Vincenzo Foppa of Brescia, founder of the Lombard school, his life ...

88 VINCENZO FOPPA
version. The earlier composition, with its extreme simplicity of detail, has
here assumed a more elaborate character. The head of the Madonna has
developed into a type belonging to a much more advanced period of art, and
though in some degree connected with the Madonnas of Savona and of the
National Gallery, and also with earlier works, it is difficult to determine its
place in the chronological development of Foppa's art. For purposes of
comparison we have reproduced it here, though we should assume it to be at
least twenty years later in date than the picture at Settignano.
of Foppa and his school are :
Characteristic
the quality of the flesh painting—in tone almost
colourless with sooty shadows—the folds on the sleeves of the Infant Saviour's
shirt, and the colouring, especially the vivid scarlet of the Madonna's robe
and the cap worn by the Child, the drawing of whose head curiously recalls
that of a pjitto by Amadeo on the door of the small cloister in the Certosa of
Pavia. The landscape, seen through the window on the right, is full of
charm in composition, though somewhat coarse in execution. We must, however,
remember that this picture, when discovered by its former owner in
a private collection at Brescia, was in a much injured condition. Every
part, except the face of the Madonna, was entirely repainted, and several
landscapes had to be stripped from the surface before the original background
was reached.' Under these circumstances, it is scarcely surprising that the
picture is incapable of arousing much enthusiasm, though it seems to be by
Foppa in a comparatively uninspired mood. Nothing is known of its history
prior to May, 1887, when it was purchased at Brescia, as already observed,
by Sir Martin Conway ; in 1906 it passed into the possession of its present
owner.^
A strikingly characteristic picture which it is interesting to compare with
this group of Madonnas, though, like Mr. Johnson's picture, it is much later
in date, is the Madonna and Child in the collection of Mr. Theodore Davis
of Newport, Rhode Island. We cannot unfortunately speak of the picture
from personal knowledge ; but through the great kindness of the owner we
are able to illustrate it, and, judging from the photograph, should say that
it was a picture of the utmost charm. The mantle of the Madonna, according
to the description which Mr. Davis has been good enough to furnish,
is crimson shaded with gold—a technique no doubt similar to that of the
robe of the Madonna in the Castello picture—the border is ornamented with
letters in gold used this time in a purely decorative manner. The same shade
of crimson with golden lights is worn by the Infant Saviour, and both Mother
^ Kindly communicated by Sir Martin Conway when the picture was still in his
collection.
^ Exhibited at the Milanese Exhibition, Burlington Fine Arts Club, 1898, and
reproduced in the illustrated catalogue.