Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Pietro Cavallini

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE ROMAN PAINTER PIETRO CAVALLINI.

[born....—died 1364?]

Rome had been despoiled for many ages, not only of sound learning and the glory of arms, but of all the sciences and arts,^[1] when it pleased God that Pietro Cavallini should be born in that city, and at the time when Giotto, having, as may be truly said, restored painting to life, held the first place among the painters of Italy. This artist, then, was the disciple of Giotto,^[2] and having worked with him at the Navicella in mosaic of St. Peter’s, was the first who after him contributed to render art illustrious. Cavallini soon began to show that he was not unworthy of such a master, by painting some very fine pictures over the door of the sacristy, in the church of Araceli, now unhappily destroyed by time; he also gave further proof of talent in Santa Maria di Trastevere, where he executed many frescoes in almost all parts of the church.^[3] Shortly after, having completed these works, Cavallini adorned the principal chapel, as well as the facade of the same church, with mosaics (receiving no aid from Giotto), and made it manifest from the commencement of the work, that he was no less capable of successfully executing mosaics than he had proved himself to be competent in painting. In the many frescoes, also, which he painted in the church of San Grisogono,^[4] Pietro strenuously laboured to make himself known as a good artist and worthy disciple of Giotto. The church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere was. in like manner, almost entirely painted by his hand; while he also executed many works in the church of San Francesco, near the bank of the Tiber; with the mosaic of the façade for the church of San Paolo, without the walls of Rome,^[5] and various events from the Old Testament in the central nave of the same building. In the chapter-house of the fi rst cloister, Cavallini likewise painted many frescoes, to which he devoted so much attention that he acquired from all competent judges the reputation of being an excellent

N master, and was on that account so greatly favoured by the prelates, that they appointed him to paint the inner wall of St. Peter, between the windows: he accordingly executed admirable frescoes, the figures of which were of extraordinary size, as compared with those usually depicted in that age. The subjects were the Four Evangelists, with St. Peter and St. Paul; there were, besides, a considerable number of figures, in a ship, and as Cavallini admired the Greek manner, he has mingled it, in these works, with that of Giotto. This master evidently made all possible elfort to give relief to his figures; but the best of his works in Rome was in the church of Araceli, on the Capitol, where he painted the ceiling of the choir in fresco. The subject is Our Lady, with the Child in her arms, surrounded by a circle of light; and beneath is the emperor Octavian, to whom the Tiburtine Sybil is pointing out the Saviour, when Octavian offers adoration to the divine child. The figures in this work are better preserved than those of the others, because pictures painted on ceilings, as we have remarked elsewhere, are less liable to injury from dust than those on the walls. Having completed these undertakings, Pietro departed for Tuscany, to see the works executed by other disciples of his master Giotto, as well as those of Giotto himself; and on this occasion he painted various figures in the church of St. Mark,^[6] in Florence, all of which have now perished, the church having been whitewashed, excepting the picture of the Annunciation, which stands covered near the principal door of the church. On a wall of San Basilio, on the side towards the mills, Cavallini likewise painted an Annunciation in fresco;^[7] and this, with another Annunciation, also in Florence, is so exactly similar to that of St. Mark, that many believe them to be all by the hand of Pietro, and not without reason, since it is certain that no paintings can possibly resemble each other more closely than do these works.

Among the figures executed by this artist in the aforesaid church of San Marco, in Florence, was the portrait of pope Urban V,^[8] taken from the life, with the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul; and it was from this portrait of pope Urban that Fra Giovanni di Fiesole took that which he has placed in a picture of his own in the church of San Domenico, at Fiesole—a very fortunate circumstance, since the portrait of Urban, in St. Mark, was afterwards covered with whitewash; as were many other pictures, in different parts of that church, when the convent was taken from the monks,^[9] who originally possessed it, and given to the Preaching Friars, by whom the whole were whitewashed over, with little feeling or consideration.

On his return to Rome, Cavallini visited Assisi, not only to see the buildings erected, and other notable works performed there by his master and some of his co-disciples, but also that he might leave something by his own hand in that city. He, therefore, painted a fresco in the lower church of San Francesco, in the transept, near the sacristy; the subject being the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ,^[10] with men on horseback, armed in different fashions, and clothed in a great variety of extraordinary vestments, after the manner of divers foreign nations. In the air are many angels, who, resting on their wings, in various attitudes, are weeping bitterly; some strike their breasts, others wring their hands, while some fold them, as in prayer, but all display excessive grief for the death of the Son of God. The figures of these angels, from the middle downwards, melt away into the air. The colouring of this work, which is still fresh and life-like,^[11] is admirable, and the junctions of the plaster are so well managed, that the whole might be supposed to have been completed in one day. I have discovered the arms of Gualtieri, duke of Athens, on this picture; but as there is neither date, nor any other writing, I cannot affirm them to have been placed there by Cavallini; yet the manner is so exactly that of Pietro, that it could not well be more so; and as he lived at the time when Gualtieri was in Italy, we may be permitted to believe that they were done by Cavallini, and even in obedience to orders received from the duke himself. But let every one think as best pleases him of this matter. The work, as an old work, is not undeserving of praise; and the manner, as well as common report, makes it obvious that Pietro was the artist.

In the church of Santa Maria, at Orvieto, where the most holy relic of the Corporale is preserved, Cavallini painted various events from the life of Christ, with stories of the sacred Host,^[12] all executed with great care; and these he is said to have done for Messer Benedetto, son of Messer Buonconte Monaldeschi, then lord, or rather tyrant, of that city. Some affirm that Pietro also executed works in sculpture, and that he succeeded in this art extremely well; displaying, indeed, great talent in whatever he attempted. It is further said, that the crucifix, in the great church of San Paolo, without the walls of Rome, is by Cavallini;^[13] and this, as is asserted, and as we are bound to believe, is the very crucifix which spoke to St. Bridget in the year 1370.^[14]

There were certain other works, in the same manner, by this artist, in the church of St. Peter, but all were destroyed when the old building was demolished, to make way for the new church. Pietro Cavallini was diligent and careful in all his undertakings; he spared no effort for the acquirement of honour and fame as an artist; he was, moreover, a good man and devout Christian, most charitable to the poor, and much beloved for his excellence, not only in his native city of Rome, but by all who knew either himself or his works. In the latter years of his life he devoted himself so earnestly to religion, and lived so exemplary a life, that he was esteemed almost a saint. Therefore it need cause no wonder if the above-named crucifix, made by his hand, uttered words, as it is said to have done to St. Bridget, or that a figure of our Lady, also by him, should have performed, and still be performing, an infinite number of miracles. This last-mentioned work I do not intend to pronounce Cavallini’s best, although it has so great a name throughout all Italy, but I am entirely and fully convinced, from the mode of its execution, that this picture is from the hand of Pietro,^[15] whose most praiseworthy life, and piety towards God, were worthy to be imitated by all men. Nor let any one suppose that a man ever attains a truly honourable station, without purity of life and the fear of God, for that is well-nigh impossible, as our daily experience fully proves. Giovanni of Pistoja, who painted some pictures, but of no great importance, in his native city, was a disciple of Pietro Cavallini. The latter died at Rome, in the 85th year of his age, of pleurisy, caused by his labours in fresco, and by the damp to which he was exposed, in a too long continued exercise of his occupation.

He painted about the year 1364, and was honourably interred in the church of St. Paul, without the walls of Rome, where the following epitaph was placed on his tomb:—

“ Quantum Romanae Petrus decus addidit urbi
  Pictura, tantum dat decus ipse polo.”

I have been unable to discover any likeness of this artist, in spite of all the pains I have taken for that purpose.^[16]

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1. This assertion, as we have before remarked, is wholly untenable; but the commentators reproach Vasari for the warmth of these expressions, without sufficiently considering that he has himself recalled them.
2. Lanzi supports the declaration of Vasari, that Cavallini was a disciple of Giotto (see History of Painting, vol. i, p 332), while admitting that he may have studied also under the Cosmuti, whose disciple Della Valle and others affirm him to have been.
3. Of the paintings on the walls of Santa Maria, in Trastevere, but few relics remain; the mosaics are still preserved, and represent the twelve Apostles.
4. The paintings in San Grisogono, those in Santa Cecilia, and almost all the works executed by Cavallini in Rome, have perished.—Bottari.
5. This mosaic still remains, but was grievously injured by the terrible fire of the 15th July 1823.
6. The Annunciation of St. Mark still exists, but has been so often restored, that the face of the Virgin is all that now remains of the original.
7. The Annunciation of St. Basil must have been destroyed in 1785, when the church was taken down.
8. Della Valle is of opinion that this should be Urban IV.
9. The Silvestrine monks.—Bottari.
10. His most extraordinary work. See the hundred and twenty-fifth plate of D’Agincourt.
11. More particularly the azure, concerning which Lanzi, speaking of this picture, which is still well preserved, has the following words: “It presents, to use the language of our poets, a heaven of oriental sapphire.” —History of Painting, vol. i, p. 332.
12. Including the miracle of Bolseno; but this portion has suffered greatly, while the rest is still in good preservation.
13. Pistolesi maintains that a crucifix in wood, still to be seen in this church, is from the hand of Cavallini.
14. This highly venerated crucifix is ascribed to Pietro Cavallini by the Abate Titi also, who supports his opinion by a quotation from Alberti.—Trattato della Pittura.
15. It will be readily comprehended, that Pietro here speaks of that figure of the most holy Annunciation, which is still venerated in the church of the Servites, in Florence.—Bottari. See also Lanzi, vol. i, p. 332.
16. A portrait of Cavallini was discovered at a later period, and may be seen in the Bolognese edition of Vasari; the third namely, published in 1647.