Part 34 (2/2)
*M. Arasmino Solari da
building a certain part of
1440 {
Arogna
the cathedral.
{
54.
{
*M. Franceschino da Can.o.bbio
Was C.M. in 1448.
55.
*M. Leonardo da Sirtori
Son or grandson of Magister
Guarnerio (No. 2).
56.
*M. Paolino da a.r.s.enigo
Son or grandson of Magister
Simone (No. 1).
57.
*M. Filippino degli Argani
Son of Andrea degli Argani
(No. 6), whom he succeeded
as architect to the Visconti.
Designed the choir window at
Milan. Entered the lodge as
novice, 1400; graduated
master, 1404; C.M. 1417.
58.
1450
M. Giorgio di Filippo
His son: became C.M. in his
turn in 1450.
59.
1451
M. Giovanni Solari: son of
C.M. from 1451 to 1470. He
Marco da Carona.
forms a link with Venice.
60.
1470
M. Guiniforte or Boniforte
C.M. in 1470-1481. Built the
(son of Giovanni Solari)
Ospedale Maggiore and church
of Le Grazie at Milan.
61.
1481
Magister Pietro Antonio: his
Went to Russia in 1481.
son
62.
1468 {
M. Martino da Mantegazza
to {
63.
1492 {
M. Dolcebono Rodari
Entered the lodge in 1490;
was sent to Rome for
training. His relative,
Tomaso Rodari, was more
famous than he, and
sculptured the Renaissance
door at Como.
64.
M. Gerolamo della Porta
Was employed later in Rome
and Naples.
65.
M. Salomone, son of Giovan
One of the line descending
de Gra.s.si
from Magister Graci, founder
of the lodge at Padua.
66.
1471
M. Bartolommeo de Gorgonzola
C.M. for the cupola of Milan
cathedral.
67.
1488
M. Leonardo da Vinci
Engaged for the cupola, but
resigned.
68.
M. Antonio da Padern
Rectified the mistakes of
(descendant of the older
John of Gratz.
Antonio, No. 88)
69.
M. Giovanni Antonio }
Joint architects to finish
}
cupola and cathedral of 70.
M. Amedeo or Omodeo }
Milan. Amedeo worked
}
afterwards in Venice.
}
71.
M. Gio. Giacome di }
Dolcebono was son of
Dolcebono }
Dolcebono Rodari.
72.
M. Francesco di Giorgio of }
Siena }
Were called to advise on
}
the plans of the above 73.
M. Luca Fancelli of }
three.
Florence }
74.
1506
M. Andrea Fusina
Descendant of Jacopo f.u.xina.
Andrea was elected C.M. to
replace Dolcebono in 1506.
75.
1502
M. Cristoforo Gobbo
Sculptured Adam and Eve on
the facade of Milan
cathedral, etc.
76.
{
M. Gian Giacomo Bono da }
{
Campione }
{
}
A later offshoot of the old 77.
1618 {
M. Frances...o...b..no, his son }
family of Bono or Buono, who
to {
}
have furnished _Magistri_ 78.
1647 {
M. Carlo Antonio Bono, a }
since 1152.
{
relative }
{
}
79.
{
M. Giuseppe Bono, his son }
----+--------+------------------------------+------------------------------
All these marked * were engaged on Oct. 4, 1387, to work with Magister Simone. The second batch given below and marked joined the Lodge on Oct. 9, five days after.
FOREIGN ARCHITECTS IN MILAN LODGE
----+--------+------------------------------+---------------------------- 80.
1389
Anichino or Annex of
Was paid for the model of a
Freiburg
dome which was not used.
”
Giacobino de Bruge
Fell ill, and was supported
by the lodge.
81.
1391
Ulrico di Ensingen
Came for a few months.
”
Heinrich di Gmunden
Entered, July 1391; left,
June 1392.
82.
1399
Jean Mignot de Paris
Came from Paris.
83.
Jean Campanias from Normandy
Campanias did not stay long.
84.
Ulrich de Frissengen }
Worked at Milan for a short
}
time.
85.
Aulx di Marchestein }
86.
1482
Giovanni da Gratz
Engaged, 1482; discharged,
1488.
I.--THE COMACINES UNDER THE VISCONTI
History repeats itself. We began the story of the Comacines in Lombardy with their works under the invading Longobards, we end it with their works under the usurping Visconti. The first era shows their early Roman-Lombard style in its purity; the last shows the culmination of their later Italian-Gothic style in its fulness.
Like Florence, Siena, Pisa, Pistoja, and other cities, Milan, on freeing herself from Longobard and French tyrants, had become a commune, but she could not escape the usual fate of a mediaeval commune, _i.e._ party faction, and the supremacy of a dominant family.
As Florence had her Guelphs and Ghibellines, Pistoja her Bianchi and Neri, so Milan had her two warring families, the Torriani and Visconti. The conflict was long, but in the end the Visconti dominated. Matteo I. reigned over Cremona, Lodi, Bergamo, Pavia, Alexandria, and Vercelli. Azzo Visconti subjugated Piacenza and Como, etc. Luchino added Asti, Bobbio, and Parma; while his brother, the Archbishop Giovanni, acquired Brescia, Genoa, and Bologna. His nephews, Bernab and Galeazzo II., divided the state, and lost part of it. Genoa freed herself from Galeazzo, while Bernab's vices and cruelties caused rebellion everywhere.
Galeazzo's son, Gian Galeazzo, who was only fifteen when his father died in 1378, married Isabella of France, he being then seventeen, and she a child still. By this he gained, as his bride's portion, the estate of Vertus in Champagne, and his descendants kept up the t.i.tle, which became Italianized into Conte di Virtu. His second wife was his cousin, Caterina, daughter of Bernab. To a.s.sure himself of her heritage, he imprisoned his uncle in the castle of Trezza, where he died a few months after, some say by poison. However this be, Gian Galeazzo immediately rode into Milan, where he was proclaimed Signore of Milan. Wenceslaus, Emperor of Germany, had already created him his Vicar-general in Lombardy, so that his power was great. So great was it that he was able to oust the Scaligers from Verona in 1386; the Carraresi from Vicenza and Padua in 1387. In 1395 he induced Wenceslaus to nominate him Duke of Milan, and to make the t.i.tle hereditary. Then, emulating his Longobardic predecessors, he began a march of conquest southwards; took Perugia, Spoleto, and a.s.sisi in 1400; Lucca in 1401; then he bought Pisa from the Appiani, and Siena capitulated. Florence was next in his list, but luckily for her he died at this juncture, and Florence escaped.[265]
These were the princes under whose auspices the cathedral of Milan arose, a mountain of sculpture white as snow. In olden times there were twin churches standing on the site of Milan cathedral: S. Maria Maggiore, the winter church, and S. Thecla, the _estiva_, or summer church. Santa Maria had two Baptisteries, one for male children, the other for female. They both had marvellous towers: that of S. Maria was two hundred and forty-five _braccia_ (about four hundred and seventy feet) high, and of ”admirable beauty.” This tower was thrown down and the church destroyed in the siege of Milan, 1162. After the Peace of Costanza, Sta. Maria was restored by public offerings, and the Milanese ladies, like the ancient Roman dames, threw their jewels into the treasury. The facade of this restoration was of black and white marble in squares, and the church was so large that it could contain 7000 people.
By the fourteenth century Milan had become so wealthy and powerful that it determined to build a church more beautiful than any before it. To Gian Galeazzo is generally given the whole credit of this initiative, but doc.u.ments seem to prove it was a general move on the people's part. On May 12, 1386, Monsignor Antonio dei Marchesi, Archbishop of Milan, addressed a circular letter to his clergy, saying that the church of the Blessed Virgin was old and dilapidated, and ”the hearts of the faithful” intended to rebuild it, which work being very costly, the Archbishop prayed all his clergy to ”inst.i.tute offerings in their churches, and to pray G.o.d to bless the work.”
Again a year later he circulated another letter, to ask that all the offerings thus gathered should be transmitted to Milan before the _fete_ of St. Martin, as the faithful were anxious to continue the work begun. Gian Galeazzo did his part by promulgating two edicts; one dated October 12, 1386, inst.i.tuting a _questua_ (collection) in all the Ducal State for the benefit of the funds for the Duomo; the second, dated February 7, 1387, decreed that all the money from the _paratici_ of the city, which shall be paid as offerings during the _fete_ of the Madonna in February of this and following years, shall be dedicated to the building fund. The results of all these appeals and decrees, and the small part the Visconti had in the giving, appears in a letter from the deputies of the Fabbrica or Opera, addressed to Gian Galeazzo, on August 3, 1387, saying--”Offerings have been made with great devotion by every kind of person, rich and poor, who have copiously and liberally aided the building. Now, O Signore, we pray that you and your lady mother, your consort, and daughter, may also transmit your devout oblations to subsidize the church.”
This is the way the funds were found, and now who were the builders?
We have seen in a former chapter that the Visconti patronized the Campionese school of architect-sculptors, and as the Comacines had been a.s.sociated with Milan for centuries, it was not necessary to look far for architects. Indeed the very first batch of names which meets our eye in the books of the _laborerium_ are all of the Lombard Guild.
Here is chief architect Simone da a.r.s.enigo written down as _ingegnere generale_; or _capo maestro_, Guarnerio da Sirtori; Marco, Jacopo, e Zeno, da Campione; and Andrea from Modena; where we have seen the Campione Masters established a school.
On October 16, 1387, a meeting was held by the commission of the Duomo to discuss a project proposed by the administrators of the Fabbrica, for forming a regular organization, and electing the proper officials.
It was decided--
1. To confirm the present deputies as superintendents of the work.
(Here we have the Tuscan _Operai_.)
2. To elect a treasurer-general.
3. To nominate a good and efficient accountant.
4. Also a good and efficient _spenditore_ (in Tuscany this is the _Provveditore_).
5. To confirm the election of Magister Simone da a.r.s.enigo as head architect of the building, and to nominate enough capable Masters to a.s.sist him. (In Tuscany _capo maestro_ and _Maestri_.)
6. To confirm (considering their eminence in their art) Dionisolo di Brugora and Ambrogio da Sala (an island in Lake Como near Comacina) in their offices, and to choose others equally good to aid in the building.
7. To elect two or more _probi uomini_ (arbiters).
8. To elect lawyer, notary, and _sindaci_ (consuls) of the art.
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