Page:Bryan's dictionary of painters and engravers, volume 1.djvu/365

 He received his first instructions in art from his father. Bom with the genius of a painter, he soon outstripped his instructor; and when he was fifteen, produced works that had the appearance of maturity, and sufiSciently indicated that he would prove one of the most distinguished painters of his country. It was to his friend Castelli, in conjunction with whom he painted many large works, that he was indebted for the correction of his early faults of style, and for most valuable instruction in colouring and perspective. It was the advice also of the same good friend that led him to a closer study of nature, and that greatly improved his taste. He visited Florence and Rome, where he increased his natural conception of grandeur by contemplating the works of Michelangelo and Raphael. In his first performances he appears to have been led away by the ardour and vivacity of his genius, and his early works have something of the extravagant and gigantesque. It was usual for him to paint, both in oil and in fresco, without having prepared either drawing or cartoon ; he is also said to have painted with great rapidity, and often with both hands at once. In his better time he checked this impetuosity, and it was in the middle of his life that he produced his most esteemed works, which for transparency of colouring and for gracefulness of pose have been con- sidered far superior to those of his contemporaries. His picture of 'The Martyrdom of St. George,' in the church dedicated to that saint, is considered by some as his best performance, from the admirable expression in the head of the martyr, the breadth of the composition, and the judicious management of the chiaroscuro ; but others prefer his ' St. Benedict,' and ' St. John the Baptist,' at Rocchettini. Another of his finest efforts is the ' Rape of the Sabines,' at the Palazzo Iraperiale, at Terralba, near Genoa. Everything pleases in this work: the sumptuous architecture, the beauty and spirit of the horses, the modest reluctance of the women, the impassioned ardour of the men, and the appropriateness of the minor accessories. Mazzolari says this extraordinary work was executed in fifteen months, and thinks that it was impossible for the painter to have produced it in that time without assistance. It is said that Mengs, on seeing this picture, declared he had seen nothing out of Rome that approached so near to the beauty of the Loggie of the Vatican.

Having the misfortune to lose his wife, and being unable to obtain the papal permission to marry her sister, Cambiaso allowed the disappointment to prey on his mind till he became melancholic. It is believed that it was with the hope of inducing the Spanish monarch to bring about his wish that he readily accepted in 1583 a proposal to go to Spain to complete some paintings left unfinished by his friend Castelli, who had recently died. There he was employed by Philip II. in the Escorial, where he painted a variety of works, and especially the ceiling of the choir, representing 'The Assemblage of the Blessed,' an immense composition, which is highly applauded by Lomzzo. Cambiaso died, as commonly believed, from continued disappointments, at the Escorial in 1685. Besides the works previously alluded to, specimens of this artist's paintings may be seen at Naples, and at the convent of the Augustines at Pontre Moli :

Dulwich. Gallery. Venus and Cupid. Florence. Uffizi. Madonna and Child. „ „ His own Portrait. Hague. Gallery. Holy Family. „ „ Birth of the Yirgin. Madrid. Gallery. Holy Family. ,, „ Sleeping Cupid. ,. „ Lncretia.

Brera. Adoration of the Shepherds. Pinakothelc. Portrait of an Old Man. uuu en- Berlin. Bologna Gallery. Charity. FinacoUca. Birth of Christ Milan. Munich.

His drawings hold high rank in the portfolios of collectors. There are also some wood engravings, marked with the accompanying monogram, which are ordinarily attributed to him; but it is scarcely possible that he did more than furnish the design.

CAMBIASO, Orazio, was the son and scholar of Luca Cambiaso, whom he accompanied to Spain. After the death of his father, Philip II. continued to emplo3'him, and settled on him a liberal pension.

CAMBOX, Charles Axtoine, a French scene- painter, was born in Paris in 1802. He was a pupil of Ciceri, and acquired much celebrity by his theatrical decorations, many of which were real masterpieces. He died in Paris in 1876.

CAMDEN, Sampson, was a portrait painter who flourished aljout 1540. He was the father of William Camden, the antiquarj'.

CAMERATA, Giuseppe, an Italian miniature painter and engraver, was born at Frascati or at Venice in 1718. He was the son of G. Camerata, a painter of some reputation, and studied under Gregorio Lazzarini. He learnt the use of the graver from Giovanni Cattini, and after visiting Vienna in 1742, was in 1761 invited to Dresden, to assist in engraving the plates for the Dresden Gallery, and was there made principal engraver to the Court. He visited Italj' again in later life, and subsequently came to Munich, where he settled for a time in 1763. He afterwards became professor in the Academy at Dresden, where he died in 1803. He was an engraver of some talent, but his work is not considered to be of a very high class. We have by him several plates from his own designs, as well as among other works the following:

PORTRAITS.

Marco Foscarini, Doge of Venice. Simone Contarini, Procurator of St. Mark. Sebastiano Bombelli, the painter.

SUBJECTS FROM THE DRESDEN GALLERY. The Parable of the Talents : after Domenico Feti. The Parable of the Lost Piece of Silver; after the same. The Parable of the Prodigal Sou ; after the same. David, with the Head of Goliath ; afttr the same. The Infant Bacchus ; after the same. The Holy Family ; after Giulio Cesare Frocaccini. St. Eoch succouriDg the Plague-strickeu ; after Camilla Frocaccini. St. Eoch distributing Alms ; after Annihale Carracci. The Assumption of the Virgin ; after the same. The Adulteress before Christ ; after B. Biscaino. The Chastity of Joseph ; after S. Cantarini. The Old and New Testament; after A, I'accan. The Magdalene ; after Pompeo Bafoiii. A half-length figure, with a beard ; after Dietrich. Another half-length, the companion ; after the same. The Magdalene ; after Van der TVeif.

CAMERINO, GiROLAMO (di Giovanni) di, is generally supposed to be the son of Giovanni Boccati, and is the known painter of an altar-piece at Santa Maria del Pozzo in Monte San Martino, near Fermo, that is signed and dated 1473, and represents the ' Madonna and Child, and four Angels, between SS. Thomas and Cyprian.'