Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/1020

CES marriage of Henry IV. with Mary de Medici. With success came arrogance. He rushed headlong into quarrels, blinded by an impetuous vanity and an utter want of appreciation of any talent but his own. Cesari died at Rome in 1640. His works at Rome are numerous—too numerous in fact. He painted both in oil and fresco, but his fresco works are the more esteemed. His best productions are his cupola of St. Prassede, representing the "Ascension;" the madonna on the ceiling of St. Giovanni Grisognono; the gallery of the Casa Orsini; and the birth of Romulus, and the battle of Romans and Sabines, in the Campidoglio. His fame was very great, but it must be confessed that his style is vicious. His talents were not balanced by taste and judgment. He abused his gift of facility to abandon nature more and more. His freedom lapsed into looseness and want of care. However, his battle pieces are vigorous, and the treatment of his horses very admirable. He was a great artist, though he did little good to art, for he rather hurried on the reign of depravity and falsehood that afterwards ensued. He was much assisted by his brother, Bernardino Cesari, who followed an identical manner, and painted a large work in the church of St. John of Lateran.—W. T.  CESARIO or CÆSARIO, son of C. Julius Cæsar and Cleopatra, originally called Ptolemæus, was born 47 ., and executed by order of Augustus in 30. In 42 the triumvirs gave him the title of king of Egypt, and in 34 he received from Antony that of king of kings.  CESAROTTI,, an Italian miscellaneous writer, born of a patrician family at Padua in 1730. When very young, he himself relates, he was sent to pass a school vacation with his uncle, a Franciscan friar, who, having no great love of children in general, and being particularly annoyed with the importunities of this nephew of his, shut him up in the library of the convent. This confinement, intolerable at first, soon became a delight—a taste for reading being formed in his mind, which found ample gratification in the literary stores of his prison. From this time forward his eminence in literature was rendered certain by an ardent love of study, and by the encouragement of learned patrons. His philosophical works, which were his earliest, were the models on which were composed those of Gioberti and Rosnini. His immense acquirements as a linguist he turned to account in translations of Æschylus and Voltaire, and particularly the poems of Ossian. His success in the translation of this last work was in some degree owing to the assistance of Charles Sackville. It appeared in 1772, and was received with rapture throughout Italy—the author being appointed to a chair of languages at Palma, and to the secretaryship of the academy of science and belles-lettres. His other translations, and his philological treatises, are still standard works. On the downfall of the Venetian republic in 1798, Cesarotti earned an immense popularity by some essays of a patriotic character. He was allowed a handsome pension, and decorated with the insignia of the order of the iron crown. All his works are remarkable for elegance and even harmony of style.—A. C. M.  * CESATI,, Baron, an Italian botanist of the present century, has made himself known by the following works—"A Treatise on the study of Physiological Botany," Milan, 1836; "Remarks on the Geographical Distribution of the Plants of Lombardy," Milan, 1844; and "A Description of Rare or New Italian Plants."—J. H. B.  CESI, : this artist was born at Bologna in 1556. He was a pupil of Giovanni Francesco Bezzi, called Nosadella, but subsequently he studied the works of Pelegrino Tibaldi. He was the friend of the Carracci, though he often painted in competition with them. They respected the artist while they loved the man; for he was both talented and good. From him Tiarini acquired the art of fresco-painting; and on his works Guido founded his chaste poetic manner. Many of his pictures might fairly be ascribed to Guido's early style—beauty and simplicity are so similarly felt and created by the two painters. It is said that Guido in his youth was in the habit of sitting for hours in rapt contemplation and wonder before the works of Cesi. He was a scrupulous follower of nature, though he sought her in her happier moments. He studied simplicity in his forms and folds, subdued attitude and hues; and was rather refined than vigorous. Malvasia's opinion was that Cesi's manner at once satisfies, pleases, and enamours the beholder, being as exquisite and sweet as any style of the best Tuscan masters in fresco. His principal works are at Bologna. He died in 1629.—W. T.  CESI,, Prince of, called also , an Italian naturalist, was born at Rome in 1585, and died in 1636. His zeal for natural science was early displayed. At the age of eighteen he founded a society called the Academy of Lincei, expressing the care or lynx-eyed attention with which the members examined objects. The prince formed in his palace a botanic garden, cabinet of natural history, and a library, all of which were open to the members of the academy. While he was a sort of Mæcenas of his day, he also worked at natural science. The spores of fungi, the microscope, and the telescope attracted his attention. He wrote numerous treatises and aided in the publication of valuable works, more particularly that of Hernandez on the plants, animals, and minerals of Mexico.—J. T.  CESPEDES,, called in Rome. This painter and ecclesiastic was born at Cordova in Spain about 1535. He was educated in the clerical seminary; and, noted for his learning and merit, was raised to the rank of a dignitary of the church. He is one of the most distinguished of his country's painters. He travelled twice to Rome to perfect himself in art, and to contemplate the works of Michel Angelo and other great masters. At Rome he contributed several works to the public edifices—among others the "Annunciation" and the "Nativity," in the chapel of the Trinita di Monti. He became the intimate friend of Federigo Zucchero, who, applied to by the bishop of Cordova to decorate the cathedral of that city, answered that, while Spain possessed Cespedes, she need not send to Italy for painters. His works are chiefly at Cordova, and are remarkable for their extraordinary beauty of colour, which has been compared to Corregio's. His "Last Supper" is his most esteemed work. He died at Cordova in 1608, and was buried in the cathedral. He was as esteemed for his modesty as for his genius.—W. T.  CESSOLES,, a monk of Picardy, whose "Game of Chess Moralized," a work in Latin, which long enjoyed an extraordinary popularity in almost all the countries of Europe, and an English translation of which, printed by Caxton in 1474, in folio, was the first typographical production bearing a date that is known to have been executed by the first of English printers, lived at Reims in the thirteenth century.—J. S., G. <section end="1020H" /> <section begin="1020I" />CESTI,, a musician, was born at Arezzo, according to various authorities, in 1720 or 1724. He died at Rome, some say in 1675, others in 1681. He was a pupil of Carissimi, and followed his master's example in the composition of cantatas with eminent success. In 1646 he was appointed maestro di capella at Florence. Three years later he produced his first opera, "Orontea," at Venice, which was a favourite work throughout Italy for nearly forty years. The advance of this class of composition owes much to the labours of Cesti and his fellow-pupil Cavalli, particularly in the development of the aria as distinguished from recitative, by its rhythmical periods; for, although Monteverde anticipated them both in the employment of this form, their talent gave a grace to it which it had not in the hands of the earlier writer. "La Dori," produced at Venice in 1663, is described as the best of Cesti's dramatic works; and "Il Pomo d'Oro," written for the Emperor Leopold I., and represented with singular magnificence, appears to have excited in its time a remarkable sensation. Cesti went to Rome in 1658, and two years later was appointed tenor singer in the pope's chapel, in which capacity Baini speaks of him. After this he became maestro di capella to the emperor, and held this office in 1667, when he wrote, in company with Ziani, the opera of "La Schiava Fortunata" at Vienna. His motets, and other compositions for the church, are less numerous, but not less esteemed than his secular works. A valuable collection of his music is preserved in the library of Christ church, Oxford; and Hawkins and Burney each print a specimen of his vocal writings, which are interesting illustrations of the state of dramatic composition in his time.—G. A. M. <section end="1020I" /> <section begin="1020Zcontin" />CETINA,, one of that band of poets who, says Velasquez, introduced true poetry into Spain, was born at Seville in the early part of the sixteenth century. Many authorities, and among them the Biographie Universelle, confounding him with another person, have stated that he was an ecclesiastic; but it is beyond doubt that he early embraced the career of arms, and fought bravely in Italy. Afterwards he went to Mexico, but returned to die in his native city about 1560. The greater part of his works have been lost, though they existed in <section end="1020Zcontin" />