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THE SCHOOLS OF PAINTING OF NORTHERN ITALY. 173
Venice about 1400; died after 1460, who, after painting under Gentile da
Fabriano in the Sala del Consiglio in the Doge’s Palace, in 1421, followed his
master to Florence, where he remained an earnest scholar till the year 1423,
when a curious adventure befel him which took him away from his studies.
A boy named Bernardo, son of Ser Silvestro, amused himself one day by
flinging stones down into the courtyard where Jacopo was keeping guard over
some plaster casts of his master. After one or two reproofs, Bernardo became
more insolent, and at length challenged Jacopo to a fight, which ended in Ber-
nardo’s arm being injured. Whereupon Jacopo, seized by some sudden panic,
fled, and, getting on board a Florentine galley, went to the East. During his
absence Ser Silvestro brought his son’s case before the tribunal, and Jacopo was
condemned toa fine. As soon as he landed from his return voyage, October
24th, 1424, he was taken and imprisoned in the Stnche, being too poor to pay
the fine imposed. His adversary Bernardo, however, obtained his pardon on
condition of the culprit’s performing penance, 7c. going in procession to the
Baptistery with a lighted torch on the next Easter Day, 1425." After this Jacopo
left his master and settled in Padua with his family. After 1430 we again find
him in Venice, where he painted the “ Deposition’’ for the Cornaro family.
There were a few frescoes by Jacopo near Verona, such as a “ Calvary”? on
the wall of the Chapel of San Niccold in the cathedral, which was destroyed, in
1759, to be replaced by a white wall. The Museum of Verona still possesses a
fine crucifix by him; and the Scuola di San Giovanni Evangelista in Venice
has a series of pictures on canvas by Jacopo representing the story of the Cross.
His son Gentile,? in a reliquary which he painted, added to these some other
legends which connect the Holy Cross in a special manner with Venice and the
Scuola di San Giovanni Evangelista. In a religious procession in 1370 the
cross fell from the hands of its bearer into the canal. Many people tried to
retake it, but none was thought worthy by God to touch it except Andrea
Vendramin, guardian of the Scuola.’ Gentile Bellini has in the scenes of his
reliquary painted a very lively rendering of this legend, having good scope for
figure-drawing in the crowd, who fling themselves into the water in various
attitudes.
In all the works of the Bellini, one recognises that the quality of Gentile da
Fabriano, which they especially imbibed, was his brilliant colouring. While the
sober Florentines drew from the purists of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries
their intensity of feeling and expression, and their characteristic is an intense
life with serious colour—the Venetians especially developed their rainbow hues,
and their characteristic is a serious motive with rich and brilliant colouring.
1) Milanesi, of. ci#., Vol. iii., p. 149-50 : ;
3 Gentile ation probably born at Venice about 1427; died in 1507. (3) See note at the end of volume.