply'd himself in his Youth at Florence to study the great Piece done by Michael Angelo in the Council-Hall: Af­terwards he painted of himself, without follow­ing any Master.

Afterwards he went into France where he was so happy as to get the Favour and Affection of [Page 173]the King, who allow'd him a Pension of four hundred Crowns. After that he began to Paint the lower Gallery at Fountainbleau, where he painted twenty four Historical Pieces of Alexan­der the Great: This pleased the King so much that he gave him a Canonship in the Chappel at Paris.

Rosso moreover painted several Chambers at Fountainbleau, which after his Death were some­what changed: There was a Book of several Designs of Anatomy which he had made for the King, about to be engraved ^(b), but was prevent­ed by the decease of this Painter.

Francis Primaticcio of Bolonia carried on the Works of Rosso at Fountainbleau: He came into France in the Year 1531, a year after the Establishment of Rosso: That which caused this Voyage of Prima­ticcio, was that the King had heard of the Beauty of the Painting and Stucco-work, wherewith the famous Julio Romano had adorn'd the Palace of T. at Mantua. So the King desired the Duke to send him a Painter who understood Stucco-work.

Primaticcio had been six Years a Disciple of Julio Romano, and had distinguish'd himself by the Beauty of the Stucco-work he made, by the easi­ness of his Designing, and by the way he had of managing Colours in Fresco. This Painter was chosen out by the Duke of Mantua for Francis the I. [Page 174]who set him to Paint in Fresco, and work in Stucco, which had not till then been seen in France, and after having had the Honour to serve the King eight Years, his Majesty honoured him with the Charge of a Valet of his Chamber, and afterwards he was rewarded with the Abby of St. Martin de Troie, whereof Primaticcio assumed the Name.

The Works which this illustrious ^(c) Person made at Meudon in Architecture, in Sculpture and in Painting, are no less agreeable than those he made in the Gallery and Apartments which he painted at Fountainbleau; and besides the excellent Genius he had for these Arts, he was extraordi­nary for inventing festival Decorations and such like Ornaments, which he did at Court on seve­ral Occasions.

Primaticcio made Abbot of St. Martin, continued to serve the Successor of Francis the Ist, in quality of Painter, Architect, and Valet de Chamber to the King.

Under Francis the IId, he was made ^(d) Sur­veyor General of the Buildings for his Majesty. That Charge had been executed before by the Fa­ther of Cardinal de la Bourdaisiere, and Monsieur de Villeroy.

After the Death of Francis the IId; the Abbot of St. Martin continued his Charge of Surveyor [Page 175]General of the Buildings, and by the Order of Katharine de Medicis he made at St. Dennis the Tomb of the Valois: And although that Work remained Imperfect, yet there are to be seen re­presented on Bass Reliefs the Battles of Francis the Ist, which are of an incomparable Design, and very ingeniously managed according to the Art of Sculpture in the nice Gradations of the Groups of Figures, which appear one standing out before the other.

This makes it appear, that it was under the Reigns of these Princes, and this Princess that the Arts of Designing were Re-established in France, and flourish'd there: For besides the in­genious Italians who labour'd in their Revival, the French Nation set themselves with great Success to Architecture and Sculpture; thus the Abbot of Clagni apply'd himself to the Management of the Building of the Louvre, after Henry the IId had began it. The two du Cerceaux were ingeni­ous Architects, as also Philbert de Lorme and John Bullant ^(e), who all of them gave proofs of [Page 176]their Skill by the Buildings they erected, and the Books of Architecture which they published.

Moreover the Illustrious John Gonjou was Ex­cellent in Architecture and Sculpture: He gave Proofs thereof in his Works at the Louvre, at St. German de L' Auxerrois, at the Fountain of St. Innocent and other Buildings, whereby he shewed himself a good Architect and excellent Sculptor. About this time there appeared other excellent Sculptors, as Ponce and Bartelemi, who were fellow Students at Rome.

But among all the Sculptors, the most remark­able was James ^(f) d'Angoulême, who was so skilful as to Rival Michael Angelo in a Model of St. Peter's, and who in the Judgment even of the Italians surpassed therein this great Man. About the same time Pilon ^(g) also distinguish'd himself at Paris by the excellent Pieces of Engraving which he made in several Churches and other publick Places. Thus France produced in the last Age excellent Architects and Sculptors: She had also some famous Painters, and among the rest [Page 177] John Cousin who flourish'd under Henry the IId, Francis the IId, Charles the IXth and Henry the IIId: The Picture which is to be seen of his of the Ge­neral Judgment, among the Minims at St. Vincent, which was very well graved by Peter Jode, shews the Excellence of his Designing and Pencil, as also the several Glasses he has painted at St. Ger­vais in Paris, shew that he was Master of several Arts that relate to Designing.

He was also an excellent Sculptor, as may be seen on the Sepulcher of the Admiral Chabot, which is done by him in the Chappel of Orleans at Paris; and the Treatises he has made of Geo­metry and Perspective sufficiently shew the Great­ness and extent of his Genius.

Several other French Painters got a great deal of Reputation about the End of the last Age at Fountainbleau, the best of them were Ferminet, du Brevil, and Bunel ^(h) who surpassed them all; this last was named Jacob, he was born at Blois in 1558, Son of Francis Bunel Painter, under whom he learnt the Principles of Painting: After he had perfected himself in Italy, he gave Proofs of his Skill in the Works he made for the King in the little Gallery of the Lowvre ⁽ⁱ⁾, which he painted together with Brevil. This also appear'd [Page 178]in the Tuilleries, and in the Picture of the Des­cent of the Holy Ghost, in the Church of the Augustins at Paris: The Excellence of this Pi­cture gain'd him the Approbation of the illustri­ous Poussin, who assures us, that of all the Pieces in that City, there was not one that equall'd this.

CHAP. XXI.

PAINTING in the two last Ages made a great Progress in Flanders: And the Flemings cultivated it with a great deal of Care: For af­ter John of Bruges had found out the Way of Painting in Oyl, in 1410, he brought up several Disciples, and among the rest Roger Vanderverden of Bruessels, and Havesse who taught this fine Se­cret to Lewis of Louvain.

Peter Cristo, Justus of Ghent, Hugo of Antwerp appear'd some time after: They work'd only in the low Countries with Reputation, about the End of 1400, and at the beginning of 1500. In the last of these Centuries several other Pain­ters of that Nation began to make themselves known: Lambert Lombard was at Liege of the first Rank for Painting and Architecture. He there brought up some excellent Disciples; the most Famous was Francis Florus, who is looked up­on as the Raphael of the Flemish, by reason of his true Way of Designing: William Cay of Breda was also a Disciple of Lambert Lombard, he [Page 179]passed for a very good Painter: There was not in his Works that Fire, and Resolution to be seen as in those of Francis Florus, but there appeared more of the Life, and of Sweetness and good Grace. There were about that time several Flemish Masters also who gain'd Reputation in Italy, both by Painting and Architecture; Michael Cockisian was one of them, it was he who painted the two Chap­pels in Fresco in 1522 in the Church dell'Anima, after the Italian Way. There was also John de Cal­ker who ought to be esteemed for his Manner of Painting and Designing: He learnt of the Fa­mous Titian, and designed some excellent Stamps and Plates of Anatomy, which made the Book of Andrew Vesalius so Famous.

Heemskirk, Martin de Vos, and John Strada studi­in Italy the true Manner of Designing and Paint­ing: Strada made several Pieces at Florence for the Great Duke, particularly several Patterns for Tapistry, whereby he shewed that he had an universal Genius in all the different Parts of Paint­ing; his great Capacity procur'd him admittance into the Academy of Designing.

The low Countries produced several other Pain­ters; Divic, and Quintin of ^(a) Louvain were very much esteemed for their true Imitation of Nature. John deCleves was excellent in Colouring and draw­ing Portraits: Insomuch that Francis the Ist took him into his Service, during which time he drew a great many of the Lords and Ladies of the Court.

In the same Provinces were John d' Hemeissein, [Page 180]Martin Cook, John Cornelis, and Lambert Scoorel, who was a Canon at Utrecht: John belle Jambe, Divick d' Harlem and Francis Monstaret, were Excellent in Landskips, and odd Fantastick Figures. This last was imitated by Jerome Hertoghen Bos, Peter Brueghel and Lancelot, who was very Excellent at painting Fires.

In these Countries was also Peter Cocuek, who had a great facility and readiness of Invention, for he made several very fine Historical Designs for Tapistry; he had a very good Way, and a great deal of practice in Architecture, which made him translate the Books of Serlio into Dutch. But he who of all the Painters of the Low Coun­tries ought to be the most esteemed was Anthony More Painter to Philip the IId King of Spain: The Pictures and Portraits which are to be seen of this famous Painters Hand will always make him pass for an excellent Person; he learnt Painting of Lambert Scoorel.

Several speak also with a great deal of Praise of Peter Le Long, who made at Amsterdam, where he was born, a Picture of the Virgin with other Saints for which he had two thousand Crowns. Mathew and Paul Bril were at that time very Fa­mous for making Landskips; they wrought a long time at Rome; and in Flanders there appear'd with a very great Reputation Octavius Vanveen, who is also called Otto-Venius. He was Painter to the Duke of Parma, who was Governour of the Low Countries, and afterwards to the Arch Duke Al­bert. It was he who was Master of the Famous Paul Rubens.

Peter Porbus of Bruges was also a Painter; he taught Francis his Son to Paint, who continued to learn under Francis Florus; this last had a Son called Francis, who wrought at Paris in the Church [Page 181]of St. Leu of the reformed Jacobins, and in the Stadt-House, where he shewed his great Capacity.

At the same time Sculpture flourish'd in the Low Countries as well as Painting, for those two Noble Exercises are Originated from the same Principle, which is Designing: For this reason there were bred in that Country excellent Sculp­tors; as William of Antwerp, John de Dales, Wil­liam Cucur of Holland, and James Brusca, all Sculp­tors and Architects. Brusca made several Pieces for the Queen of Hungary, and he brought up John Bologna of Douay.

It was this Famous John Bologna, who gain'd the most Honour of any to his Nation for Sculp­ture, by the Beauty which appear'd in all his Works, which have all of them the true Way and Gust of the Ancients, wherein he perfected himself in Italy, and particularly at Florence, where he resided, and held the first Place in that Art. He was there employ'd by the Princes de Medicis to make several Pieces of Sculpture: The fine Marble Statues, and the great Groupes of Figures in Brass which adorn the Squares of Florence, of Leghorn, and of Bologna are very charm­ing, and so many proofs of his Excellence, and Monuments of his Glory.

There are yet at Paris some Marks remaining of the Excellence of his Workmanship, as the Brazen Horse whereon is the Figure of Henry the IVth in the Square of Pont-neuf: Thus we may see that both in the Low Countries, and in France as well as Italy, the Arts of Designing had their Revival by the Means and Ways we have shewn. That which farther contributed towards it, was the Genius and Application of several Ingenious Painters, Sculptors and Architects who flourish'd in the Centuries 1400 and 1500.

CHAP. XXII.

TO finish this last Book, it remains that we shew the Advantage which the Arts of De­signing received by the Invention of Graving, which was found out at Florence in 1460; for this Invention was, and is very serviceable to bring those Arts to Perfection.

It is certain that the Way of Designing on Cop­per, with the Tools called the Burin and Point, was one of the happy Means for the Revival of the Arts: For Graving multiplies and imparts Co­pies of the Designs, and fine Ideas of Excel­lent Painters, Sculptors and Architects; insomuch that the Prints which are taken off from these Gra­ved Plates; were of excellent Use in the Revival of Designing, in several Countries, which have not had the Advantage, like Italy, of fine Exam­ples of the Ancient Architecture and Sculpture, and the Works of the most excellent Modern Painters and Sculptors, which are happily com­municated by the Help of Copper-Plates.

This has been, and is still seen in France, and other Places, that the fine Books of Archi­tecture have made a great many Good Architects; who without going to Italy, where are the fine Relicks of Antiquity, have formed a true and good Manner, and perfected their Studies in this Art by the Help of Graving, which faithfully repre­sents the Plans, Profils, the Elevations and Mea­sures of the finest Buildings.

Painting has also the same Advantage by Prints as Architecture, and has given that way solid Instructions to several Painters. This may [Page 183]be remarked by the Prints of Mark Antonio gra­ved after the Designs of Raphael, which have taught the true manner of Designing to seve­ral very considerable Painters.

The Illustrious Poussin is an Example of this, in the great Application he made in his Youth to Design by those Prints when he was at Paris. It was here this Great Painter so happily imitated the manner of Raphael, and the Ancients, in his admirable Works.

The Sculptors moreover received the same ad­vantage from Graving as the Painters, for that made the Designs of the fine Figures of the Ancients familiar to them, and all the fine Bass Reliefs of the Famous Columns and Triumphal Arches, which are to be seen in the Palaces and Houses of Rome.

Graving was found out at Florence by Maso Fine­guerra a Goldsmith, who printed all that he grav'd on Silver: Afterwards Baccio Bandinelli, who was a Florentine Goldsmith, continued that Art, but as he was no good Designer, he copied the De­signs of Sandro Boticelli of that City. The In­vention of Graving, being then come to the knowledge of Andrew Mantegna, an Excellent Painter, who was about that time at Rome, he was so much enamour'd with it, that he set him­self to learn it, and he graved Bacchanalians with the Burin, and a great Triumph he cut in Wood, which was very Admirable. This Art went af­terwards from Italy into the Low Countries: Mar­tin of Antwerp who was a Painter, practised it, and sent a great many of his Plates into Italy, and continued to make them better and better.

After Martin of Antwerp, Albert Durer, in the same City began to Grave after a better Manner, Design and Composition; for he endeavour'd more [Page 184]nearly to follow Nature, and approach the Italian way, which he always esteemed the best: About the Year 1503, he made a small Statue of the Vir­gin, which surpassed the Works of Martin of Ant­werp, and he continued to make several Plates of Horses, design'd according to Nature, with ano­there of the Prodigal Son.

But when he had graved several of these Plates with the Burin, and saw, that they took up a great deal of Time, he set himself to Grave on Wood, that he might publish a greater Num­ber of his Works, and in the Year 1510 he pub­lished of that Sort of Graving the beheading of St. John, the Passion of our Lord, and several other Pieces which went quickly off. Albert, by the esteem People set on his Works, became ve­ry Rich; and this engaged him to Grave again with the Burin, and he made a Piece represent­ing Melancholy, three Notre Dames, with the Passion of our Lord in thirty six Pieces.

About this time Francis Francia was esteemed at Bologna of the first rank of Painters; he had seve­ral Disciples, whereof Mark-Antonio Raimondi was the best, by reason of his Capacity in Designing, which gave him a great Facility in handling the Burin in Goldsmiths Works, in which he was Excellent. But according to a Resolution he took to Travel, he went to Venice. There he saw Stamps which Albert had made with the Burin, and in Wood. They so pleased him that he bought of them as far as his Money would reach; among the rest he had the Passion cut in Wood: And af­ter reflecting what Honour and Profit he should have gotten, if he had employ'd himself to Grave after that way, he at length determined to set himself wholly thereunto, and he so well copi­ed that Passion of Albert's on Copper, that it was [Page 185]taken to have been done on Wood; he also put the Mark of Albert A. D. thereon, and so well imitated that Work, that no body took it for Mark-Antonio's but for Albert's, and it was bought and sold for such at Venice; insomuch that some Copies were sent to Albert of the Passion that Mark-Antonio had done, which made Albert so ve­ry angry, that he went from Antwerp to Venice to complain to the Republick of the Wrongs Mark-Antonio had done him: But he could obtain nothing thereby, but only that his Mark should be no more put to Mark-Antonio's Pieces.

Albert at his Return to Antwerp found a Com­petitor, Lucas van Leyden, who ^(a) though he was not so good a Designer as himself, he not­withstanding equall'd him in the Beauty of work­ing with his Burin, as he made it appear in 1509, by two round Prints; the one was Christ carry­ing his Cross, the other his Crucifixion.

Lucas continued to shew his Ingenuity, by a Pas­sion, which he grav'd in sixteen Pieces, and by his other Works.

Albert, at this, grew jealous of Lucas's Know­ledge; and because he would not be excell'd, he redoubled his Application and Industry in Gra­ving. He made several fine Prints, as St. Eusta­chius, [Page 186]St. Jerom, and several others, which aug­mented his Reputation: For he was not only a good Graver, but also a good Painter, Geometri­cian and Architect.

This may be seen by his Treatise of the Propor­tions of an human Figure, of Perspective and Ar­chitecture: His Works have made his Name ^(a) Il­lustrious, for they contributed to the Re-esta­blishment of the Arts in Flanders and Germany, and also in Italy; for they were the Prints of Albert which engaged Mark-Antonio to follow Graving, and made him Grave so happily the Works of Raphael, that are so necessary to all Designers.

Thus by the Opportunity Mark-Antonio had of Copying at Venice the Prints of Albert, he acqui­red a facility and readiness in Graving, and went afterwards to Rome, where the first Thing he grav'd was a Lucretia, after Raphael: This was shewn to this great Painter, who at the same time contracted a Friendship with Mark-Anthonio, and set him to Grave a Plate of the Judgment of Paris, another of the Death of the Innocents, and several others.

This was very Advantageous to Raphael, and gained him, as well as Mark-Antonio, a great Repu­tation throughout all Europe, and created an E­mulation among several Designers, who apply'd themselves to Graving, and became Disciples of Mark-Antonio.

The most Ingenious were Mark de Ravenna and Augustin Venetianus, who grav'd several De­signs of Raphael and Julio Romano.

Mark-Antonio after the Death of Raphael, gra­ved the Designs of Julio Romano, which are obscene Postures, for which he was arrested at Rome, and as he escaped from Prison, he went to Florence, where he finish'd his Plate of St. Lau­rence, after the Design of Baccio Bandinclli. In the mean while Baccio complain'd to Pope Clement the VIIth that Mark-Antonio spoil'd, instead of imita­ting, his Designs: This came to his Know­ledge, and after his Prints were finished, he car­ried them to this Pope, together with the De­signs of Bandinelli, and as his Holiness was very Skilful in, and a great Lover of Designing, he judged quite otherwise, and acknowledged, that this ingenious Graver had very much mended the Faults that were in the Designing of Ban­dinelli. Insomuch that by the Beauty of that rare Print, Mark-Antonio regain'd the Favour of this Pope, which the Postures of Aretin had unhappi­ly caused him to lose.

But about this time happened the sacking and taking of Rome, which reduced Mark-Antonio al­most to Beggary. For to redeem himself out of the Hands of the Imperialists who had made him Prisoner, he was oblig'd to give them all the Money he had, and so went from Rome, whither he returned no more.

About this time was found out the way of Graving in Wood with Chiaro-scuro, which make the Prints appear as if they were height­ened with White by the Pencil; and the Per­son who found out this Invention was Hugo de Carpi, an indifferently good Painter, but who had a Genius for several Things. There are some [Page 188]of these sorts of Prints after Raphael, of Parmegiano, of Baldassare and of Beccafumi, and others.

The way of Etching with Aqua-fortis began also to be practised about this Time, by Parme­giano and Beccafumi, who etch'd several Plates. After them Baptista del Moro a Painter of Verona etch'd with Aqua-fortis fifty fine Landskips. He was a Disciple of Titian, and would have been one of the most Famous of his Age, if he had not died before he was thirty Years of Age.

Jerome Cock, Graved in Flanders the seven libe­ral Arts, and at Rome several Prints after the De­signs of Sebastian Frate del Piombo, and after those of Francis Salviati. At Venice, Baptista Franco an ingenious Painter graved several of his Works. In the mean while Graving continued at Rome by James Caraglio of Verona, whom Rosso the Pain­ter caused to Grave several Prints after his Designs; he also Graved some more after Perin del Vaga, Parmegiano and Titian: But Caraglio af­ter he had thus wrought, set himself to Grave on Crystals and Cornelian, wherein he had no less success than on Copper; and the King of Po­land sent for him to Work in Graving and Archi­tecture, which he successfully practised in that Kingdom.

John Baptista Mantuano of the School of Julio Romano, apply'd himself to Graving with the Burin, and made some fine Prints after the Works of his Master, which are very much esteem'd; there are to be seen some Prints done by his Daughter Diana, which are well grav'd.

Aeneas Vico of Parma, was also a Graver and wrought with the Burin; he copied the De­signs of Rosso, of Michael Angelo, of Titian, of Sal­viati, and of Bandinelli, and grav'd several Por­traits; That of Charles the V. enriched with Tro­phies [Page 189](by which he got a great deal of Praise, and a large Reward,) is one of the most consi­derable of his Works.

At Rome Nicholas Beatrix Lorain continued this Art; he work'd after Mutian, after Michael Ange­lo, and after Ghiotto the Boat of St. Peter, with se­veral other Prints, very much esteemed.

There were other Italian Gravers who distin­guish'd themselves by their Prints at Rome, as Che­rubin Albert, who grav'd the fine Frizes after Poly­dore: And also Vilamen d'Assise for the correctness of his Designing and the liberty of his Burin. The same Esteem is due to Antony l'Abacco, who mea­sured and graved a Book of the ancient Buildings, which is one of the most regular Pieces of Ar­chitecture that has been published.

There were several other ingenious Engravers in the Low Countries; Hubert Goltius of Venlo was there Famous. He learnt Painting of Lambert Lombard, afterwards he graved several Books of Medals of the Emperors, entituled Fasti, and Sicilia, and Magna Grecia, and others, of which al­so he composed a Discourse in Latin, and because he was very well versed in History, he was ho­noured with the Quality of Historian and Pain­ter to Philip the IId. He died at Bruges in 1583. Of the same Family of Goltius was also Henry, who employ'd himself much in Graving and Painting, having made two Voyages into Italy, to perfect himself; besides his Ingenuity in Painting and Graving, he Designed incomparably well with his Pen. He was born at Venlo in 1558. Saen­redam, Matam and Peter Jode, were his Disciples.

Cornelius Cort, and Martin Rota, shewed their Capacity by some Pieces they grav'd after Mi­chael Angelo, Mutian and others, as also John, Ra­phael and Giles Sadeler, who were of Brussels, pro­moted [Page 190]very much the Art of Graving, by the Beauty of their Prints. Collaert, Philip and Corne­lius Gall of the same Country grav'd there, and afterwards in Italy, with a great deal of Reputaion.

This Art appear'd also in great Splendour in France in the time of Rosso, and of the Abbot St. Martin; for Renè, engraved the most Part of their Works, which are at Fountainbleau.

Insomuch that in all the Countries where the Arts of Designing flourished, Graving flourish'd also, and was esteemed as a considerable Part of those Arts.

But the Person who most advanced Gra­ving about the End of the last Age, and impro­ved it beyond what had been till then done, was the Famous Augustin Carrache: For, not to mention the Correctness and excellent manner of Designing he was Master of, to a very high De­gree, he made the Strokes cut with his Burin ex­treme even, and extraordinarily well managed according to the chief Turns and Forms of his Object, even to Landskips, which he touch'd incomparably well.

From his Youth he learnt Painting at Bologna of Prosper Fontana, afterwards he studied Graving and Architecture under Dominick Tibaldi. In a short time he exceeded his Master, who got con­siderably by the Ingenuity of his Disciple. Au­gustin had also a great Love for Sculpture, which made him work in Relievo under Alexander Min­ganti a Bolonian. Notwithstanding which he did not leave off Graving, for he had a general Genius, which led him to Learning, to Geometry, and all its dependencies.

He went afterwards with his Brother, the Fa­mous Hannibal Carrache to study Painting in Lom­bardy, and to learn the charming fine Manner of [Page 191]Painting of Correggio: But he left his Brother at Parma, and went himself to Venice, where he em­ploy'd himself in graving the Pictures of Tin­toret and Paul Veronese, and thereby render'd their Works more Famous, by the Beauty of his De­signing, which made his Prints more perfect than those of other Gravers. He moreover grav'd several Pieces after Correggio, after Baroche, and made also several Plates after the Life, of his own Invention, which are all very admirable.

It is also True that toward the End of the last Age, Augustin Carrache advanced Graving be­yond those who had preceeded him; and that which farther distinguish'd him from other Gra­vers, was the excellence and correctness of his Design. For he had so passionate a Desire to make those Arts Flourish, that he with his Il­lustrious Brother Hannibal, and their Cousin Lewis Carrache establish'd an Academy at Bo­logna.

It was this Famous School which brought up the most Ingenious Designers and Famous Pain­ters of Bologna, who maintained the excellence of Designing and Painting, in the highest Pitch those Noble Arts have arrived to since their revi­val. It is to these Carraches we are obliged, for having hindred Painting, at the beginning of our Age, from a total Declension at Rome, which then threatned it, by reason that the Mannerists of the School of Joseph Arpino, and those of the School of Caravage, who were their Anta­gonists, got the better of those who followed the Gusto of the Ancients, and the noble Man­ner of Raphael. But at last the Ingenious Disci­ples of the Academy of the Carraches, got the day both from the one and the other, and Re­established the true way of Designing and Pain­ting; [Page 192]which has ever since happily continued down to us: And throughout all this Age of 1600 these Arts have appear'd and continued in Perfe­fection, which shall be the Subject of the Second Part of the History of these Arts.

By the Ingenious Gravers we have mentioned in this last Chapter, it may be noted that we reckon Graving among the Arts that depend on Designing and Painting, as Conse­quent to them, for the Painters first began the right Practice of it, and to advance it to that high Degree wherein now we see it.

We may moreover see that the Way of making the Punchi­ons and Dies for striking of Medals, is one Sort of Graving, which depends on Sculpture: And that the most Excellent Gravers have been all well versed both in Sculpture and Pain­ting; for they never Grave their Coins, till they have first modell'd their Works: Thus Sculpture preceeds Graving. The ingenious Medallists in the Time of Henry the IId and Hen­ry the IVth, were Sculptors; and we commonly hold, that John Goujon made the finest Medals of this first King, and of Catharine de Medicis which are to be seen. John Rondelle and Estienne Lanne are also Famous, who made the Coin under Henry the II, and those fine Testoons of that Prince.

As to the Medals of Henry the IVth, the finest are those of . . . . . . du Pres, who was an ingenious Graver, and excellent Sculptor; the Bass Relief which is to be seen in the King of Sicily's Street in Paris is a Proof of this. Graving has been always very much Esteemed, and gain'd a great deal of Credit, as well as the other Arts of Designing; the Empe­ror Commodus besides Designing which he learnt, learnt also to Grave, as we have shew'd in the beginning of the Second Book: And we can't but believe, that his End therein was to make Medals, the Knowledge whereof has always been so much Esteemed both among the Ancients and Moderns; and that which farther proves this, is, that we find no other ways of Graving among the Ancients, than that of Graving very deep for making Medals, and Graving fine Stones for Rings, and others for Seals, which are often to be met with in the Cabinets of the Curious.