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

258 VINCENZO FOPPA
Rovere/ we have evidence of a close connection between the two painters.
Mazone's connection with Foppa is seen also in other works, particularly in
an unsigned polyptych in the gallery at Savona, which is now usually
ascribed to him, though the Director, Commendatore Vittorio Poggi, has
only catalogued the picture as by an "unknown painter of the fifteenth
century." It represents the Annunciation in the centre with Saints at the
sides, the latter more especially proving that the artist, whether Mazone or
another, must have stood in close relation to our painter during his sojourn
in Liguria. Ratti, who saw the picture in its original position in the
Pozzobonelli Chapel of S. Giacomo at Savona, observed that it was dated
1493^—three years, therefore, after Foppa had quitted Savona for ever.
A further proof of the continuance of his influence, even when his personal
presence had been removed, is afforded by Barbagelata's signed work at
Candiasco above Sestri Levante, a very poor picture by an inferior artist,
but interesting as showing its dependence upon Vincenzo, though painted
many years after the Brescian master had left Liguria ; it bears the date
1499.
Again some links with Foppa are found in a triptych in the Louvre : the
Annunciation with Saints formerly ascribed to Justus de Alemania,^ and now
placed in the North Italian school, though the attribution to Lodovico Brea
proposed some years ago is by many regarded as the most acceptable, particularly
as it has now been proved that the picture came originally from
Liguria. The technique and the very peculiar scale of colouring, unlike anything
we have ever met with either in the works of Foppa or in those of any
Ligurian master, seem, however, to relegate this picture to a place apart, and
for this and other reasons the attribution to Lodovico Brea appears to us
questionable. It is interesting to note that Brea, the only painter of whose
collaboration with Foppa in
Liguria we have visible proof in his signed panel
in the Savona altarpiece, shows a decided connection with Bergognone, but
this is easily explained. The points of contact in the art of these two painters
and the characteristic qualities which are common to both seem to be derived
from the teaching of one master. This close affinity between Bergognone and
Brea might indicate that both learned their art from the same source,
and the
indisputable fact that Brea was working with Foppa in 1490 as his collaborator
or assistant affords a clue to the probable source whence both Brea
and Bergognone drew their inspiration. But Brea was not the only painter
^ See chap, vii ; Spotorno, II, 322; Arch. Stor. Lomb., II, 433; and Alizeri, II,
p. 61 and foil.
"
Op. cit., p. 38. The date has now disappeared.
^
Reproduced as the work of this painter by Miintz in La Renaissance en France et
en Italic y p. 279.