The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 2 (of 6): From the Period of the Revival of the Fine Arts to the End of the Eighteenth Century

In Short

This volume serves as a comprehensive chronicle of Italian painting within the Roman and Neapolitan spheres. By categorizing centuries of output into distinct "epochs," the text documents the rise, maturation, and occasional decline of artistic movements. It prioritizes the identification of specific masters and their pupils, evaluating their technical contributions and stylistic shifts. The work endures as a foundational reference for art historians, providing a systematic, encyclopedic map of how regional traditions, individual genius, and external influences—from Flemish oil techniques to classical antiquity—shaped the visual landscape of Italy.

The Story

The narrative begins with the "old masters" of the Roman school, establishing a foundational period before the arrival of the High Renaissance. The story gains momentum with the emergence of Raffaello, whose career serves as a central pillar. Rather than focusing solely on his talent, the account examines his process: his study of Masaccio’s expression, his exchange of techniques with Fra Bartolommeo, and his ability to synthesize influences without losing a distinct identity. This era represents a peak of harmony, where the art of design and the nuances of expression find their most balanced union.

As the narrative moves forward, the focus shifts to the inevitable tension between innovation and imitation. The Roman school experiences a period of decline characterized by "mannerism," where artists rely too heavily on inherited formulas. The restoration of this school becomes a recurring theme, driven by figures like Barocci, who help bridge the gap toward new styles. Yet, this progress is rarely linear. Subsequent generations, such as the followers of Pietro da Cortona, are criticized for an "injudicious imitation" of their master, illustrating the persistent struggle to maintain quality while evolving.

Parallel to the Roman trajectory, the Neapolitan school unfolds as a distinct, often more rugged evolution. Starting with its own early masters, it eventually finds a modern identity anchored in the schools of Raffaello and Michelangiolo. The arrival of figures like Ribera introduces a shift toward the dramatic and the visceral. Here, the narrative highlights a fascination with the darker side of human experience—sanguinary executions and intense physical expressions—which provides a sharp contrast to the grace often found in the Roman works.

The story continues through the rise of local powerhouses like Luca Giordano and Solimene, whose influence ripples through the region. Throughout these centuries, the text also tracks the role of "strangers" and foreign influences, such as the Flemish techniques that arrive in Naples and the burlesque, small-scale paintings known as bambocciate that become a sensation in Rome.

By the eighteenth century, the narrative arrives at a period of re-evaluation. The influence of theorists and thinkers like Winckelmann and Mengs marks a transition toward a more cerebral, reasoned appreciation of art. The final arc depicts a Rome that serves as a living museum, where the presence of ancient statues and the vast heritage of the Renaissance act as a compass for modern artists. The story concludes with a hopeful outlook on the restoration of true principles, driven by public emulation, the discovery of ancient sites like Herculaneum, and a move away from past prejudices in favor of rational, informed judgment.

How It Unfolds

The Roman Foundation The account opens by establishing the early mastery of painters like Pietro Perugino, emphasizing the difficulty of distinguishing his original hand from the work of his numerous, highly competent pupils. It sets a precedent for the entire work: the necessity of looking closely at minor details to separate true genius from the "manner" of the school.

The Era of Raffaello The focus tightens on the development of Raffaello, analyzing how he navigated the influences of his contemporaries to create a balanced, perfected system. It treats his work not as a miracle of isolation, but as the result of study, observation, and deliberate artistic refinement.

The Mannerist Decline The narrative documents the subsequent fragmentation of the Roman school, where the weight of past masterpieces begins to stifle originality. This period is marked by the tension between those who preserve the art and those who, through poor imitation, cause its deterioration.

The Neapolitan Intensity The perspective shifts to Naples, tracing a path from local traditions to the stark, intense realism of artists like Ribera. It captures the transition toward a more dramatic, often grim, visual vocabulary that sets the Neapolitan output apart from the grace of the Roman capital.

The Rational Recovery The final chapters address the eighteenth-century push toward an "enlightened" practice of art. By integrating the findings of archaeology and the critiques of contemporary theorists, the book concludes with a vision of a modern art world grounded in the study of history and objective reason.

The People

Raffaello stands at the center of the Roman narrative, defined not just by his success but by his intellectual hunger. He is portrayed as a seeker who constantly looks to peers—Masaccio, Fra Bartolommeo, and even the elusive Da Vinci—to refine his craft. Unlike some of his contemporaries, he remains a figure of balance, tempering anatomy with grace.

Michelangiolo serves as a contrasting force, particularly regarding anatomy. The text views him as a master of the "naked figure," whose rarity of production and intense, private nature created a standard of technical difficulty that later artists often struggled to reach.

Ribera (Spagnoletto) occupies a similarly pivotal role in the Neapolitan school. Driven by a preference for the "revolting" and the dramatic, he challenges the viewer with depictions of physical suffering. He represents the artist who finds beauty in the harsh realities of nature, contrasting sharply with the refined ideals of the Roman masters.

Pietro da Cortona is presented as a figure whose own talent was so profound that it became a trap for his followers. The tragedy of his school lies in the "injudicious imitation" performed by his pupils, who, by copying his surface effects rather than his underlying principles, inadvertently led the art toward a decline.

Finally, Mengs and Winckelmann emerge as the intellectual architects of the late period. They act as the voices of reason, shifting the focus from the act of painting alone to the critical, analytical study of art history.

In Its Own Voice

Raffaello is by common consent placed at the head of his art; not because he excelled all others in every department of painting, but because no other artist has ever possessed the various parts of the art united in so high a degree.

This assessment captures the author’s balanced view of Raffaello’s standing in the hierarchy of artistic genius.

In his selection of subjects the most revolting were to him the most inviting, as sanguinary executions, horrid punishments, and lingering torments; among which is celebrated his Ixion on the wheel, in the palace of Buon Ritiro at Madrid.

This description highlights the stark, darker thematic territory often explored by the Neapolitan master Ribera.

What It's Really About

The book is an argument for the classification of art as a discipline of historical progression and technical mastery. It seeks to demystify the "greats" by examining their lineage, their influences, and the specific choices they made in their work. Beneath the cataloging of names and dates, the text questions how an artistic tradition maintains its vitality. It examines the recurring cycle of growth and decline, suggesting that art thrives when it strikes a balance between respectful study of the past and a clear-eyed, rational approach to the present. The central conflict is between the "mannerists"—those who copy outward appearances—and the "true" masters who grasp the underlying principles of design and expression.

Why Read It Today

This work is an essential companion for those who view art museums not just as collections of beautiful objects, but as intricate webs of influence and rivalry. You will appreciate this book if you are the type of reader who enjoys tracing a lineage—understanding that every painting is a conversation with the works that came before it. It provides a rare, grounded perspective on the Roman and Neapolitan schools, stripping away the romantic myths that often surround these artists to reveal the human, often messy, reality of their professional lives.

Be aware that the prose is from a different era; it is formal, occasionally dry, and expects you to be familiar with the geography and the major figures of Italian history. It does not offer the sweeping, dramatic narratives of modern biographies. Instead, it offers precision. You will encounter the difficulties of an older academic style, where long, dense paragraphs may focus on minor painters or technical disputes over attribution. Yet, this is precisely what makes the book valuable. It stays with you as a testament to the sheer scale of the artistic output in Italy. For anyone seeking to move beyond a superficial appreciation of "old masters" and into the granular, complex history of how a painting was actually conceived, executed, and understood, this is an unmatched, enduring resource.