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

214 VINCENZO FOPPA
formerly been dedicated, on the left. Some five-and-twenty years ago this
canvas was seen by Morelli hanging on the wall of the Chapel of St. Anthony
of Padua, the second on the right in the parish church of Orzinuovi.
In the
brief MS. note' which the great critic left about this picture, he stated that
it was probably by Vincenzo Foppa, though much injured, restored, and
darkened, and he expressed the hope that it might be transferred to a more
suitable place. Some years ago the chapel was restored, and the picture was
then removed, first to the Fabbriceria and subsequently to its present position.
But the wish expressed by Morelli was not fulfilled, for the existence of the
picture was practically forgotten, and its aspect, when rediscovered in the
summer of 1906," was forlorn in the extreme ; but in spite of its injured condition
it is well worthy of attention, and Morelli's attribution is absolutely
confirmed. The head of the Madonna in type resembles the Madonnas in
Foppa's later works, while in the Infant Saviour the painter reverts to a much
earlier model and gives us almost a replica of the Child in the Brera altarpiece.
In that picture He sits on the right knee of His Mother, and turns to
touch the lute of the angel who stands on the left of the spectator ; at
Orzinuovi the positions are reversed, and the Child turns to receive the
emblem of S. Bernardino, who stands on the right ; but in the modelling of
the features, in the expression of the head, which is full of vitality and charm,
in the drawing of the limbs, in the pose and in other particulars, the two
compositions are very similar. The saints on either side of the Madonna at
Orzinuovi—somewhat stiff and rigid in pose, but well adapted to fill the
post allotted to each on the banner—are intimately connected with the
picture just mentioned, the type of St. Catherine being founded upon that
of the angel on the right in the Brera polyptych and the S. Bernardino
being a development of the same saint in that picture. The majolica vase
with the little plant in the foreground of the Orzinuovi banner recalls similar
motives in the Arcore Annunciation, and more especially in the background of
Dr. Frizzoni's picture of the Madonna. The colour, where it has been preserved
in its oi-iginal state, is of great force and brilliancy—as in the Virgin's
mantle, which is of a glowing shade of red. The Infant Saviour wears a
shirt of golden yellow of the same tone as that of the waistband worn by His
Mother, and touches of vivid scarlet are seen in the canopy above the throne,
in the shoes of St. Catherine, in the lining of one of her sleeves, in the books
1
Now in the possession of Dr. Frizzoni.
- The rediscovery of this forgotten work is due to Dr. Frizzoni, to Cav. Da Ponte,
and to the present writers. Its existence was unknown at Brescia previous to July,
1906, and the custodians of the picture at Orzinuovi were certainly unaware of its
value. As it has now been brought to the notice of the authorities at Brescia, we may
hope that it will receive more care and attention in future.