I : R A Ci A L O A R I O : A P R O F I L I .

I t is rare f o r an art is t t o receive , i n his o w n Hfet ime a n d his o w n age, t h e w a r m a n d af-tect ionate a p p r o v a i t h a t F ra G a l g a r i o e n j o y e d . I t begins w i t h t h e praise w r i t t e n b y a fellow t o w n s m a n , the A b b o t G i a m b a t t i s t a A n g e l i n i (dopo 1 7 2 0 ) , a work i n ter^a rima n o t w i t h o u t a few successful l ines; t h e a p p r o v a i is d e v c l o p e d i n the huge and w e l l - d o c u m c n t e d b i o -g r a p h v dedicated to h i m b y his c o n t e m p o r a r y , C o u n t Francesco M a r i a Tassi ; n o r can one f o r g e t the c o m m e n t o f padre P e l l e g r i n o O r l a n d i ( 1 7 1 9 ) o f B o l o g n a , one o f the first w i t -nesses f r o m « b e y o n d the pale ». T h e n , thcre is the V e n e t i a n c r i t i c A n t o n M a r i a Z a n e t t i ( 1 7 7 1 ) , w h o was cer ta in ly f a v o u r a b l v i n c l i n e d b y t h e fact t h a t Fra G a l g a r i o h a d been the pupi 1 o f a n o t h e r V e n e t i a n , B o m b e l l i , a n d t h a t he h a d livcd in Venice f o r a great many years; a n d t h a t , m o r e o v e r , he h a d s o u g h t t o « d e v e l o p T i t i a n ' s a r t » ( a s O r l a n d i h a d alreadv w r i t t e n ) . A s late as L a n z i ( 1 7 9 5 ) t h e praise is s t i l i c o r d i a ! («VC'hat is m o s t s o u g h t after i n a p o r t r a i t - p a i n t e r - a n i m a t c d faces, I i f e l i k c c o m p l e x i o n , the i m i t a t i o n o f t r u e c l o t h so t h a t c lothes l o o k di f ferent : a l i t h i s can be f o u n d i n Fra G a l g a r i o ») . B u t the w a r m praise o f the I 7 t h c e n t u r y p u b l i c a n d a r t - h i s t o r i a n was f o l l o w e d b y t h e d i s t r u s t a n d c o n s c q u e n t o b l i v i o n o f t h e I 9 t h century" - tastes h a d c h a n g e d .

I t is there fore n o t s u r p r i s i n g t h a t i n the 1830 ' s , i n a m a n u s c r i p t q u o t e d b y Caversazzi ( 1 9 2 7 ) , C o u n t C a r l o M a r c n z i w r o t e t h a t o f F r a G a l g a r i o ' s p a i n t i m r s « the car ly Works deserve some c o n s i d c r a t i o n o n the p a r t o f connoisseurs ; those p a i n t e d i n his o l d age s h o w h o w low his ar t h a d s u n k ». A s a consequence, i n 1834-35 the Pinacoteca Carrara g o t r i d o f some f o u r t c e n o f the t w e n t v - s e v e n p o r t r a i t s co l l ec ted b v C o u n t G i a c o m o . . . i n the p r e c e d i n g c e n t u r y . W i t h the r e a w a k e n i n g o f interes t i n b a r o q u e p a i n t i n g in the i 9 t h a n d 2 o t h ccntur ies , t h e i n c e n t i v e t o r c d i s c o v c r th i s a r t i s t carne f r o m the co l lec t ions o f his w o r k s i n p u b l i c e x h i b i -t i o n s , b e g i n n i n g w i t h the F x h i b i t o f f 8 t h c e n t u r y p o r t r a i t s g i v e n at the Permanente o f M i -l a n i n 19 10 . I n fact, one o f the d i f f i c u l t i e s in u n d e r s t a n d i n g F ra G a l g a r i o spr ings f r o m the fact t h a t v e r v few o f his w o r k s are ever seen i n p u b l i c co l l ec t ions : b e y o n d the prec ious nucleus o f p o r t r a i t s t o be f o u n d i n the A c c a d e m i a Carrara , w h i c h s u r v i v e d the e l i m i n a t i o n of the i 9 t h c e n t u r y , the I t a l i a n a n d f o r e i g n gal lcr ies t h a t possess w o r k s b y th i s B e r g a m o ar t i s t can be c o u n t e d o n the f ìngers o t one h a n d . A s m a n y as t w e n t y - f i v e p a i n t i n g s b y F r a G a l g a r i o appeared i n the P i t t i Palace e x h i b i t i o n o f 1911 ded icated t o I t a l i a n p o r t r a i t - p a i n t i n g f r o m C a r a v a g g i o t o T i e p o l o , a n d th i s m a r k e d the b e g i n n i n g o f a t r u e red i scoverv o f b a r o q u e a r t . T h e chapter o f C i r o Caversazzi - w h o t o o k n o t e o f research c a r r i e d o u t b y B e r n a r d i ( 1 9 1 0 ) a n d P i n e t t i ( 1 9 1 1 ) - dedicated t o B e r g a m o p o r t r a i t - p a i n t i n g a n d issued 16 yars after the c o m m e m o r a t i v e v o l u m e p r i n t e d for the F lorence e x h i b i t i o n , is f o r the m o s t p a r t focussed o n Fra G a l g a r i o ; a n d th i s as L o n ­g h i c o m m e n t s ( 1 9 5 3 ) , p . X I I I ) , const i tutes the first serious h i s t o r i c a l - c r i t i c a l i n v e s t i g a t i o n o t th i s a r t i s t . A t the e x h i b i t i o n o f I t a l i a n p a i n t i n g s o f the i 7 t h & i 8 t h centur ies he ld at the P i t t i Palace i n 1 9 2 2 , G h i s l a n d i was represented b y o n l y six w o r k s : even l o w e r figures are r e c o r d e d , o f course , f o r the e x h i b i t s i n Venice ( 1 9 2 9 ) , L o n d o n ( 1 9 3 0 ) , a n d Paris ( 1 9 3 5 ) .

Despi te the w a r , M o r a n d o t t i i n c l u d e d Fra G a l g a r i o i n his i n t e l l i g e n t choice o f five i 8 t h c e n t u r y artists fo r an e x h i b i t h e l d at the Palazzo M a s s i m o , R o m e , i n 1943 . A f t e r the art ist ' s s igni t icant presence at the E x h i b i t i o n o f L o m b a r d A r t Treasures g i v e n i n Z u r i c h i n 1 9 4 8 - 4 9 , there was his conspicuous presence (some fifty w o r k s ) at the Mi lanese e x h i b i t o f 1 9 5 3 , dedicated t o Painters o f Rea l i ty i n L o m b a r d y , w h i c h , u n d e r L o n g h i ' s g u i d a n c e , a i m e d at a c r i t i ca i reappraisal o f the real ist ic aspect of L o m b a r d a r t , f r o m M o r o n i t o C e r u t i . I t was n o t o n l y one of the terms o t the i 6 t h c e n t u r y debate b e t w e e n « n a t u r e » a n d « m a n -ner », to w h i c h L o n g h i re fer red ( 1 9 5 3 , p . 1 11) , b u t the quest f o r a real ist ic c o m p o n e n t f l o u r i s h i n g « first i n the l o n g b i l l o w o f manners t h e n i n the l o n g w a v e o t barocaie. A c t u a l l y , i n th i s c o n t e x t , t h a t is , i n c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e s u b d u e d and m i l d a t t i t u d e a d o p t e d b y M o r o n i t o w a r d s p o r t r a i t s (as i f t o free h i m s e l f f r o m t h e m o r t i f y i n g exercises i n c o u n -t e r r e f o r m a t i o n t h a t he h a d been o b l i g e d t o pract ice i n his sacred p a i n t i n g s ) , the archaic l a y o u t o f Ceresa's p o r t r a i t s ( c o m p a r a b l e t o Baschenis ' s t i l l - l i f e p a i n t i n g s ) , a n d Cerut i ' s c r u c i a n d sometimes cyn ica l s e n s i b i l i t y , F ra G a l g a r i o ' s w a r m l y h u m a n a n d gen ia l p o r t r a i t s began to assume a ce r ta in a u t h o r i t v a n d i n d e p e n d c n c e , as t h e y appeared m o r e a p r o d u c t o f t l x V e n e t i a n s c h o o l . I n his b e a u t i f u l i n t r o d u c t o r y pages t o the cata logne , R o b e r t o L o n g h i ( 1 9 5 3 , p . X I I I ) , w i t h o u t s t r e t c h i n g t h e c o n c e p t o f r e a l i s m , character ized the p s y c h o l o g i c a l acumen w i t h w h i c h the B e r g a m o ar t i s t s t u d i e d his m o d e l s : « T h e n o b i l i t y a n d p e t t y n o b i l i t v of Bergamo (always great d r i n k e r s a n d h u n t e r s ) ; p e r u k e d judges ; f a i t h f u l scrvants ; s c h e m i n g ladies; men-of- let ters d o w n - a t - h e e l ( l i k e t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y B r u n t i n o ! ) ; ecclesiastics o f a l i orders and levels ; a n d even art izans a n d barbers ; a n d t h e gay c h i m n e v - s w e e p , e v e n i n t h e gaudy f ìoridity o f his c o s t u m e , w h i c h is b r i l l i a n t l v t rea ted w i t h an « a m a z i n g t e c h n i q u e ». A n d i n d e e d , the b r o a d range o f p o r t r a i t s s h o w n i n M i l a n c lear ly revealed the art is t ' s m e r i t s . A s L o n g h i notes ( 1 9 5 3 , p . X I V ) , « perhaps because, i n t h e case o f a p o r t r a i t - p a i n t e r o f « characters », o n l y t r o m m a n y examples care fu l l y ga thered f o r t h e i r s y m p a t h y a n d contrasts , can there emerge the v a r i e d social c o l o u r o f w h i c h G h i s l a n d i was t h e great i n v e s t i g a t o r , b u t w i t h i n eacb class, there is a c o n t i n u a i sh i f t o f d i s p o s i t i o n s a n d fee l ings . Less t h a n t w o years later the c i t y o f B e r g a m o t r i e d t o g a t h e r a cons iderable g r o u p o t w o r k s ( 3 8 ) by Fra G a l g a r i o as p a r t o f a d i sp lay o f i 8 t h c e n t u r y B e r g a m o c u l t u r e . A f e w o t t h e p o r t r a i t s had already appeared i n M i l a n i n 1 9 5 3 , o thers h a d n o t been e x h i b i t e d , so t h a t k n o w l e d g e o f the art i s t t h e n b e g a n t o spread. W h i l e f r o m t h i s p o i n t o f v i e w F r a n c o M a z -z in i ' s tasteful ly p r c p a r e d e x h i b i t p r o v e d t o be v e r y use fu l , i n o t h e r respeets i t was s o m e w h a t w a n t i n g . F i r s t o f a l i , i t made n o ef fort t o inves t iga te the B e r g a m o pa inte r ' s f o l l o w e r s : f o t cxample , i t leaves i n the d a r k Fra G a l g a n o ' s p u p i l , P a o l o B o n o m i n i ( 1 ) w h o , as Tassi r e p o r t s ( I I , p . 7 0 ) , was able t o « i m i t a t e » his m a n n e r « so t h a t a n u m b e r o f his w o r k s executed at that t i m e can h a r d l y be d i s t i n g u i s h e d f r o m t h e master ' s ». I n t h e second place the r e v i e w fai led t o d i g deep i n f o the c o m p l e x figurative c u l t u r e , b e t w e e n L o m b a r d a n d V e n e t i a n , w h i c h was charactcr is t ic o f 1 8 t h c e n t u r y B e r g a m o a r t ( 2 ) .

T h e B e r g a m o e x h i b i t enraged G i u s e p p e F i o c c o ( 1 9 5 5 ) w h o , of fended b y t h e r a t h e r s u m m a r y t r e a t m e n t g i v e n t o Fra G a l g a r i o ' s V e n e t i a n b a c k g r o u n d ( a l t h o u g h there w e r e t w o B o m -

0 ) l t w o u l d have been w o r t h whi le exhib i t ing the Portrait o f the clergyman o f Poldi Pezzoli (no. 69), w h i c h Te­stori (as w r i t t e n in the Catalogo dei Russo/i o f 1955) attributes t o B o n o m i n i .

(2) Besides the ìmportant contr ibutions o f Giuseppe Mar ia Crespi ( in Bergamo and at Cenate d ' A r g o n ) i t w o u l d be useful to collect not on ly works by other Venetians ( f r o m P i t t o n i to Grassi, and f r o m Gaspare Diz iani to Dome­nico MaggiottoJ , but also by the Veronese school ( f rom Balestra t o G.B. C ignaro l i , f rom Rotari to Dalla Rosa, and t r o m Brentana to Lorenzi) and to t h r o w l ight on a few locai painters such as the mysterious G u a l d i , or Raggi .

b e l l i p o r t r a i t s and a h i t h c r t o u n k n o w n A d l e r ) , t o o k i t o u t o n Fra G a l g a n o b y cast ing d o u b t o n the v a l i d i t y o f L o n g h i ' s a t t c m p t t o r e v i v e i n t e r n a t i o n a l interest i n the B e r g a m o p o r -t r a i t i s t . I d o n o t k n o w w h e t h e r i n his ar t ic le o n the B e r g a m o e x h i b i t ( i n « A r t e L o m b a r d a », 1955) M a z z i n i meant t o r c p l y t o F i o c c o . W h i l e a d m i t t i n g t h a t i n the early w o r k s there were s t i l i traces o f V e n e t i a n i d i o m a t i c touches , he reveals t h a t these traces « are r a p i d l y d i a s p p e a r i n g » w i t h his r e t u r n h o m e , perhaps c o n f u s i n g w h a t is ac tua l l y the progress ive m a t u r i n g o f an art is t w i t h an abstract n o t i o n o f B e r g a m o t r a d i t i o n ( M o r o n i , Ceresa, e t c ) ; a l i o f w h i c h threatens t o send o u r studies back t o a sect ional ist a r r a n g e m e n t l i k e L a n z i ' s . N o one cjucstions the « B e r g a m o » s t ra in i n th i s art is t ' s sens ib i l i ty : b u t i f Fra G a l g a r i o became a great p o r t a i t i s t i t was because he was r o o t e d i n the s e n s i b i l i t y o f his rime a n d he t o o k p a r t i n a E u r o p e a n s i t u a t i o n , t h e o t h e r exponents o f w h i c h w e r e K u p e c k y , A d l e r and B r a n d i . P r e v i o u s l y , T e s t o r i ( 1 9 5 4 ) , i n d i scuss ing the Mi lanese E x h i b i t i o n i n an art ic le i n w h i c h F r a G a l g a r i o a n d C e r u t i were c o m p a r e d w i t h the V e n e t i a n s , a t t e m p t e d t o m i n i m i z e the i m p o r t a n c e o f F r a G a l g a r i o ' s contacts w i t h V e n e t i a n c u l t u r e a n d even s o u g h t t o u n d e r m i n e the h i s t o r i c a l t r a d i t i o n s . O n e feels t h a t T e s t o r i ' s a r g u m e n t is s o m e w h a t t a u t o l o g i c a ! : he asks h imse l f , f o r example , w h a t ever c o u l d a « p a i n t c r o t rea l i t y », and a L o m b a r d t o b o o t , have t o d o w i t h the V e n e t i a n w o r l d o f a r t . B u t he forgets t h a t , a l t h o u g h L o m b a r d a n d B e r g a m o art i s ts , also C a r i a n i a n d L i c i n i o had g r a v i t a t e d i n the o r b i t o f V e n e t i a n art : t h a t i s , t o be themselves , t o realize t h a t h u n g e r f o r naturalness i n h e r e n t i n the L o m b a r d character and i n the rus t ie s p i r i t o f t h e B e r g a m o va l leys , t h e y a d o p t e d the i d i o m o f the capita l a n d i n t e l l i g e n t l y appl ica 1 i t as t h e y pleased.

W e agree, o f coursc , w i t h T e s t o r i ' s r e m a r k s a b o u t the c r i t i c a i ineffectiveness o f an a r g u m e n t w h i c h , first b r o u g h t f o r t h b y O r l a n d i ( 1 7 1 9 ) , h a d been used t o celebrate F r a G a l g a r i o b y his enthusiast ic b i o g r a p h e r , C o u n t Tass i , a n d t h e n t a k e n u p again b y Z a n e t t i : the a r g u m e n t w h i c h presumes his deep inf luence b y T i t i a n . I f th i s a r g u m e n t is w o r t h l e s s - a n d I w o u l d be the first t o a d m ì t i t - w e shall have t o be careful w i t h the concept o f « L o m b a r d i s m », a l m o s t s y n o n y m o u s w i t h « r e a l i s m ». O t h e r w i s e one loses s ight o f the p r o b l e m w h i c h s h o u l d c o n c e r n one m o s t - t h e h i s t o r i c a l d e f i n i t i o n o f faets o f this k i n d - a r n slips i n t o the s i m p l i s t i c and abstract i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f the p r o b l e m o f M o r o n i w i t h t h a t o t Fra G a l g a r i o .

O n c e he had taken u p the t h e m e o f a « great i l l u s i o n - the real ist ic » - T e s t o r i fe l t o b l i g e d t o a t t e m p t t o set u p a c o m p a r a t i v e e x h i b i t i o n , last year's T u r i n e x h i b i t i o n , g i v e n i n a p u ­b l i c m u s e u m , i n w h i c h t h e Venet ians w e r e so b a d l v chosen t h a t t h e v f o r m e d a k i n d o t l a u n c h i n g p a d f o r the real is t ic , p o p u l a r , and r e v o l u t i o n a r y exp lo i t s o t a few L o m b a r d s , a m o n g w h o m Fra G a l g a r i o . I d o n o t d e n v t h a t T e s t o r i ' s l i t e r a r y a b i l i t y c o n t r i v e d t o s t r i k e h o m e i n the case o f the g e n t l e m a n o f P o l d i P e z z o l i , b u t i t is d o n e w i t h such a one-s ided a n d per­verse i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of the B e r g a m o f r i a r t h a t he emerges as a k i n d o t p r o v i n c i a ! sans-cuhlte a n d h a r b i n g e r o f « t h e ruthless a n d t e r r i b l e b iade . . . » . T h e present e x h i b i t i o n Comes at just the r i g h t t i m e t o repropose the p r o b l e m o f G h i s l a n d i .

* * *

O n e o f t h e o u t s t a n d i n g b i o g r a p h i e s m a k i n g u p t h a t m o n u m e n t to B e r g a m o a r t h i s t o r y erected b y C o u n t Francesco M a r i a Tassi ( p u b l i s h e d p o s t h u m o u s l y i n t w o v o l u m e s i n 1 7 9 7 ) , is u n d o u b t e d l y the one dedicated t o « F ra V i t t o r e G h i s l a n d i , p a i n t e r », n o t o n l y f o r the i n t o r -

m a r i o l i i n c l u d e d b u t fo r the svmpathet i c c o m p r e h e n s i o n o f the art i s t . W h e n e v e r one t u r n s back t o this source - m a k i n g al lowances f o r its sec t iona l i sm, w h i c h was i n e v i t a b l e i n t h i s a u t h o r - one apprcciates its balance a n d c o m m o n sense, its v e r a c i t y , w h i c h is o f course related t o the contemporaneousness o f the events descr ibed . L e t us t r y t o retrace the w a y taken b y C o u n t Tassi , w h o had the advantage , c o m p a r e d t o us , o f seeing w i t h his o w n eyes m o s t o f the vast p r o d u c t i o n of the B e r g a m o p a i n t e r - m a n y o f w h i c h w o r k s disappeared under the waves ot t i m e - a n d o f b e i n g one o f the ar t i s t ' s personal f r i ends . I n d e c d , at the outset o t his h i s t o r y , C o u n t Tassi ( I I , p . 57) recalls t h a t he is i n d e b t e d t o the p a i n t e r f o r « that l i t t l e t h a t I was able t o l earn i n m y y o u t h i n o r d e r t o e n j o y a r t ». W e have Tassi's w o r d , t h e n , that G h i s l a n d i was b o r n i n B e r g a m o o n t h e 4 M a r c h 1 6 5 5 , the son o f the verv D o m e n i c o o n w h o m he h a d a l readv w r i t t e n a s h o r t b i o g r a p h v . ( )n D o m e n i c o he w r o t e ( I I , p . 2 1 ) : « i n the last c e n t u r y he w o r k e d a great deal i n frescos, friezes, and landscapes, had i n these he was q u i t e sincere a n d s k i l f u l ». D o m e n i c o h a d « a g o o d b a n d also in f igures » and e v e n i n p o r t r a i t p a i n t i n g , as Tassi ( I I , p . 2 2 ) recalls i n r e g a r d t o a few fìgures o f saints and popes t rescocd i n the e lo is ter o f the padri mìnimi o f G a l g a r i o . Tassi cont inues ( I I , p . 58) : « H e was b a p t i z e d G i u s e p p e , b u t o n t a k i n g his v o w s he c h a n g e d th i s t o V i t t o r e . H e was ear ly i n c l i n e d t o w a r d s p a i n t i n g , as his father d i s c o v e r e d , so he t o o k up d r a w i n g , f irst u n d e r G i a c o m o C o t t a , t h e n u n d e r B a r t o l o m e o B i a n c h i n i , the F i o r e n t i n e pa inter r e s i d i n g i n t h a t c i t y , w i t h w h o m he l i v e d f o r f o u r years ». A t t h i s t i m e Fra G a l g a r i o had alreadv succcssfully t a k e n u p p o r t r a i t p a i n t i n g : T e s t i ( i b i d ) g ives as a n example the p o r t r a i t o f his father, p a i n t e d a b o u t 1 6 7 0 . W h e n t w e n t y years o f age ( a b o u t 1 6 7 5 ) , t r o u b l e w i t h his father i n d u c e d t h e y o u n g p a i n t e r t o « a b a n d o n his h o m e t o w n a n d set o u t f o r Ven ice » ( i b i d ) , fo r a t o w n w h i c h was n o t o n l y a p o l i t i c a i capi ta l b u t also t h e centre o t a t r a d i t i o n i n p a i n t i n g a r o u n d w h i c h B e r g a m o h a d g r a v i t a t e d since t h e earlv i 6 t h c e n t u r y . W e c a n n o t be sure jus t h o w m u c h t r u t h there is i n t h e p i c t u r e s q u e s t o r y a c c o r d i n g to w h i c h , w h i l e sa i l ing d o w n the B r e n t a f r o m Padua t o t h e l a g o o n s , the y o u n g B e r g a m o p a i n t e r m e t a f r i a r f r o m Venice 's San Francesco d i Paola a n d d i d his p o r t r a i t , t h e r e b y w i n n i n g the s u p p o r t o f the b r e t h e r e n o f t h a t m o n a s t e r y ; t h e v , « r e c o g n i z i n g t h e b r i l l i a n t g i f t s o t th i s y o u n g m a n , w h o c o u l d h a r d l v have c o n t i n u e d bis studies w i t h o u t any s u p p o r t a n d perfected his a r t , p r e v a i l c d o n h i m t o take t h e h o l y v o w s . . . » ( p . 5 9 ) . T h e tale reveals Tassi 's d i sbe l i e f and c o n v i c t i o n t h a t a l i t h i s was n o sincere c a l h n g b u t m e r e l y an e x p e d i e n t t o s u p p o r t h i m w h i l e he was s t u d y i n g i n V e n i c e .

A t t h a t t i m e t h e state o f V e n e t i a n p a i n t i n g was c o m p l e x a n d h a r d l v i n t e r i o r t o t h a t o f m a n y o t h e r I t a l i a n reg ions , as one hears s o m e w h a t t o o o f t e n . W h i l e the bet ter representat ives o f a p i c t o r i a l t r a d i t i o n w h i c h h a d b e c o m e i n d e p e n d e n t w i t h V e c c h i a , Forabasco , L i b e r i , M a r l c i , C a r p i o n i , t o g e t h e r w i t h M a z z o n i , were e n d i n g t h e i r w o r k , t h e s c h o o l o f « s h a d o w » painters descended f r o m G i o r d a n o p r e v a i l e d w i t h L a n g e t t i , Z a n c h i , a n d L o t h ; as a react ion against this carne the neo-Veronese d e c o r a t i v e t e n d e n c y , e n c o u r a g e d b y the c o n -t r i b u t i o n s o f the C o l i - G h e r a r d i t e a m a n d i m m e d i a t e l v s u p p o r t e d b y F u m i a n i , Le febre , and later b y Celesti . B u t h o w c o u l d a y o u n g m a n jus t c o m e t o V e n i c e t r o m p r o v i n c i a l B e r g a m o fa i l t o a d m i r e the i 6 t h c e n t u r y classics w h i c h , f i f teen years b e t o r e M a r c o B o -s c h i n i , in his Carta del Nevegar Pitoresco h a d so exal ted i n b a r o q u e terms? A n d Tassi adds (p . 59) : « T h e n , by h i m s c l t , he gave h i m s e l f u p e n t i r e l y t o t h e s t u d y o t T i t i a n ' s a n d V e -ronese's w o r k s , and i t was t h i s w h i c h b r o u g h t h i m t o t h e state o f excellence t h a t we al i k n o w . A f t e r t h i r t e e n years i n V e n i c e he r c t u r n e d t o his n a t i v e t o w n a c h a n g e d m a n , f o r i n his w o r k s o t t h i s p e r i o d one c lear ly perceives t h e in f luence o f the a b o v e - m e n t i o n e d masters ». D u r i n g this stav i n B e r g a m o o f a b o u t r ive years, G h i s l a n d i , his b i o g r a p h e r r e p o r t s ( I I , p . 6 7 ) , had frescoed i n Z a n c h i ' s Rosciate h o m e a n d p a i n t e d a f e w r e l i g i o u s subieets

f o r churchcs i n the p r o v i n c e , besides smal l p a i n t i n g s f o r the G a l g a n o c h u r c h o f B e r g a m o . I t is a p i t y t h a t these w o r k s - Tassi tells us t h a t they were executed d u r i n g « his early years » - have been los t , fo r they w o u l d have revealed the earliest s ty l i s t ic d i r e c t i o n s p u r s u e d by the y o u n g B e r g a m o painter after contac t w i t h m o d e m a n d o l d V e n e t i a n pa inters . Tassi c o n t i n u e s ( I I , p . 5 9 ) , « B u t s t i l i dissatisfied w i t h h imse l f , ever a n x i o u s t o advance himsel f , and at t racted b y the name o f Sebastiano B o m b e l l i , w h o had w o n great r e n o w n i n Venice at t h a t t i m e , especiallv fo r p o r t r a i t - p a i n t i n g o f w h i c h he was a master, « once again r e m o v e d t o t h a t t o w n », a b o u t 1693 i f , as he states later o n , he r e t u r n c d t o B e r g a m o « early th i s c e n t u r y » after h a v i n g spcnt « 12 y e a r s » i n the s t u d i o o t B o m h c l l ì ' s A s a p o r t r a i t - p a i n t c f , t h e n , G h i s l a n d i is a p r o d u c t o f B o m b e l l i ' s w o r k s h o p . W h i l e bis b e g i n n i n g s are far f r o m clear, the h i s t o r y o t his ar t i s t ic p e r s o n a l i t y takes shape i n the l i g h t o f the F r i u l i pa inter ' s v i v i d a n d fe r t i l e presence. O n e can h a r d l y b lame F i o c c o w h e n , i n c o m m e n t i n g o n the B e r g a m o e x h i b i t i o n o f 1955 , he c o m p l a i n e d that the f u l l s igni f ìcance o f t h e B o m b e l l i - F r a G a l g a r i o r e l a t i o n s h i p had n o t been e x p l o r e d . T h e excel lent 1 9 6 4 U d i n e e x h i b i t i o n dedicated to B o m b e l l i and Carneo f u l l y d o c u m e n t e d B o m b e l l i ' s c u r r i c u l u m as p o r t r a i t i s t , a n d revealed i t as an i n d ì s p e n s a b l c premise t o u n d e r s t a n d i n g Fra G a l g a r i o ' s d e v e l o p m e n t . B o m b e l l i , t o o , i n r e m o v i n g t o Ven ice f r o m his na t ive U d i n e s o m e t i m e bet­ween 1655 a n d 1 6 6 0 , p r a c t i c c d o n V e r o n e s i o r i g i n a t e before c o m p l e t e l v d e d i c a t i n g h i m s e l f t o p o r t r a i t - p a i n t i n g , after his stay i n B o l o g n a , w h i c h p u t h i m i n contact w i t h t h a t schoo l o f p o r t r a i t u r e , a n d a s top i n F l o r e n c e t o take i n the o l d Sustermans s c h o o l ) . A f t e r 1665 B o m b e l l i ' s p o r t r a i t u r e tends t o be c lear ly def ìned i n b o t h its a ims a n d its l i m i t s , i n k e e p i n g w i t h the r e q u i r e m e n t s o f V e n e t i a n society , w h o s e e v o l u t i o n was s t i m u l a t e d by the a s s i m i l a t i o n o f n e w forces c o m i n g f r o m c o m m e r c e . F r o m his earliest w o r k s B o m b e l l i reveals his a i m , w h i c h is t o s t r i k e a f r i e n d l y a n d ofT-hand d i a l o g u e w i t h each p e r s o n a l i t y , so as t o set h i m d o w n w i t h a n e w k i n d o f o b j e c t i v i t y m o d u l a t c d b y the chiaroscuro f e c h n i -ques o f the « s h a d o w » s c h o o l b u t u n t r a m m e l e d b y any n a t u r a l i s t i c r h e t o r i c . T w o rather w e l l - k n o w n a n d di f ferent examples m a y be c o n s i d e r e d as t y p i c a l : the ha l f -bus t a n d f u l l -f ìgure p o r t r a i t o f G i r o l a m o Q u e r i n i , b o t h b e l o n g i n g t o the Q u e r i n i - S t a m p a l i a F o u n d a t i o n o f V e n i c e : w h i l e the first o v a l - f r a m c d p o r t r a i t is a masterpiece o f c u n n i n g b r u s h w o r k a n d p s y c h o l o g i c a l expressiveness, t h e second, a f u l l figure, is an excellent essay i n p o r t r a i t i s t s h o w m a n s h i p , i n w h i c h the ra ther theat r i ca l appearance o f the suhjectc w h o is w e a r i n g the p r o c u r a t o r i f u l l - H o w i n g b r o c a d e d c loak w i t h v e l v e t stole , effected by mcans o f a ray o f l i g h t m a k i n g the subject appear f r o m o u t o f the darkness , is redeemed b y the suggest ive p i th iness o f t h e d e v e l o p m e n t .

B o t h these p o r t r a i t s f r o m t h e 70 ' s c o n s t i t u t e t u n d a m e n t a l texts o f the ar t i s t ' s early years. G o i n g his w a y , B o m h e l l i began t o seal his chiaroscuro p o r t r a i t s w i t h a n e w h u m a n , affable, and c o u r t e o u s m a r k , i n w h i c h p u r e l y n a t u r a l i s t i c effects w e r e s u b o r d i n a t e d . T h a t B o m b e l l i was capable o f a m o r e s u m p t u o u s l y b a r o q u e style can be seen i n the very successful P o r t r a i t o f a G e n t l e m e n o f the C a r n e l u t t i c o l l e c t i o n i n V e n i c e , a p a i n t i n g w h i c h appeared at the C à Pesaro e x h i b i t i o n o f 1959: b u t t h a t at t h e same t i m e B o m b e l l i was capable o f a m u c h quie ter s ty le , r e v e a l i n g w i t h k i n d l y strokes his persona l i t ies , can be seen i n a f e w p o r t r a i t s o f w h i c h w e s t i l i have the p r i n t s , fo r example those o f A b b o t L u i g i O t e l l i o ( 1 6 9 4 ) , o f the P r o c u r a t o r s G i o Francesco B a r a r i g o (c. 1 6 9 7 ) a n d N i c o l ò D e l f i n o ( 1 7 0 5 ) . These p o r t r a i t s bear witness t o t h e fact t h a t w i t h the a p p r o a c h o f t h e i 8 t h c e n t u r y B o m b e l l i d i d n o t m a r k t i m e b u t , sensing the n e w t r e n d , w o r k e d t o w a r d s a s i m p l i f i c a t i o n o f poses a n d , at the same t i m e , a sharper p s v c o l o g i c a l d e p i c t i o n o f his subjects . T h e last phase o f B o m b e l l i ' s p o r t r a i t u r e had cons iderabi le inf luence o n t h e e v o l u t i o n o f V e n e t i a n i 8 t h c e n t u r y p o r t r a i t p a i n t i n g , b e g i n n i n g w i t h Rosalba Carr ie ra , as A l d o R i z z i ( 1 9 6 4 ) has p o i n t e d o u t .

So Fra G a l g a r i o enters B o m b e l l i ' s s t u d i o a b o u t 1 6 9 5 , f i rst as a p u p i l , t h e n as a n assistami t w o letters addresscd t o C o u n t Paolo Tassi ( B e r n a r d i , 1 9 1 0 ) t h r o w some l i g h t o n the re-l a t i o n s h i p between Fra G a l g a n o a n d B o m b e l l i . O n the 22 A p r i i 1701 G h i s l a n d i w r o t e , «1 a m sure that it v o u r F o r d s h i p real ized h o w f o r t u n a t e I a m at the m o m e n t , y o u w o u l d advisc me n o t t o leave th i s t o w n , a n d i f I were n o t a f r a i d o f b e i n g t a k e n f o r an a m b i t i o u s m a n , 1 w o u l d te l i y o u h o w w e l l I a m cons idered here . . . » . I n a subsequent le t ter o f 13 N o -v e m b e r , w h i l e a l l u d i n g t o the fact t h a t B o m b e l l i t o u n d i t imposs ib le t o accept a y o u n g Ber­g a m o gent leman's c o m m i s s i o n , he w r i t e s , «I a m s o r r y t h a t y o u cannot have th i s c o n s o l a t i o n , because y o u w o u l d have h a d a fine p o r l r a i t . . . » ; a n d he adds, « A t the m o m e n t I have so m u d i w o r k t h a t I can ' t get away. B u t once w i n t e r ' s o v e r , 1*11 t r y t o spend a t e w days i n B e r g a m o . . . » . T h i s l e t ter n o t o n l v d o c u m e n t s G h ' s l a n d i ' s esteem t o r B o m b e l l i , b u t also the state o f p o r t r a i t u r e i n V e n i c e at t h a t t i m e . Tassi ( I ! , p . 59) l ists a g r o u p o f w o r k s c a r r i e d o u t by the B e r g a m o ar t i s t d u r i n g his V e n e ­t i a n s o j o u r n : a m o n g o t h e r w o r k s is a s e l f - p o r t r a i t « i n his r e l i g i o u s g a r b »; « P o r t r a i t o f a Senator s t a n d i n g i n G i u s t i n i a n i house. . . ; a n d the p o r t r a i t o f L a u r o Q u e r i n i , son o f the late A v o g a r o r , i n the same h o u s e » . W h i l e the f u l l l e n g t h p o r t r a i t o f Senator G i u s t i n i a n i e v i d e n t l y t o o k a c c o u n t o f B o m b e l l i ' s w o r k , i t i? s ign i f i cant t h a t the B e r g a m o p a i n t e r had been rece ived i n t h e Q u e r i n i h o m e , w h i c h f o r years h a d been a B o m b e l l i p r i v i l e g e . T h a t , m o r e o v e r , the B e r g a m o p a i n t e r n o w c o n s i d e r e d h i m s e l f a r i v a i o f B o m b e l l i ' s can be dedueed f r o m a n o t h e r passage i n Tassi ( i b i d ) , i n w h i c h i t is reca l lcd t h a t at the G r a n d S c h o o l o f San M a r c o the p o r t r a i t o f t h e G r a n d C h a n c e l l o r p a i n t e d b y G h i s l a n d i h a d been co l loca ted w i t h one of B o m b e l l i ' s a n d « o n e c o u l d n ' t t e l i w h i c h was bet ter ».

I n V e n i c e , t h e n , the B e r g a m o p o r t r a i t i s t ' s fame h a d b e g u n t o spread a n d he was n o w B o m ­bel l i ' s r i v a i : after d o i n g t h e p o r t r a i t s o t the D u k e s o f P i a n o , he was i n v i t e d b y t h e i r b r o t h e r C a r d i n a l P i e t r o O t t o b o n i t o R o m e . G h i s l a n d i , « o w i n g t o an a i l m e n t o f his w h i c h f requent i } -gave h i m pains i n the chest , refused t h e i n v i t a t i o n », a n d r e t u r n e d t o B e r g a m o . Precisely w h e n w e d o n o t k n o w , b u t p r o b a b l y d u r i n g 1 7 0 2 o r s o m e w h a t later . A c c o r d i n g t o Tassi ( I I , p . 5 9 ) , the pro fes s iona l p o s i t i o n a c h i e v e d b y G h i s l a n d i was resented b y B o m b e l l i , w h o began t o t reat h i m so harsh ly a n d w i l d l y t h a t G h i s l a n d i , t o his great regre t , was c o m p e l l e d t o leave the s c h o o l ». O f w h i c h , e v i d e n t l y , he h a d l i t t l e need. I n the ear ly years o f t h e i 8 t h c e n t u r y , G h i s l a n d i , w h o was n o w m i d d ! e - a g e d ( d o s e o n f i f ty years o f age), r e t u r n e d t o B e r g a m o a n d t o o k u p residence i n t h e m o n a s t e r y at G a l ­g a r i o f r o m w h i c h he d e r i v e r d the a p p e l l a t i o n « Fra te de l G a l g a r i o » ( F r a d ' G a l g à r ) w h i c h was a b b r e v i a t e d t o « Fra G a l g a r i o » (F ra G a l g à r ) ( A . L o c a t e l l i M i l e s i , 1 9 4 5 , p . 2 1 ) . A m o n g the earliest w o r k s executed b y Fra G a l g a r i o « r e t o u r de Venise », Tassi inc ludes the g r o u p o f p o r t r a i t s f o r the Marquesses R o t a , o f w h i c h s u r v i v e s t h e p o r t r a i t o f M a r q u i s G i u s e p p e M a r i a a n d Capta in A n t o n i o B r i n z a g o , n o w p a r t o t t h e c o l l e c t i o n o f t h e C o u n t s P e d r o n i o f Seriate, here e x h i b i t e d at n o . 1. A g a i n Tassi p o i n t s o u t as a w o r k o f t h a t t i m e , t h e bust o f an e m p e r o r « c losely r e s e m b l i n g V i t e l l i u s », n o w i n t h e A c c a d e m i a Carrara . B o t h the « P o r t r a i t i m p r o v i s é » w i t h the officer l e a n i n g o n t h e w i n d o w - s i l l r o l d i n g his hat i n his r i g h t h a n d and the smartly-dresseO M a r q u i s t o w e r i n g o v e r h i m , f r o m the P e d r o n i c o l l e c t i o n , and the « head w i t h character » f r o m t h e Carrara c o l l e c t i o n , c loselv resemble B o m b e l l i ' s style i n l a y o u t and t e c h n i q u e . M e d i d n o t r e t u r n t o B e r g a m o a b e g i n n e r , b u t a [master, w h o n o w spoke w i t h a u t h o r i t y because he was preceded b y his r e p u t a t i o n f o r b e i n g a c o u r t l y p o r t r a i t i s t o f great occasions, b u t w i t h a t o u c h o f the easy-go ing c o r d i a l i t y t h e n v e r y m u c h i n f a s h i o n i n V e n i c e .

I n V e n i c e there w e r e encounters w i t h o t h e r art ists f r e q u e n t i n g B o m b e l l i ' s s t u d i o . W h i l e his acquaintance w i t h t h e Genovese , N i c o l ò Cassana f w h o at the m o s t m u s t have adv ised

h i m t o s tudy Strozzi ' s p o r t r a i t s ) , was h a r d l y « prof ì table », a m u t u a i benef it carne f r o m his m e e t i n g w i t h the B o h e m i a n , G i o v a n n i K u p e c k y (n ine years y o u n g e r t h a n Fra G a l g a n o ) , w h o h a d come t o V e n i c e i n 1 6 8 7 t o w o r k i n t h e s t u d i o o f the Bavar ian L o t h , w h i c h was a centre o f a t t r a c t i o n f o r m a n y pa inters o t the « b a r o c c h e t t o » t h e n r e i g n i n g i n A u s t r i a a n d Bavar ia d u r i n g the early years o f the i 8 t h c e n t u r y . A f t e r a s o j o u r n i n R o m e a n d v i s i t s t o F lorence , B o l o g n a , and M a n t u a , K u p e c k y sett led i n Ven ice s o m e t i m e b e t w e e n t h e e n d o f the i y t h c e n t u r y a n d b e g i n n i n g o f the i 8 t h , a n d l c f t w h e n Pr ince A d a m o f L i e c h t e n s t e i n i n v i t e d h i m t o V i e n n a i n 1 7 0 0 . Caverzazzi ( 1 9 2 7 ) r i g h t l y w o n d e r s w h e t h e r i t was n o t possible t h a t G h i s l a n d i h a d « k n o w n h i m a n d k e p t h i m c o m p a n y » . E v i d e n t l y also K u p e c k y f e l t the a t t r a c t i o n o f the B o m b e l l i s choo l o f p o r t r a i t u r e . I t one t h i n k s o t the Se l f -Port ra i t w i t h K u p e c k y ' s w i f e , dated 1711 , at the N a t i o n a l G a l l e r y o f Prague , i t is clear t h a t the t w o artists m u s t have had a l o t t o d o w i t h each o t h e r ; jus t as a n o t h e r B o h e m i a n , P i e t r o B r a n d i , t h r o u g h K u p e c k y , seems t o have g i v e n his p o r t r a i t s a G h i s l a n d i t o u c h . Caversazzi reasonably asks ( 1 9 2 7 , p . T 3 6 ) : « A n d c o u l d n o t the appearance o f t h i s second p o w e r f u l r i v a i have c o n t r i b u t e d t o B o m b e l l i ' s increased jealousy t o w a r d s the F r i a r as w e l l as t o the Fr iar ' s dec i s ion t o r e t u r n t o Bergamo? A t a l i events , i t seems reasonable t o e x p l a i n first o f a l i the cons iderable , t h o u g h n o t c o n t i n u o u s , affinities a m o n g these three art ists as a c o n t a m i n a t i o n o f the i r styles o c c u r i n g d u r i n g t h e i r stay i n V e n i c e ».

O t course , d u r i n g his stay i n V e n i c e G h i s l a n d i c o u l d h a r d l y he lp b e i n g interested i n « the staccato a n d h i g h l y - c o l o u r e d t o u c h » o f L o t h a n d Z a n c h i , even t h o u g h he d i d n o t accept t h e i r themes , as L o n g h i r e m a r k s (as r e p o r t e d b y T e s t o r i , 1 9 5 4 , p . 18) . A n d he h a d cer ta in ly establ ished c o r d i a l re la t ions w i t h Sebastiano R i c c i . T h i s was t h e basis f o r F r a G a l g a r i o ' s taste i n p o r t r a i t u r e : a progress ive figurative c u l t u r e o p e n t o a l i infìuences l i k e t h a t o t V e ­nice: a « b r o a d e r , m o r e E u r o p e a n c i r c u l a t i o n o f c u l t u r e », as T e s t o r i has a d m i t i e d ( '1954)-H o w a n t i q u a t e d a n d « d e m o d é s » Ceresa's a n d V a n den D v c k ' s p o r t r a i t s o t a c e n t u r y before m u s t have seemed o r n a m e n t i n g the homes o f the n o b i l i t y a n d bourgenisie o t B e r g a m o . W h a t counts t o r an ar t i s t is the b u r n i n g and s t i m u l a t i n g experience based o n c o n t e m p o r a r y m a ­te r i a l .

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O n r e t u r n i n g t o B e r g a m o w i t h the fame he h a d w o n i n the V e n e t i a n cap i ta l , F ra G a l g a r i o became the of f ic ia i p o r t r a i t i s t n o t o n l y o f the a d m i n i s t r a t i v e and m i l i t a r y classes i n p o w e r , a l o n g w i t h t h e n o b i l i t y , b u t also o f the bourgeoisìe a n d the c lergy : his career - i f w e are t o bel ieve Tassi a n d o t h e r i 7 t h c e n t u r y sources - was a s i n g u l a r l y h a p p y o n e , c o m p l e t e l y d e v o t e d t o w o r k , t o w h i c h he c o u l d dedicate h i m s e l f w i t h o u t the preoccupat ions o t a f a m i l y . T h e B e r g a m o society o f the t i m e , t o w h i c h he catered, was f o r the m o s t par t h a r d - w o r k i n g a n d o c c u p i e d w i t h a g r i c u l t u r e , c o m m e r c e a n d w e a v i n g : a p r o v i n c i a l society b u t n o t n a r r o w -m i n d e d , f o r w h o m th i s k i n d o t s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d a n d easy-going p o r t r a i t u r e , s u n n y a n d o p t i -m i s t i c , m u s t have been d e l i g h t f u l . N o r was the f r i a r , as his g a r b i t se l f test i f ied, an inconoc las t o r r e v o l u t i o n a r y : he accepted the caste o f nob les , g e n t l e m e n , merchants , priests and officers w i t h o u t c o m p l a i n t . N o t t h a t he never i n d u l g e d i n sarcasm, as can be seen i n his P o r t r a i t o f a G e n t l e m a n f r o m P o l d i Pezzol i ; j u s t as T i e p o l o was t o i n d u l g e w i t h his P o r t r a i t o f the P r o c u r a t o r o f Q u e r i n i Stampal ia . B u t he never t o o k the a t t i t u d e ot a G o y a , n o r d i d he w i s h t o p r o b e deeply , i n a ruth less ly real ist ic w a y , i n t o the c l i e n t p o s i n g f o r h i m , as C e r u t i was t o do a f e w decades later . O n e c o u l d h a r d l y ca l i his p o r t r a i t s « j u d g e m e n t s », as has been said: i f j u d g e m e n t is t a k e n as m e a n i n g c o n d e m n a t i o n . Perhaps th i s is w h y bis p o r -

trai ts were so representat i v e : because t h e y were g o o d - n a t u r e d and sympathet i c : at once Chr i s t ian and « e n l i g h t e n c d ». « A Painter o f Rea l i ty » as R o b e r t o L o n g h i ( 1 9 5 3 ) defines h i m but o f areal i ty t o u c h e d w i t h i m a g i n a t i o n . Fra G a l g a r i o ' p o r t r a i t u r e was n o t m e r e l v « d o c u m e n t a r v ». H e was so h a b i t u a t e d t o his h u m a n m o d e l that he w o u l d t r a n s f o r m h i m i n f o a u n i v e r s a l type . H i s « heads w i t h charac-tcr », w h i c h were so successful i n an age m o v i n g t o w a r d s the « e n l i g h t e n m e n t », were p i c t o r i a l exercises i n w h i c h he d i sp layed his technica l mastery , a n d at t h e same t i m e his w i s d o m , as an i n t e r p r e t e r o f h u m a n p h v s i o g n o m v i n his i m a g i n a t i v e t v p i c a t i o n s . L e t us consu l t Tassi again ( I I , p . 6 1 ) : « T h e r e is n o e x p l a n a t i o n w h y everyone ran t o h i m f o r e i ther p o r t r a i t s o r those b izarre and ex t ravagant heads a b o u t w h i c h so m u c h fuss has been made , even b e y o n d the m o u n t a i n s . H e a lways t o o k these f r o m l i f e , a n d used t o d o t h e m w i t h heads shaven clean, cocky caps, s h i r t u n d o n e at the neck , ruff led ha i r , hands o n h i p s , w i t h sashes across the b o d y , a n d , t o make m o r e o f a « s t o r y » o u t o f t h e m , he p u t brushes i n t h e i r hands , aded smal l statues. w i t h compasses, squares, r u l e r s , a n d l i k e i n s t r u m e n t s used for d r a w i n g i n the three fine arts ». H e w o r k e d w i t h m o d e l s , o f course , b u t - adds Tassi ( i b i d ) - he also used a w o o d e n d u m m y « w h i c h he w o u l d c o v e r w i t h c lothes o r o t h e r o r n a m e n t s . . . » . Tassi ( p p . 6 1 - 6 2 ) tcstifies t o t h e spread o f these « eccentr ic h e a d s » t h r o u g h o u t E u r o p e : M a r m e d u k c Constable , a b a r o n e t o f Y o r k w a n t e d one ; t h e y were sent t o L i s b o n ; i n Paris Marsha l de Belisle h a d one , i n V i e n n a P r i n c e E u g e n c o f Savoy a n d C o u n t C o l l a b o h a d the i rs . A n d t h e y were e v e r y w h e r e t o be f o u n d i n co l l ec t ions i n B e r g a m o a n d Brescia. I t is s y m p t o m a t i c t h a t Tassi calls these « heads o f characters » « c a p r i c i o u s » : f o r t h e y are t o the t r a d i t i o n a l p o r t r a i t w h a t the « i m a g i n a r y v i e w », t h a t is the « Capr icc i », is t o the real v i e w . I t is n o t o n l y a q u e s t i o n o f a n a t u r a l i s t i c a t t i t u d e o p e n t o th i s genre , b u t ra thet o f a m o r e i m a g i n a t i v e streak w h i c h the t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f s e n s i t i v i t y f r o m b a r o q u e t o r o ­c o c ò cnta i l ed .

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A f t e r therse digress ions let us t r y t o f o l o w the d i a g r a m o f F ra G a l g a r i o ' s a r t i s t i c d e v e l o p ­m e n t f r o m the examples t o be f o u n d i n the present e x h i b i t i o n a n d , o f course , f r o m those k n o w n t o the l i t e r a t u r e o f ar t . A l o n g w i t h the d o u b l é p o r t r a i t o f the M a r q u i s R o t a a n d C a p t a i n B r i n z a g o ( n o . 1), a s i­g n i ficant example o f a « p o r t r a i t i m p r o v i s c », w h i c h Tassi c la ims was p a i n t e d jus t after the art ist ' s r e t u r n h o m e , i .e. t o w a r d s 1 7 0 2 - 1 7 0 3 , w e m a y co l locate those o f t h e Y o u n g G e n t l e m a n ( n o . 10), o f Ceci l ia C o l l c o n i ( n o . 2 0 ) , d a t e d 1 7 0 5 , the o t h e r Y o u n g G e n t l e m a n ( n o . 21) also fìtted i n t o an o v a i , a n d last ly , a b e a u t i f u l h i t h e r t o u n e x h i b i t e d p o r t r a i t o f a G e n t l e m a n w i t h a t h r e e - c o r n e r e d hat u n d e r his a r m ( n o . 3) , w h i c h is n o w associated w i t h the o t h e r one o f G i a m b a t t i s t a V a i l e t t i o f t h e Gallerie veneziane, c o m n i o n l y dated c i rca 1 7 10 (Tass i , l i , p . 6 2 , places i t i m m e d i a t e l y after t h e p o r t r a i t o f C a p t a i n A g o s t i n o B a r b a r i g o , n o w los t , dated 1711). These are a series o f p o r t r a i t s s t r i c t l y i n k e e p i n g w i t h the B o m b e l l i s c h o o l , a l t h o u g h n o t i n a s l av i sh w a y . F ra G a l g a n o elaborates o n these touches w i t h great shrewdness b o t h i n the f r a m i n g o f his subject i n space ( f r o m t h r e e - q u a r t e r t o f u l l - l e n g t h v i e w s ) a n d i n the a b i l i t y w i t h w h i c h he sets d o w n n o t o n l y the phys ica l b u t also t h e psy-c h o l o g i c a l appearance o f his m o d e l . T h e p l a c e m e n t o f his three -quar te r f igures , a c c o m p a n y -i n g t h e m w i t h a gesture o f t h e arms (usua l ly w i t h one o n the h i p a n d t h e o t h e r near the chest) enhances the d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e c l o t h i n g executed w i t h soft p i c t o r i a l hues , a n d

recalls Xanchi ' s b r i l l i a n t w o r k w i t h lace a n d e m b r o i d e r v . These are s t i l i s u m p t u o u s examplcs o f a d u l a t o r y baroque p o r t r a i t u r e i n w h i c h the subject poses i n his r i c h array , w i t h those art ic lcs o f c l o t h i n g w h i c h p r o c l a i m his social r a n k . A l s o u n d e r v a l u c d is his m e e t i n g w i t h Sa lomone A d l e r , a D a n z i g pa inter t h e n s o j o u r n i n g i n M i l a n a n d h imse l f a p o r t r a i t i s t special izcd i n « heads o t characters » e m e r g i n g f r o m greenish shadows r e d o l e n t o f R c m b r a n d t ' s d a r k canvases. I n B e r g a m o there were a n u m b e r o f co l l ec t ion i s t s w h o o w n e d « p o r t r a i t s o f types » b y A d l e r , as Caversazzi ( 1 9 2 7 , p . 141) p r o v e s . Tassi ( I I , p . 6 0 ) recalls t h a t Fra G a l g a r i o , o f ten v i s i t e d h i m i n M i l a n , g i v i n g « some s tudv t o his w o r k s , w h i c h grca t lv plesascd h i m » . W h i l e Caversazzi ( 1 9 2 7 , p . i 3 6 ) t h o u g h t that t h i s contac t c o u l d be dated a b o u t 1 7 0 9 , w e m u s t n o w pre-date i t , c o n s i d e r i n g the fact that A d l e r d ied i n January o f t h a t vear, as A r f e l l i recent ly estahl ished i n « Paragone », 1 9 6 7 , n o . 1 2 9 ) . T h i s was n o p u p i l - m a s t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p , o f course , b u t f r i e n s h i p o f w h i c h . Tassi w r i t e s , A d l e r was q u i t e p r o u d . A n d i n d e e d , Fra G a l g a r i o d i d n o t t a i l t o p a i n t h i m . M o r e o v e r , i t seems t o me that Fra G a l g a r i o , f r o m t h i s rime o n , gives his f igures a m u c h d a r k e r c h i a r o - s c u t o t o n i n g . Bv e m p h a s i z i n g the c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n l i g h t a n d s h a d o w , he was able t o e n r i c h the c h r o m a t i c t e x t u r e o f his c o m p o s i t i o n s w i t h l av i sh i m p a s t i , w i t h deeper fo lds i n robes a n d m a r b l e d effeets i n w h i c h one notes the ever greater use o f lacquer so as t o make the shadows m o r e t r a n s p a r e n t , even f luorescent . A l s o his i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of h u m a n p h y s i o g n o m y g r o w s deeper , w i t h a denser a n d m o r e ins istent use o f facial l incs and w r i n k l e s . T e s t o r i ( 1 9 5 4 » P- 2 ° ) plavs w i t h the idea t h a t there may have been « R e m b r a n d t o r i g i n a l s » i n Venice , b u t so far w e have n o evidence o t th i s ( 1 ) . I s h o u l d n o t be surpr i sed i t i t were actua l ly A d l e r ' s i n f a t u a t i o n w i t h R e m b r a n d t t h a t d r o v e Fra G a l g a r i o t o seek o u t R c m b r a n d t ' s w o r k s , f o r also L o n g h i ( 1 9 5 3 , p . X I I ) supposes t h a t he rushed t o F lorence i n 1717, perhaps f r o m B o l o g n a , i f w e accept the r e p o r t t h a t A u g u s t o I I I b o u g h t a c o p y , r e p u t e d l y executed b v Fra G a l g a r i o , o f R e m b r a n d t ' s s e l f - p o r t r a i t i n the Uffìzi galleries (as Posse assures us i n D i e Staatl ichc G c m a l d e g a l e r i e z u Fresden, 1 9 2 9 , p. 2 4 1 ) . T h e inf luence o f the R e m b r a n d t s c h o o l i n V e n i c e , i n t h e i 8 t h c e n t u r y (Piazzetta , N o g a r i , T i e p o l o ' s e t c h i n g s , etc.) has s t i l i t o be c lar i f ied as t o its m o t i v a t i o n s a n d d e v e l o p m e n t ; a n d w e c a n n o t discare! the p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t i t was Fra G a l g a r i o h imse l f , w i t h his contaets i n V e r n ice , w h o was responsabi le f o r i t s o r i g i n s .

I n s u m , as I see i t , d u r i n g the first t w e n t y years o f t h e i 8 t h c e n t u r y Fra G a l g a r i o ' s taste i n p o r t r a i t u r e was d e v e l o p i n g i n the d i r e c t i o m o f the pathet ic a n d r o m a n t i c - l i k e p o r t r a i t u r e o f n o r t h e r n artists l i k e K u p e c k y a n d A d l e r . B e g i n n i n g w i t h the p o r t r a i t o f father and s o n ( n o . 7 ) , s h o w n here at the e x h i b i t i o n , a w o r k that I w o u l d place, i n the first h a l f o f the second decade, a n d even m o r e the h a l f bust o f D r . B e r n a r d i , dated 1717, the n e w tendency i n G h i s l a n d i ' s taste seems already present; even i f , i n the ful l - f ìgure p o r t r a i t o f C o u n t G i r o l a m o Secco Suardo ' also o f the same vear, one notes a r e t u r n to t h e t y p o l o g y o f the B o m b e l l i school - t o a co lder a n d m o r e e x t e r i o r v i e w . T h e g o o d - n a t u r e d a n d i n t e l l i g e n t p h y s i o g n o m y o f D r . B e r n a r d i emerges f r o m the shadous w i t h a fee l ing f o r c h i a r o s c u r o w h i c h was never aga in t o leave the B e r g a m o p o r t r a i t i s t . A n d one understands h o w Fra G a l g a r i o , i n v i t e d t o B o l o g n a i n the same vear b y the arch-b i s h o p o f t h a t c i t v , C a r d i n a l B o n c o m p a g n i , i n o r d e r t o cure an eye a i l m e n t , q u i c k l y met w i t h the f a v o u r o f the conoisseurs , as Padre O r l a n d i ( 1 7 1 9 ) states, « H e s t o p p e d here o n his w a y t o B o l o g n a last vear at the age o f 6 0 , a n d left a f e w p r o d u e t s o f his b r u s h great ly

(1) I refert to the rescarch w o r k o f S. Savini Branca, // Collezionismo a I 'enezja nel Seicento, Pubblicazioni della Facoltà d i Lettere dell 'Università d i Padova, 1965.

a d m i r e d b y the f o r c m o s t p r a c t i t i o n e r s o f art» . O n the i y t h O c t o b e r , 1717 he was nominatec i m e m b e r o f the Accademia C l e m e n t i n a . P r o o f o f h o w p o p u l a r F ra G a l g a r i o was w i t h « the l a i tv , k n i g h t s , and c l e r g v m e n » is t h e l e t te r o f the 6 t h A p r i i 1718 addressed t o h i m b y a fr iar i n correspondence w i t h h i m . A n o t h e r V a l l o m b r o s a c l e r g y m a n F e r d i n a n d o O r s e l l i (an « art l o v e r ») reports t o h i m o n the o t h A p r i i 1719 t r o m F o r l ì o n the w a r m praise g i v e n h i m bv o l d C a r l o C i g n a n i ( « T h i s is the m o s t b e a u t i t u l p o r t r a i t t h a t I have ever seen o f a the painters o f o u r c e n t u r y » ) ; a n d he adds, « J assured h i m , h o w e v e r , t h a t y o u d o far bet ter t o d a y » , a lmost as i f father O r s e l l i h a d f o l l o w e d fra G a l g a r i o ' s s h i t t i n taste a b o u t t h a t t i m e . « I n the f o l l o w i n g years he was severa! t imes ca l led t o M i l a n o », notes Tassi ( I I , p . 6 4 ) , l i s t ìng the oar ious p o r t r a i t s executed there ( 1 ) , n o t o n l y f o r t h e ru lers o f t h a t c i t y , b u t also f o r « o t h e r exalted personages »: o u t s t a n d i n g , a m o n g t h e m , was « the w h o i l e S t o p p a n i f a m i l y , c o l o u r f u l l y a n d s k i l f u l l y d e p i c t e d i n a s ingle canvas ».

W h i l e the ha l f -bust o f a p a i n t e r ( n o . 1 4 ) , f o r m e r l y b e l i e v e d t o be a s e l f - p o r t r a i t , b u t perhaps o n l y a n o t h e r « capr ic ious head » w i t h brushes i n h a n d , is s t i l i re lated t o the B e r n a r d i ( n o . 6 ) o f 1717, the p o r t r a i t o f a Pa inter w i t h the h a n d h o l d i n g t h e brushes l e a n i n g o n the canvas ( n o . 8) announces a k i n d o f p i c t o r i a l breakage i n t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f the d i s o r d e r e d c l o t h i n g , a n d th i s dates i t i n t h e early ' 2 0 ' s , a l o n g w i t h t h e p o r t r a i t o f G i a c o m o B e t t a m i o f t h e Acca­demia Carrara ( respect ive ly nos . 1 142 a n d 1 1 4 6 ) : the aggressive air o f t h e P o r t r a i t o t a Painter ( n . 8) is f o l l o w e d b y the m o r e m e d i t a t i v e b u t sharp p o r t r a i t o f C o u n t B a r t o l o m e o A l b a n i , dressed as D e p u t y of the C i t y , w i h c h Caversazzi ( 1 9 2 7 , p . 152) dates 1 7 2 6 o r s h o r t l y A l b a n i ( n o . 2 ) , dressed as D e p u t y o f the C i t y , w h i c h Caversazzi ( 1 9 2 7 , p . 1 5 2 ) dates 1 7 2 6 thereafter. A l s o p a i n t e d i n these years, as M a z z i n i h o l d s ( i n his « A r t e L o m b a r d a », n . 1 9 9 ) , was t h a t masterpiece e n t i t l e d « P o r t r a i t o f t h e N o b l e w o m a n Isabel la C a m o z z i de G h e r a r d i » ( n o . 37) . B u t t h e m a g n i f i c e n t o v a i p a i n t i n g i n w h i c h there appears t h e b o l d f igure o f a Y o u n g M a n a t t r i r e d as a S l a v o n i a n ( n o . 5) c e r t a i n l y of a later date , leads t o t h e w o n d e r f u l p o r t r a t i t o f a y o u n g c l e r g y m a n ( n o . 9 ) . T h e t o u c h o f p i c t o r i a l insouciance w i t h w h i c h Fra G a l g a r i o h a d v i s u a l i z e d the e m b r o i d e r e d c o l l a r i n his P o r t r a i t o f C o u n t A l b a n i , breaks o u t b r i l l i a n t l y i n the l ace-bordered surp l i ce o f t h e y o u n g c l e r g y m a n : t h e r e d d i s h p u r p l e m a n t l e l i n e d w i t h l i g h t is as s p a r k l i n g l y s k i l f u l i n its o w n w a y as the l o w e r area. F r o m this p o r t r a i t t o the one o f t h e y o u n g m a n w i t h t h e t h r e e - c o r n e r e d fiat perhaps C o u n t F r a n ­cesco M a r i a Tassi ( n o . 16) , as Caversazzi has suggested ( 1 9 2 7 , p . 152) ( a n d there fore p a i n t e d a b o u t 1 7 3 0 ) , is a smal l step: c o r r e s p o n d i n g t o the s o m e w h a t self-satished pose o f the y o u n g n o b l e m a n is the fresh t o u c h o f his c lothes i n disarray : t h e del icate d o v e - g r e y o f t h e d o u b l e t contrasts w i t h the sea-green o f the lapel T h i s is perhaps one o f the m o s t succcssful a n d , i n a cer ta in sense, s u b t l v « r o c o c ò » o f F ra G a l g a r i o ' s p o r t r a i t s . W e l l - w o r t h c o l l o c a t i n g w i t h this is the o t h e r h i t h e r t o u n e x h i b i t e d b u t m a g n i f i c a n t P o r t r a i t ( n o . 18); t h e h a n d o n the h i p emphasizes t h e s o m e w h a t a r r o g a n t a t t i t u d e o f t h i s y o u n g g e n t l e m a n . T h i s c h i a r o s c u r o e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n , perhaps s t i m u l a t e d b y t h e m e e t i n g w i t h A d l e r , b r o u g h t a b o u t a m o r e n o n c h a l e n t p l a c e m e n t o f f igures i n space, as i f c o l o u r , i n k e e p i n g w i t h V e n e ­t i a n taste, were b e i n g sof tened b y the a t m o s p h e r e o f t h e p o r t r a i t . T h e a c c l i m a t i z a t i o n or the f igure i n space, i n fact, entai ls a n a i r y , « e n v i r o n m e n t » w h i c h scatters t h e c o l o u r a n d tends t o g i v e i t t h e richness emphas ized so w e l l b v Tass i i n his t i m e ( I I , p . 6 1 ) : « H i s special g i f t was his p a i n t i n g w i t h soft a n d r i c h c o l o u r s , a n d w i t h o u t t h e o u t l i n e s w h i c h m a k e t h e w o r k s o f so m a n y o thers d r y a n d harsh », a n d i n m o d e m t imes b y L o n g h i (« a ir s t i c k i n g t o the s k i n », 1953 , p . X V ) .

( i j These trips io M i l a n seem to have taken place d u r i n g the years 1718, 1719 and 1725.

T o achicvc these effects, F ra G a l g a r i o a d o p t e d a v e r y c lever t c c h n i q u e : the anecdote recalled b y Tassi ( I I , p . 6 0 ) is i n s t r u c t i v e i n th i s r e g a r d . H e o w n e d a T i t i a n head , a n d t o d i scover « w h a t c o l o u r s the a u t h o r h a d used i n his f irst h a n d », he began t o scrape i t w i t h a k n i f e , thereby s p o i l i n g i t i r r e p a r a b l y , « n o t r e a l i z i n g t h a t since a l i the co lours were b l e n d e d t o -gether , i f he scraped t h e f i rst layer he w o u l d i n e v i t a b l y r u i n the second as wel l . . . » Tassi used the anecdote n o t o n l y t o g i v e greater i m p o r t a c n e t o the « V e n e t i a n s p i r i t » i n Fra G a l ­g a r i o , b u t also t o enhance the n o b i l i t y o f the h e r e d i t a r v l i n e : jus t as th i s same h i s t o r i a n a t t e m p t e d t o establ ish a c o m p a r i s o n b e t w e e n the m a n u a l t c c h n i q u e o f the later T i t i a n a n d Fra G a l g a r i o ' s h a b i t , after 1732 , o f p a i n t i n g a l i c o m p l e x i o n s w i t h his r i n g t i n g e r » . I n his c o m m e n d a b l e p u r p o s e o f d o c u m e n t i n g Fra G a l g a r i o ' s n o b i l i t y i n the great c o m p a n y o f V e n e t i a n pa inters , Tassi seems t o have f o r g o t t c n t h a t there c o u l d be n o r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n T i t i a n ' s v e i l e d tona l i t i e s a n d Fra G a l g a r i o ' s c o m p a c t l a y i n g o n o t the f irst m a n n e r , t h e n his c h i a r o s c u r o , d issoc iated, a n d t o u c h manners . T h e B e r g a m o art is t was v e r y s k i l f u l i n his use o f lacquers , w h i c h he made by h imse l f . I n d e e d , D o n O r s e l l i , i n 1719, asked h i m f o r some t o r C i g n a n ì (Tass i , I I , p . 6 5 ) a n d Sebastiano R i c c i h i m s e l f requested some i n 1731 ( L o c a t e l l i M i l e s i , 194^, p . 2 8 ) . B u t i t s h o u l d n o t be t o r g o t t e n that B o m b e l l i had al ready been u s i n g lacquers w i t h great a b i l i t v i n his o w n p a i n t i n g s , and that therefore Fra G a l ­g a r i o was i n d e b t to h i m also t o r th i s p a r t i c u l a r t c c h n i q u e .

T h e r e was rea l ly n o necd t o i n v o k e a t u t e l a r y s p i r i t such as T i t i a n - a n d , m o r e o v c r , one f r o m t w o centur ies before - to bear witness t o the V e n e t i a n tone w h i c h had crept i n t o F r a G a r g a r i o ' s i d i o m . T i t i a n ' s « m a g i c i m p r e s s i o n i s m » (as L o n g h i puts i t ) enables its c reator t o d i g deep i n t o the far recesses o f the m i n d , w h i l e the r i c h c h r o m a t i c i t y a n d i m p a s t o o t the later F ra G a l g a r i o is an expressive means w h i c h enbrances, i n an o p t i c a l sense, the naturalness o f the images ca l led u p . T o excuse Tassi 's exaggerat ions , one m u s t r e m e m b e r t h a t he was in f luenced b y O r l a n d i ' s s tatement t h a t F ra G a l g a r i o ' s V e n e t i a n s p i r t was due t o his « taste f o r T i t i a n ». W e need n o t r u n o v e r t h e w h o l e Tassi l i s t ( I I , p . 6 6 ) o f officiate - captains , deput ies , b i shops , cler-g y m e n , marshals a n d so ld iers , « p r i v a t e g e n t l e m e n , c i t izens a n d merchants » p a i n t e d by Fra G a l g a r i o i n B e r g a m o , « there b e i n g h a r d l y a t a m i l y w i t h o u t some w o r k f r o m his b r u s h » ; f o r , a l o n g w i t h the p o r t r a i t s c o m e the « heads o f types ». H i s ac t iv i t i es w e r e d i v i d e d b e t w e e n the fieldisof « d o c u m e n t a r y » a n d fantasy p o r t r a i t s . T h e e x h i b i t i o n has been able t o ga ther a w i d e range o f these « heads of tvpes », m o s t o f t h e m d c a l i n g w i t h a m o d e l dear t o the p a i n t e r : a b o y , w h o became a y o u n g m a n t o w a r d s 1732, i f th i s is the r i g h t date f o r the so-cal led P o r t r a i t o t a y o u n g a r t i s t at the A c c a d e m i a Carrara o f B e r g a m o as i d e n t i f i e d b y Caversazzi ( 1 9 2 7 , p . 15 2 ) . T h e « heads » f o r m a sequence o f t h e m a t i c v a r i a t i o n s (nos . 4 , 13, 15, 19, 2 2 , 2 6 , 27 , 55, 3 6 , ) , i n w h i c h the m o d e l ap-pears i n disparate v i e w s a n d poses, dressed a c c o r d i n g t o a last m i n u t e w h i m , and o f ten i n the c o m p a n y o t the a t t r i - butes o f the arts: a sweet a n d serene p i c t u r e o t y o u t h o p e n i n g t o l i fe l i k e a r i p e n i n g t r u i t ; a subject w h i c h - a l t h o u g h character ized o n t e h basis o f a real m o d e l , perhaps his y o u n g p u p i l « w h o d i e d at 22 years o f age, a f r i a r o f the same m o n a -sterv de ' p a u l o t t i » (Caversazzi , i b i d ) - is typi f ìed i n a l m o s t an e m b l e m a t i c i m a g e , d e l i g h t -f u l l y executed i n s t r o n g l y c o n t r a s t i n g c h i a r o s c u r o tones c o n t i n u o u s l y v a r i e d at the v e r y m o m e n t o f t h e i r r ea l i za t ion .

Fra G a l g a r i o was thus s t r e n g t h e n i n g m o r e a n d m o r e t h e idea of i m m e d i a c y , o f the sudden appearance o f his images, o f a s u r p r i s i n g e n c o u n t e r w i t h the myster ious pulse of existence, n o t t o i u d g e i t b u t t o r e c o r d i t i n b o t h its sensory a n d s p i r i t u a l pu lsa t ions . Tassi ( I I , p . 6 8 ) i n t o r m s us t h a t F ra G a l g a r i o , as o f 1733 , the year i n w h i c h he p a i n t e d the Se l f -Port ra i t o f the A c c a d e m i a Carrara , w h i l e p r o t r a y i n g the p u p i l w e m e n t i o n e d , « began

to pa int a l i c o m p l e x i o n s w i t h his r i n g f ìnger , a n d c o n t i n u e d t o d o so u n t i l his death ». Indeed , « i n w o r k i n g o n c o m p l e x i o n s he never again used his h r u s h , except f o r some m i n u t e part o r t o g i v e a few last touches ; a n d i n t h i s last m a n n e r o t his he p a i n t e d l o v e l v heads, r i che f t h a n ali the o thers , a n d a l i o f t h e m d o n e e n t i r e l y w i t h touches ». T h e tact i le use o f c o l o u r accentuates a h i g h l v sensit ive m o d e l l i n g of the p h y s i o g n o m y - w h e t h e r p o r t r a i t s o r heads o t characters - i n an « i m p r e s s i o n i s t i c » sense, d i f fus ing t h e m i n a p i c t o r i a l a t m o s -ohere w h i c h b inds t h e m t o t h e c h i a r o s c u r o , m v s t e r i o u s l y R e m b r a n d t - l i k e s u r r o u n d i n g s f r o m w h i c h they emerge. ( )n display are some o f the m o r e s ign i f i cant examples o f th i s k i n d o t p o r t r a i t (nos . 12, 2 8 , 2 9 * 3 1 ' *3* 34')» f ° r t n c rnost P a r t c u t a t the shoulders a n d therefore e x t r e m e l y s i m p l e i n s t r u c t u r e ; there are episodes o f w a r m h u m a n i t y t o w h i c h w e are d r a w n as i f b y a m y s t e r i o u s magnet i c f l u i d . These are s u d d e n appearances w h i c h never b o r e us w i t h t h e i r personal h i s tor i c s , b u t rather arouse a f e e l i n g o f h u m a n s y m p a t h y i n the o b s e r v e r , f o r t h a t v e r y message o f subt le m e l a n c h o l v c o m m u n i c a t e d t h r o u g h t h e i r m e a n i n g f u l l o o k s . O v e r t h e i r faces falls the same v e i l o f heart fe l t s o r r o w t h a t characterizes the master fu l Se l f -Portra i r o f 1733.

B u t , o f course , even i n the last years o f his fe r t i l e a c t i v i t y , there is no lack o f « d o c u m e n t a r } ' » p o r t r a i t s ; a n d n o t o n l y the « parade » p o r t r a i t s l i k e the one o f Paolo Q u e r i n i , P o d e s t à o f B e r g a m o , dated 1737 a n d u n t o r t u n a t e l y los t . D a t e d i n the same year are e i g h t l i te-size p o r t r a i t s o f c l e r g y m e n p a i n t e d f o r t h e sacristy o f his m o n a s t e r y . A g a i n in 1737 w e have the r e - w o r k i n g o t t h e P o r t r a i t o f Francesco M a r i a B r u n t i n o b e l o n g i n g t o t h e A c c a d e m i a Carrara ( n o . 3 ) , an eccentr ic conno i s seur o f letters a n d t h e arts w h o w i s h e d t o be p a i n t e d a m o n g b o o k s a n d scu lptures . T h e r e is also an increase i n p o r t r a i t s o f c l e r g y m e n : dated 1736 is t h e c o r d i a l image o f the par i sh pr ies t o f T a l e g g i o , b e l o n g i n g t o the Be l t rame heirs , a p o r t r a i t w h i c h appeared at the M i l a n e x i b i t o f 1953 ( n o . 9 6 ) ; t w o years later carne t h e insp i red hal f - f ìgure o f the D o m i n i c a n G i a m b a t t i s t a Pecorar i o f A m b i v e r i , O t h e r m e m o r a b l e p o r t r a i t s o f c l e r g y m e n appeared at the M i l a n e x h i b i t i o n : l i k e the d e c r e p i t o l d pr ies t w i t h a let ter i n his r i g h t h a n d , f r o m the B e l t r a m i c o l l e c t i o n ( n o . 9 3 ) , a n o t h e r one h o l d i n g a b o o k , f r o m the Suida c o l l e c t i o n o t N e w Y o r k ( n o . 9 4 ) , a n d t h a t d a r k p o r t r a i t o f a f r i a r c a p t u r e d i n an o r a t o r i c a l pose, f r o m a p r i v a t e c o l l e c t i o n i n M i l a n , w h i c h appeared i n the same e x h i b i t i o n .

I n the pa thet i c ga l lerv o f c l e r g y m e n p o r t r a y e d b y Fra G a l g a r i o one f inds a w h o l c range o f expressions, f r o m r e s i g n a t i o n t o g o o d - n a t u r e d n e s s , f r o m a d u b i o u s peni tence t o sincere r e l i g i o u s f e e l i n g . I i q u a l l y t o u c h i n g , i n m y o p i n i o n , is the g a l l e r v o f p o r t r a i t s o f w o m e n w h i c h Fra G a l g a r i o p a i n t e d i n the last years o f his a c t i v i t y . T h a t F ra G a l g a r i o was m i s o g y n i c - as Tassi ( I I , p . 6 9 ) assures us - comes as n o s u r p r i s e , c o n s i d e r i n e his g a r b , and the b y t h e n profess iona l a t t i t u d e t h a t t h i s dress s i g n i f i e d . I t is s y m p t o m a t i c , h o w e v e r , t h a t e v e n i n the p o r t r a i t s o f faded o l d ladies h u w o n o l o n g e r have any appeal o t sensory beauty , F r a G a l g a r i o o f t e n achieves h i g h a r t i s t i c levels , c a p t u r i n g expressions o f a s p i r i t u a l t y v e i n e d w i t h res igned c o m p r e h a n s i o n . O n d i sp lay at t h e e x h i b i t are a f e w P o r t r a i t s o f w o m e n (nos . 11. 17. 25 . 3 7 , ) , a n d o f an o l d l a d y , b e l o n g i n g t o the Accademia Carrara o f B e r g a m o , w h i c h c o n s t i t u t e the m o s t intense a n d , I w o u l d say, pa thet i c m o m e n t s i n Fra G a l g a r i o ' s p o r t r a i t u r e : a p o r t r a i t u r e w h i c h seeks the closest a n d m o s t d i r e c t s p i r i t u a l contac t w i t h the subject o n the m o s t h u m a n t e r m s . A s h r e w d p s y c h o l o g i s t , F r a G a l g a r i o heard the contess ions o f his f e l l o w - m e n w i t h o u t j u d g i n g t h e m ; perhaps i t is jus t th i s lack o f b i t terness i n his w o r k w h i c h made i t poss ible f o r h i m t o de lve so deep ly i n t o the h u m a n s o u l , m o r e so t h a n any o t h e r I t a l i a n p a i n t e r o t the i 8 t h c e n t u r y . I n s u m , as

L o n g h i w r o t e ( 1 9 5 3 , p- X I I I ) : « O n c e aga in , l i k e o l d M o r o n i , w e hawe a series a b o u t whose « real » existence and r i c h social d e p i c t i o n o f those t imes (aside f r o m the n o t d i s s i m i l a r theatr ica l discoveries o f G o l d o n i ) , w e s h o u l t d k n o w a l m o s t n o t h i n g , i f G h i s l a n d i had n o t t o l d us so g r a p h i c a l l y ».

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F r a G a l g a r i o thus carne t o the end o f his i n d u s t r i o u s carrer : « despite the fact t h a t o w i n g t o his advanced age b o t h his s ight and his hands vere cons iderab ly w e a k e r , he w o u l d never g i v e u p p a i n t i n g ; u n t i l , at the b e g i n n i n g o t D e c e m b e r 1742 he fell i l i a n d n o t a few days later , t o the great loss o f a r t a n d the s o r r o w o f a l i , he carne t o the e n d o f his l i fe at t h e age o f 88 a n d was h o n o u r a b l y b u r i e d i n his C h u r c h » (Tass i , I I , p . 6 9 ) . H i s easy-go ing ar t i s t ic n a t u r e , f o r t h e m o s t p a r t c a t e r i n g t o a p r o v i n c i a ! society w h i c h p r o v i d e d h i m w i t h a vast range o f types a n d characters , o f t e n at t racted b y h u m a n p h y s i o g ­n o m y as a p i c t o r i a l l y c o m m i t t e d fteld o f exper ience, c o u l d h a r d l y fa i l t o c o r r e s p o n d t o the h u m a n p o r t r a i t w h i c h Tassi left us ( I I , p . 6 9 ) : « F ra V i t t o r e was v e r y r e l i g i o u s . h u m b l e , a n d w i t h d r a w n ; a n d one n o t e d i n h i m a shy m o d e s t y a l o n g w i t h such h o n o u r a b l e , respect fu l , a n d a t the same t i m e pleasant manners , t h a t he i m m e d i a t e l y c a p t u r e d the s y m p a t h y o f w h o e v e r dealt w i t h h i m ; a n d he was such a s h i n i n g example o f r e l i g i o u s d e v o t i o n a n d C h r i s t i a n p iety t h a t he was p r o p o s e d as an example f o r others ». O f course , Tassi 's d c s c r i p t i o n isx e d i f y i n g , b u t i t is c o r r o b o r a t e d b y episodes t h a t m u s t have been w e l l k n o w n i n the p r ò v i n c i a l e n v i r o n m e n t i n w h i c h he l i v e d . Tassi r e m i n d s us ( I I , i b i d ) t h a t u n t i l his death he c o n t i n u e d t o make h i m s e l f useful f o r his m o n a s t e r y , c o n t r i b u t i n g t h i r t v ducats a year t o ­wards the expenses o t its u p k e e p ; t h a t at his o w n expense he b u i l t the east d o r m i t o r y , the chapel o t t h e d e a d , the b r i d g e o v e r the M o r i a . . . ; t h a t he made candlest icks , chasubles, and o t h e r o r n a m e n t s f o r the c h u r c h . . . » . A n d Tassi offers a few o t h e r w o r t h w h i l e notes d e s c r i b i n g his character : the gent le l o v i n g n e s s o f his re la t ions w i t h his p u p i l s , a n d even the s i m p l i c i t y o f his s p i r i t , w h i c h was o f ten severely t r i e d b y those same p u p i l s .

I a m n o t a c c u s t o m e d t o i n d u l g i n g i n anecdotes o f the p r i v a t e l ives o f art ists ; b u t i n the case o f F r a G a l g a r i o , I t h i n k i t is necessary, i n o r d e r t o counterba lance the fantasies o f certa in w r i t e r s w h o have recent lv charged h i m w i t h such u n - C h r i s t i a n gestures as a b a n d o n i n g his father , e v i d e n t l y w i t h the i n t e n t i o n o f m a k i n g h i m o u t t o be an « a n g r y y o u n g m a n » o f his t i m e . T o the reader w h o has h a d t h e pat ience t o read these i n t r o d u c t o r y pages, I w o u l d suggest e n t r u s t i n g h i m s e l f t o a f r a n k a n d f r i e n d l y c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h the personal i t ies w h o s e secret a n d e lus ive depths o f character , d i s p o s i t i o n , a n d fee l ing Fra G a l g a r i o has o f ten succeeded i n c a p t u r i n g , t h r o u g h t h e i r v i s i b l e appearance. H e can thus easily d e t e r m i n e the art ist ' s place a n d s t a n d i n g a m o n g E u r o p e a n p o r t r a i t i s t s o f the t i m e .

R O D O L F O P A L U C C H I N I