Volltext Seite (XML)
Chap. III. DOMENICO DI BARTOLO. 57 Mercy. 1 A passing interest may be created by some of these injured pieces* in an archaeological sense, because the hospital, as represented in the fifteenth century, has undergone no change since then; but no single fresco can be selected in which the most conspi cuous defects are 'not apparent. The rudest handling, a ’dull tempera on a rough wall, confused groups of heavy figures, alike rigid and angular in shape and outline, tasteless costume, extravagantly laden with relief ornament, absence of aerial or linear perspective in edifices either ill-copied from nature, or invented by a singular and unnatural fancy, form a total of un attractive features difficult to rival at this time. This was the latest example of Domenico di Bartolo. 2 But he was not the sole person employed at the Pelle- grinaio, 3 and a S. Agostino Novello, giving the dress to 1 All these pieces except the Virgin of Mercy are preserved. 2 There is no record of Dome nico after 1444 and we don’t know the date of his death. Vasari knew hut of two works by Domenico in S. Trinita and the Carmine of Florence, both absent. (Vas. II. 223.) 3 The catalogue of the Berlin Gallery assigns to Domenico di Bartolo a Burial, and Ascension of the Virgin, with the gift of the girdle to S. Thomas; an Eternal at top amidst angels (No. 1122), The arrangement of this piece is unmistakeably Siennese, and may he found repeated by Francesco di Giorgio, Benvenuto, Fungai, and Giacomo di Bartolomeo Pac- chiarotti. The technical handling is, however, different in some mea sure from that noted in Domenico. The upper part is by Sassetta as . well for manner as for handling. The lower part is treated differ ently by some other Siennese, ex. gr. the Benvenuti, etc. Frankfort. Staedel-Gallery. No. 4, assigned to Domenico Bar- toli, represents Christ going to Golgotha, the Crucifixion, and De position, and is by a later Siennese after the time of Neroccio. Altenburg — Linden au Mu seum. No. 19. Half length S. Fran cis, of a time preceding that of Domenico Bartoli, but Siennese of the period of Simone. — No. 110 in this gallery, Adoration of the shep herds, is classed “unlcown”, and is really by Domenico, as well as No. 150, a S. Dominick.— In Mr.Ram- boux’s gallery at Cologne, a Vir gin and child (No. 171) is given to Domenico. Also No. 167. Edinburgh. National Gal lery of Scotland. No. 445. Al- tarpiece in courses, with SS. Mi chael and John Baptist, a bishop and Virgin martyr in the two principal compartments, the Virgin and angel annunciate in two me dallions above, and a Virgin and Evangelist in two pinnacles. The whole confined by pilasters with six saints in each. This piece is assigned to Andrea del Castagno and his pupils, but is a poor work of the schools of Domenico di Bar tolo and Vecchietta, injured by restoring. It was originally in a