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

Chap. IX. LAST RECORDS OF FOPPA AT PAVIA 219
members of which were notaries of the city, most famous among them all
being that Ludovico Leggi, who is so intimately connected with Pavian
history in the second half of the fifteenth century. From time to time we
find Foppa's son Evangelista coming as his father's representative to Pavia,
that is to say, up to the end of 1502,' and in 1504 his nephew Paolo Caylina,^
the son of Foppa's brother-in-law Bartolomeo. The fact of Paolo Caylina
coming to Pavia on this occasion as his uncle's representative might indicate
that at this date Foppa's son Evangelista was dead. The name of the
master's other son, Francesco, disappears from Pavian records, as we have
already noted, after November, 1489, that of Evangelista after October 13,
1502, and as we have never met with a trace of either of them at Brescia it is
to be inferred that by 1504 Foppa had suffered the heavy bereavement of
losing both his sons. This seems confirmed by the Brescian documents with
which we shall deal later, for they prove that the great master's heir was his
nephew Paolo Caylina.
After Foppa's removal to Brescia his house at Pavia was let. The first
tenant referred to in documents is a certain Sinibaldo F"errari,' whom we
believe to be identical with the well-known notary of that name who was
then practising at Pavia. Ferrari was succeeded by a certain Giovanni
Andrea da Modena (B, Nos. 8 and 10), and he in turn by Beltramino de
Erba, Archpriest of Gualdrasco (No. 11).
The document relating to Paolo Caylina's transactions at Pavia as his
uncle's representative (No. 75), contains references to some property belonging
to Foppa in Pavian territory situated apparently in the district
of Oltrepo, though the exact locality is not specified. The annual rent was
paid in kind— namely, in eight bushels of wheat of the value of thirty-two
lire imperiali. On May 31, 1504, Caylina sold the property on behalf
of his uncle to Giovanni Maria Leggi and his brothers. Pavian documents
furnish us with little more information of any importance relating to the
^
See Appendix II, B, Nos. 6-14.
"
Appendix II, A, No. 75. This Pavian document proves that in 1504 Caylina must
have been of age— that is, eighteen— since his uncle empowered him to act as his representative,
and he could not therefore have been born later than i486. From document
No. 78 we might indeed have concluded that he was not born until 1492, as he there
states that in 15 17 he was twenty-five and his wife Pasquina eighteen ;
but in a later
document of 1534 he gives his age at that date as thirty-five and that of his wife as
thirty. This is obviously incorrect, and it is clear that in both cases the painter understated
the ages of himself and his wife, and that the Pavian deed of 1504 is the only one
that can be regarded as accurate from this point of view. In other particulars, however,
the document of
later.
1517 (No. 78) is of great interest and importance, as will be seen
* Appendix II, B, No. 6, December 6, 1501.