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

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CHAPTER IV
1473— c. 1477
Painters in the Castello at Milan—The ancona for the Chapel of the Relics at Pavia
Gadio's letters relating to the work—The ceiling painting for the chapel—The
ancona executed by Foppa and his company—The death of the Duke Galeazzo
Maria—The inventory of the relics of 1487—The relics and parts of the ancona
removed to the cathedral in 1499—The frescoes of S. Giacomo at Pavia, by Foppa
and his associates—The principal part by Foppa— Frescoes by other masters probably
inspired by the series at S. Giacomo.
Between 1473 and 1476 a great number of painters were actively employed
in the ducal palaces at Milan and Pavia, and Galeazzo Maria, desiring to
have one of the large rooms in the Castello di Porta Giovia painted (the
Sala della Balla?), summoned four masters to Pavia to discuss the question
with him. These painters, however, declined to do the work, declaring that
they could only execute a portion of what was required in the given time.
On February 5, 1474, the Duke therefore writes from Pavia to Gadio bidding
him find out "who, besides these four, are good painters in Milan capable of
carrying out the work to perfection and of undertaking an important and
honourable commission such as this."^ On the following day (February 6)
Gadio summoned the masters Gottardo, Giov. Pietro da Corte, and Stefano,
to discuss the matter, but Foppa's name does not occur. There is no doubt
that he would have fulfilled the prescribed conditions of carrying out such
a work to perfection, but it is not improbable that he may actually have been
one of the four masters originally consulted, who declined to do the work on
account of the shortness of the time allowed. If this was the case, it is to be
assumed that Foppa was then at Milan" (occupied in executing paintings
of which we know nothing), from whence the Duke would have summoned
' " Apto ad fare cosa in perfectione et ad pigliare una grande et digna impresa
come e questa" (Beltrami, p. 335). From a letter written in answer to this on the same
day by Gadio, in which he shows some temper at not having been consulted before
about the decoration of this room, he declares that he is not aware who are the four
painters referred to by the Duke (Beltr., p. 336).
- We have already alluded to his presence at Milan in 1473, when he valued the
frescoes of Stefano de' Fedeli (see chap, in, pp. 80, 81).
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