Lorenzo di Credi was a contemporary of Leonardo in the school of Andrea Verocchio, but followed less the manner of his master than that of his companion. He has copied some of Leonardo's pictures most successfully. His original subjects are generally limited to the narrow circle of tranquil Madonnas and Holy Families; these he painted in a simple, graceful manner, with occasionally something of the style of Perugino. There are some excellent pictures by him in the gallery of the Uffizj;-for example, two beautiful circular pictures of the Madonna adoring the Infant; and more especially three others with smaller figures-the Madonna and St. John, Christ as a gardener with Mary Magdalen, and the Woman of Samaria at the Well;-all expressive of the deepest feeling, with excellent colouring and exquisite execution. His principal work is a Nativity, in the Academy at Florence, of larger size, which unites in the happiest manner the style of Perugino with the freer feeling of the Florentines. In the Cathedral of Pistoja is a charming Madonna with two saints; the background composed of architecture, flowers, and landscape. Of all the foreign galleries the Berlin Museum possesses the best pictures by this master.

Giovanni Antonio Sogliani was a scholar and successful imitator of Lorenzo. Some of his Madonnas, of a pleasing, mild character, are in the Florence Academy. An excellent copy, by him, of Lorenzo di Credi's Nativity, is in the Berlin Museum.

To these may be added a less distinguished artist, Giuliano Bugiardini, who in most of his works appears in like manner as an imitator of Leonardo, but who only attained a weak resemblance to his milder expressions. There are specimens of his works in the Gallery at Bologna and in the Berlin Museum.

The distinguishing qualities of Leonardo were variously repeated by his scholars, according to their own individual peculiarities. Although none attained to his eminence, a certain amiable and pure spirit, reflected from his noble mind, pervades the whole school. This spirit seems to have preserved his followers from falling into the unmeaning style, and mere academic ostentation, which characterize almost all

the schools founded by the other great masters of the time. The principal works of Leonardo's scholars are collected in Milan, particularly in the gallery of the Brera; among these the frescoes taken from suppressed convents are the most interesting.1 The most remarkable and the best known of his scholars are the following.

Foremost among them stands Bernardino Luini (or di Luvino, a village on the Lago Maggiore), a master whose excellence has been by no means sufficiently acknowledged. It is true he rarely rises to the greatness and freedom of Leonardo; but he has a never-failing tenderness and purity, a cheerfulness and sincerity, a grace and feeling, which give an elevated pleasure to the student of his works. That spell of beauty and nobleness which so exclusively characterizes the more important works of the Raphaelesque period has here impelled a painter of comparatively inferior talent to works which may often rank with the highest which we know. The spirit of Leonardo, especially, was so largely imbibed by Luini, that his latest works are generally ascribed to Leonardo. This was the case for a long time with the enchanting halflength figure of the Infant Baptist playing with the Lamb in the Ambrosian Gallery at Milan, and also with the delicate picture of Herodias in the Tribune of the Uffizj at Florence. The same may be said of a still more remarkable and extremely beautiful picture-the Madonna between S. Catherine and S. Barbara in the Esterhazy Gallery at Vienna. This still bears Leonardo's name. Excellent judges do not hesitate even to ascribe those compositions which have become so celebrated under Leonardo's name—the Christ disputing with the Doctors, and the pictures of Vanity and Modesty-to Luini, and that not only in the execution, but in the invention also. Otherwise the difference between his hand and that of the great master is seen in the great inferiority of his execution, especially in his modelling, and also in a greater universality of expression, which, compared with Leonardo's type, displays a close study of the Raphaelesque ideal. Luini's colouring is fresh, even in his frescoes, while, on the other hand, he does

1 See Passavant, Beiträge zur Geschichte der alten Maler Schulen in der Lombardei,' in Kunstbl. 1838, No. 69 and further.

not seem to have understood the secret of harmonious composition. Milan is rich in the works of Luini-the Ambrosian library, the Brera, and the private collections possess treasures of graceful easel pictures. In the cathedral at Como, besides an excellent altar-piece, there are two distemper pictures on canvas-an Adoration of the Shepherds, and an Adoration of the Kings, with single figures of the most exquisite youthful beauty. But Luini is seen to most advantage in his frescoes, the greater part of which have accrued to the Brera Gallery from the walls of the suppressed churches of La Pace, and the convent della Pelucca-the former representing events from the life of the Virgin, the latter classic subjects, handled in a more decorative manner, but full of nature. Still more excellent are his frescoes from Ovid's Metamorphoses, which are now preserved in the Casa Silva at Milan. In Luini's later works, on the other hand, a noble and mature strength developed itself; among these may be mentioned an excellent altar-picce, dated 1521, representing the Madonna enthroned, surrounded by saints; it was taken from the church of the Brera, and placed in the Gallery. The numerous works in the Monastero Maggiore (S. Maurizio), the altar-wall in the inner church (with the exception of the old altar-picture), and a chapel, are painted by him. Here we have the most beautiful figures of female saints, admirable heads of Christ, and lovely infant angels. From the dado, painted in brown chiaroscuro, to the roof, the walls are covered with masterly frescoes, and the spectator can scarcely gaze his fill in this lavish display of fancy. On the wall above the entrance to the choir is a large composition representing the Crucifixion, containing about 140 figures; among which a group around the fainting figure of the Virgin, the fine form of the Centurion, those of the soldiers dividing the garments, and the Magdalen kneeling in ecstacy, are particularly remarkable. The painter, however, has attained the highest perfection in his figure of St. John, whose action and expression are full of the loftiest inspiration and faith. Single figures also of great beauty are still preserved upon the different piers and walls of the church. There is also a very graceful Madonna in a lunette over the door of the Refectory, and a Last Supper in the Refectory

itself, much resembling Leonardo's, but not a copy of it (perhaps not even the work of Luini). The frescoes executed by Luini in the church at Sarono, about the year 1530,' are not less distinguished; these represent the history of the Virgin. Life is here painted in its most cheerful splendour, and yet with sincerest feeling; the Adoration of the Kings is particularly rich in its invention, noble in style, and delicately conceived; it is also the best preserved.

Aurelio Luini, son of Bernardino, is considerably inferior to his father; he is in general an unpleasing mannerist. His Martyrdom of St. Vincenzio, in the Brera, is a sufficient example-a large fresco, interesting only as the result of a successful experiment to transfer a fresco-painting to canvas.

Marco d' Oggione.-A clever painter in Leonardo's style, but wanting both the power of the master and the fascinating sweetness and deeper charm of Bernardino Luini; a cold tone of colour prevails throughout his works. His frescoes in the Brera, taken from S. Maria della Pace, are not very important; they generally want repose in composition, and are trivial in detail. Among his easel-pictures, on the contrary, some possess a beautiful, calm dignity, particularly the Three Archangels in the Brera, in which the drawing of the figures and bland expression of the countenances well deserve attention-a good Holy Family in the Louvre, and an altar-piece in S. Eufemia at Milan. His copies of Leonardo's Last Supper have been already mentioned.

Andrea Salaino (Salai) resembles d'Oggione, with more freedom, more power and warmth of colouring. One of his principal works is in the Brera- -a Madonna and Child, to whom St. Peter delivers the keys; St. Paul stands behind. The picture is not important in composition, but is distinguished by its unconstrained action, after Leonardo's manner. His painting from Leonardo's cartoon of S. Anna deserves particular commendation; this also is in the Brera. Salaino's carnations have usually a red, warm, transparent tone.

Giovan Antonio Beltraffio.-Gentleness is the characteristic of this artist; his drawing, however, is somewhat timid and

1 With respect to the year, see Rumohr, Drei Reisen, etc., p. 309.

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dry, thus indicating an affinity with the old Milanese school. His principal work is an altar-picture, painted for S. Maria della Misericordia at Bologna, and now in the LouvreMadonna and Child, between John the Baptist and St. Sebastian, with the donors kneeling: the latter are very beautiful; the St. Sebastian is simple and noble; the Madonna, on the contrary, is rather constrained. A S. Barbara, by the same artist, is in the Berlin Museum,-a figure of peculiarly grand, statue-like dignity.

Francesco Melzi.-A noble Milanese (as was the artist last-mentioned) and a friend of Leonardo. His pictures are little known; they are said to bear a strong resemblance to Leonardo's, and to be frequently mistaken for them. In the castle of Vaprio (one of the possessions of the Melzi) is a colossal fresco of a Madonna and Child, a very grand work, probably by him. A Pomona and Vertumnus, in the Berlin Museum, formerly ascribed to Leonardo, now bears the name of Francesco. Vertumnus, in the form of an old woman, is rudely overpainted: the figure of Pomona, on the other hand, is well preserved, and is the finest specimen of a motive which repeatedly occurs in this school.

Cesare da Sesto.-A more important artist, who at a later period is found in the school of Raphael at Rome, and was on friendly terms with that master. His early works are pleasing, and resemble Leonardo's; in his later we observe some of the peculiarities of the Roman school, which, however, do not combine quite happily with those of the Milanese. Among the former is a youthful Head of Christ, in the Ambrosian library at Milan, of very bland and unaffected expression, simply and beautifully painted; also a beautiful Baptism of Christ, in the house of Duke Scotti at Milan, an excellent picture, with a rich and very elaborate landscape. The latter is by the landscape-painter Bernazzano, who often painted in this manner with Cesare. In the Manfrini gallery at Venice are two Madonnas, and, as they are painted in the two styles. above alluded to, they afford interesting points of comparison. A large altar-piece, representing the Madonna, with St. Roch, St. Christopher, and St. Sebastian, and displaying certain Raphaelesque tendencies, is in Duke Melzi's collection at