Page:Biographical catalogue of the principal Italian painters.djvu/87

56 San Sebastiano and the Titular: and in Santa Maria Nuoya, two pictures of Female Saints.

DOSSI, Dosso, b. at Dosso, near Ferrara, about 1490, d. about 1560. Ferrarese School. Dosso Dossi was the pupil of Lorenzo Costa. He then visited Venice, and likewise Borne, after the death of Raphael, in both of which places he lived some years. He and his brother, Giambattista, both worked for the Duke Alfonso, and are commemorated by Ariosto, whose portrait Dosso painted, and for whom he made some designs for the "Orlando Furioso." The pictures of Dosso, with many essential merits, are hard and dry, notwithstanding the rich positive colouring characteristic of Garofalo and the Ferrarese School. Giambattista painted the landscapes, and other accessories, to his brother's pictures; he painted also some ornamental friezes. Works. Dresden Gallery, seven pictures—the Four Fathers of the church, St. Gregory, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. Jerome, meditatiug on the Miraculous Conception; the Dream; Justice; Peace; Judith and Holophernes; Diana and Endymion; and one of the Hours, with the Horses of Apollo. Berlin Gallery, three sacred subjects. Florence, Pitti Palace, a Bacchanal. Home, Borghese Gallery, Circe. Ferrara, Ducal Palace, mythological subjects. Milan, Brera, Sant' Agostino, with two Angels (1536). Louvre, Holy Family. (Baruffaldiy Frizzi.)

DUCCIO Di Buoninsegna, painted 1282-1339. Sienese School. This painter is to the school of Siena what Cimabue is to that of Florence. His altar-piece for the cathedral was the most remarkable picture of Siena; it cost 3000 florins, owing chiefly to the quantity of gold used, for Duccio's portion was but sixteen soldi, or pence per day. Rumohr has shown that Duccio had no part in the designs on the pavement of the cathedral, which were not commenced until at least a hundred years after his death. He belongs to the Byzantine School in design, though an artist of great ability for his time; and his small groups have much dramatic force, and many of his heads a fine expression.

Works. Siena, the Duomo, large, and at that time, unrivalled altar-piece (1308-11), now divided into two, and fixed to the walls of the choir, representing the Madonna and Child, and scenes from the Life of our Saviour. In the sacristy of the Duomo is the Predella, a series of small pictures: Academy, an Adoration of the Shepherds. Rome, Sta. Maria Maggiore, the mosaics of the Tribune. England, a Triptyc, with the Crucifixion, St John and the Tirgin, &c.; attributed to Duccio, is in the possession of H.R.H. Prince Albert (Rumohr.)

DUGHET. [Poussin, Gaspar.]

EMPOLI, Jacopo Chimenti ba, b. at Empoli, about 1554, d. at Florence, Sept 30, 1640. Tuscan School. A pupil of Tommaso da San Friano, and a diligent copyist of the works of Andrea del Sarto. He was one of the best masters of the reformed Florentine School which succeeded the anatomical mannerists. Empoli painted almost exclusively in oil; a fall from a scaffold in the beginning of his career having disgusted him with fresco. He painted many simple Madonnas, and a variety of greater works, for all of which he was well paid; but owing to an incorrigible improvidence, he died destitute. He was an eccentric character, fond of good living, and required presents of dainties to induce him to complete works for which he had already received payment in whole or part; hence, says Balddinucci, Ligozzi called him L'Empilo, instead of L'Empoli.