Pietro Vannucci Called Perugino

The Great Masters in I aititing and Sculpture Edited by G. C. Williamson PERUGINO PIETRO VANNUCCI BY GEORGE C. WILLIAMSON, LlTT. D. AUTHOR OF JOHN RUSSELL, R. A., RICHARD COSWAY, R. A., AND HIS WIFE AND PUPILS, PORTRAIT MINIATURES BERNARDINO LUINI, ETC. LONDON 84HUL SONS 1900 PREFACE HTHE following pages contain what is, I believe, the only full account of the life and works of Perugino in the English language. It is based upon a careful ex amination of almost every one of his works to be found in Europe, and upon a critical study of their character istics. The labours of other investigators have, however, been laid under contribution, and I am especially indebted to the works of Crowe and Cavalcaselle, Morelli, Mariotti, Orsini, and Vasari, and also to the works and advice of Mr. Bernhard Berenson, Mrs. Herringham, and Dr. Laurie, and to the writings and researches of M. Broussolle. To the Archbishop of Trebizond Monsignore Stonor I am most grateful for obtaining permission for me to study the Albani altar-piece, and to Prince Torlonia for kindly granting my request, and also to His Excellency Lord Currie for constant and never-failing aid in regard to all the other Italian galleries. Signor Cecchetti has helped me to obtain good photographs of the pictures in and near to Citt della Pieve, Miss Fearon has kindly re measured some of the Italian pictures for me, and the Rev. H, R, Ware, and the Rev. T. C. Robson, have given me much help in rendering the Latin verse of Perugino into English verse, To each and all of these I offer my hearty thanks. I have also to thank the Directors of the Vatican and Perugia galleries for special facilities afforded me Mr. Murray vi PREFACE for permissionto quote from his handbooks, and the photographers for the use of their photographs, and finally to beg that if by chance I have made use of other material without the fullest acknowledgment, the omission may be forgiven me inasmuch as I have endeavoured to avoid so serious a fault. My own divergences from the accepted views will be found fully recorded in these pages, and are in every case founded upon personal study, and for them I alone am responsible. G. C W CONTE NTS PAGE, LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . ix BIBLIOGRAPHY .... ... xiii Chapter I. BIRTH, MASTERS, AND ENVIRONMENT . i II. EARLY DAYS . . . . . . 19 III. TECHNIQUE, PIGMENTS, AND VEHICLES . 33 IV. WANDERINGS . . . . . . 39 V. THE STORY OF THE PILLAGE ... 47 VI. IN FULL STRENGTH . . . . 58 VII. THE CAMBIO 74 VIII. FLORENCE, PERUGIA, AJSD CITTA DELLA PIEVE 83 IX. AGE, INFIRMITY, DIGNITY, AND DEATH 99 X. ST. SEBASTIAN 115 CATALOGUE OF THE WORKS OF PERUGINO AUSTRIA-HUNGARY . . . . . .121 BELGIUM ........ 122 BRITISH ISLES . . . . . . .122 FRANCE . . . . . . . .127 GERMANY 131 ITALY 133 CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PICTURES . . . - 155 INDEX 157 vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS The Family of St. Anne, frontispiece . . Marseilles PAGE Figure of St. Sebastian at Cerqueto, 1478 ., . TO The Delivery of the Keys to St. Peter double plate .... Sis tine Chapel, Rome 14 I Predella panel from I The Baptism of Christ - the San Pietro altar j Rouen 18 I piece Perugia I Madonna and Child enthroned, with four Saints Vatican Gallery 22 The Crucifixion . . La Calza Florence 24 The Dead Christ . Accademia Florence 26 Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane Accademia Florence 26 The Albani altar-piece double plate 1491 . . . . . . Villa Albany Rome 28 The Fiesolealtar-piece, 1493 Uffizi Palace Florence 30 Portrait of Francesco delle Opere, 1494 ..... Uffizi Palace Florence 40 The Ascension of Christ . . JBorgo San Sepolcro 42 The Entombment of Christ, 1495 Palace, Florence 44 Saint Benedict, from the San Pietro Perugia altar-piece . The Vatican Rome 52 The Virgin appearing to St. Bernard . . Munich 62 ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE The Virgin in Glory, 1496 . . Bologna Gallery 64 The Crucifixion double plate Sta Maria Maddalena dei JPazzz, Florence 66 The Certosa three-fold altar-piece double plate . ...