Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 3.djvu/30

 BRUGNATO

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BRUNELLESCO

36-41). His life was written by Dr. Mohl under the title "Joannes Brugman en het Godsdienstegen Leven Onzer Vaderen in de Vijftiende eeuw", and published at Amsterdam in 1S54. It consists of two volumes, the second containing Bruginan's unedited works. Andrew Eg.vn.

Brugnato, Diocese of. See Luni-Sarzaxa and Brugnato.

Brumidi, Constantino, an Halo- American his- torical painter, celebrated for his fresco work in the Capitol at Washington, b. at Rome, 1805; d. at Washington, 19 February, 1880. His father was a native of Greece and his mother a Roman. He

Fresco in Dome of the Capitol, Washington

showed his talent for fresco painting at an early age and painted in several Roman palaces, among them being that of Prince Torlonia. Under Gregory XVI he worked for three years in the Vatican. The occupation of Rome by the French in 1849 apparently decided Brumidi to emigrate, and he sailed for the United States, where he became naturalized in 1852. Taking up his residence in New York City, the artist painted a number of portraits. Sub- sequently he undertook more important works, the principal being a fresco of the Crucifixion in St. Stephen's Church, for which he also executed a ".Martyrdom of St. Stephen" and an "Assump- tion of the Virgin". In 1854 Brumidi went to the city of Mexico, where he painted in the cathedral an allegorical representation of the Holy Trinity. On his way back to New York he stopped at Wash- ington and visited the Capitol. Impressed with the opportunity for decoration presented by its vast interior wall spaces, he offered his services for that purpose to Quartermaster-General Meigs. This offer was accepted, and about the same time he was commissioned as a captain of cavalry. His first art work in the Capitol was in the room of the House Committee on Agriculture. At first he received right dollars a day, which Jefferson Davis, then Secretary of War of the United States, caused to be increased to ten dollars. His work attracting much favourable attention, he was given further commissions, and gradually settled into the posi- tion of a Government painter. His chief work in \\ i hington was done in the rotunda of the Capitol, and included the apotheosis of Washington in the dome, as well as other allegories, and Bcenes from American history. His work in thi' rotunda was left

Unfinished at hi death, bul he had decorated many

other parts of the building. In the Catholic Cathe- dral of Philadelphia he pictured St. Peter and St. Paul, Brumidi was a capable, if conventional painter, and his black-and-white modelling in the work at Washington, in imitation of bas-relief, is strikingly effective.

Ai QU8TTJ3 VAN CLEEF.

Brumoy, Pierre, b. at Rouen in Normandy, 16S8; entered the Society of Jesus in 1704; d. in Paris, 1742. Brumoy belonged to that distinguished group of humanists who shed lustre upon the Society of Jesus shortly before its suppression in France. Between the years 1722 and 1739 he contributed many articles to the celebrated " Journal de Trevoux " of which he was for some time the editor. Gf the "History of the Gallican Church", which had been begun by Fathers Longueval and Fontenay, he wrote volumes XI and XII (1220-1320). He also com- posed several college tragedies on sacred subjects and many poems and discourses in Latin and in French. His Latin didactic poem " De motibus animi" (on the passions) was highly esteemed by his contemporaries. His most important work, " Le theatre des Grecs", which was first published in 1730 in three volumes, has often been reprinted. It contains translations and analyses of the Greek tragedies, supplemented by keen critical and aesthetic observations. An English translation was made by Mrs. Charlotte Lennoxwith the assistance of the Earl of Cork and Dr. Samuel Johnson, and first published in London in L759.

Sommervogi l. BM\ ithegue de In c. de J., II, col. 243-251: de Rochemonteix. I'n college di J (suites nu XVII'el A I 111* siecles. III, 9fi sefq.; Baumgartner, Geschichte der WeUHteratuir t IV. 634; V. 421, 422. B. GuLDNER.

Brunault, Joseph. See Nicolet, Diocese of.

Brunellesco (or Brunelleschi), Filippo, archi- tect and sculptor, b. at Florence, 1377; d. there 16 April, 1446. As an architect Brunellesco was one of the chief leaders in the early period of the Renais- sance movement. Though rather unprepossessing in appearance, he was of a cheerful and congenial disposition, of an active and inven- tive mind, and with- al somewhat quick- tempered. Even in his childish games he evinced a decided inclination towards the mechanical. Be- ginning as a gold- smith, and later turning to sculp- ture, he finally ap- plied himself exclu- sively to architec- ture without, how- ever, neglecting his general culture. He read the Bible and Dante to feed his fancy, but devoted

himself with decided preference to the study of perspective which he was the first to apply to art in accordance with definitely formulated rules. The correlated studies of mathematics and geometry also received his attention. He was considerably influenced by the lifelong friendship of the mathe- matician, Paolo del Pozzo Toscanelli, by his joint studies with his younger friend Donatello, by the artists and art-works of his native Florence, par- ticularly by the monuments of Rome, to the study of which lie devoted many years. Classical antiquity was already, at this period, well known and highly appreciated.

Sculpture. — The Duomo of Pistoia contains several examples of niello-work and two silver statues of prophets - lid to be the earliest works of

Brunellesco. A wooden Magdalen in tin' church of Santo Spirito at I iorenee was destroyed by fire

in 1171. His wooden crucifix in Santa Maria No- vella is true to nature and beautiful, while that by his friend Donatello, in Santa Croce, deserved the


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Filippo Brunellesco