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

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CHAPTER VI
c. 1478-1489
Foppa's probable return to Genoa—The Spinola altarpiece—Foppa at Pavia in 1483
His petition to the DuivC of Milan—The Caylina family—Foppa a citizen of Milan
— His sons— He buys a house at Pavia in the parish of S. Invenzio— His fresco of
1485 for S. Maria di Brera at Milan—Votive pictures against plague—St. Sebastian,
Brera— Foppa's connection with Donatello, Mantegna, and Bramante— St. Sebastian,
Castello—Milanese writers on the Brera fresco— The restoration of the
Castello picture— Frescoes for S. Maria del Giardino—Negotiations with Ambrogio
Griffi in 1487—Foppa in Liguria— His altarpiece for the Confraternity of
St. Sebastian—For the Doria Chapel at Rivarolo— Fragments of lost altarpieces,
Arcore, Noseda and Trivulzio Collections, Milan—Two saints, Sarasin-
Warnery Collection, Basle.
It has already been mentioned that in March, 1478, the Priors of the
Confraternity of St. John Baptist at Genoa, appHed to the Signoria for
pecuniary assistance to enable them to continue the decoration of their
chapel, and that the request was acceded to by the grant of 200 lire for two
years.
Did the Confraternity then summon Foppa to continue the decoration
of the chapel, which we have no reason to suppose was wholly completed in
147 1 ? It seems not improbable, and when once there he doubtless undertook
other works, and among them was probably the altarpiece for the Spinola
Chapel in the great Church of S. Domenico,' a picture later recommended as
a model for imitation to two other painters (see Docs. Nos. 38 and 40). On
June 8, 1485 (Doc. 38) Giovanni Barbagelata agreed to paint for the Confra-
* This picture, like the altarpiece for the Doria Chapel in the Certosa of Rivarolo,
to which we shall have occasion to refer later, was certainly executed in Liguria.
Documents are silent as to the place of Foppa's residence at Genoa, but from
Pavian records we might infer that when in that city, he lodged with Bertolino della
Canonica and shared his workshop. This would explain the business relations which
for many years existed between them, and the circumstance that Bertolino, as we saw,
often acted as surety for the Brescian master. The fact that one of Bertolino's sons bore
the name of Vincenzo would lead us to infer that Foppa was his godfather, and testifies
to the friendship which must have existed between the two painters for many years,
until their good relations were broken owing to disputes about money matters which
eventually involved them in a lawsuit.
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