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

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CHAPTER VIII
1489 TO 1500 AND LATER
painter to the Brescian Government at a fixed salary—Capriolo's description of
Brescia — Foppa works in the Loggetta at Brescia—Said to have painted at
Rodengo—Granted leave of absence for one month in 1491 to return to Pavia
" Livello " paid by him to the Hospital of S. Invenzio and disagreement with the
administrators—At Pavia again in 1492— -Values paintings at Brescia in that year—^
Foppa's petition read in the Special Council at Brescia—He is appointed official
Dismissed from the service of the Brescian Government, May, 1495—Living in a
house at Brescia in 1498— His altarpiece for S. Maria Gualtieri at Pavia— His
collaborator Giov. Siro—Formenti the carver of this ancona— -Probable date of
Foppa's paintings—The different parts of the altarpiece—Date of its consignment
to the donors—The Pieta, Berlin—Painted for a chapel in S. Pietro in Gessate at
Milan—Foppa's signature—The probable donor— Pieta, late Cernuschi Collection,
ascribed to Foppa by Caffi—Pieta for the Oratory of the Disciplina of S. Barnaba,
Brescia—For the Augustinians, Crema— In the collection of Signor Bernasconi,
Milan^Composition of this subject, S. Giov. Evangelista, Brescia—Terra-cotta
group, S. Satiro, Milan—Altarpiece, National Gallery— Picture in a private collection,
Versailles— Processional banner, Orzinuovi.
Having satisfied the authorities at Savona by furnishing the altarpiece for
their cathedral, Foppa was now at liberty to enter upon his duties at Brescia.
It will be remembered that before leaving that city for Pavia in the autumn
of 1489 the painter had approached two members of the Brescian Council on
the subject of his repatriation ; all the details relating to this are contained
in two important documents, Nos. 52 and 55. The wording of No. 52
plainly shows that at this date Foppa was highly esteemed in his old home,
and that these two distinguished Brescian citizens, Giov. Cristoforo da Cazzago
and Emanuele Lana, who in their official capacity are continually mentioned
in the municipal archives, were eager to serve him.
On December 18, 1489, they presented at the meeting of the Special
Council of the governing body of the city "the well-worded petition" of
" Master Vincenzo, the excellent painter, our fellow-citizen," adding on their
own account an eloquent statement of the great master's wishes, and recommending
him in the warmest terms with the view of obtaining a favourable
answer in the Council to his appeal. Foppa's chief desire was now, after an
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