DOMENICHINO, or Domenico, Lampieri, the celebrated painter, was born at Bologna in 1581. He was placed when young under the tuition of Denis Calvart; but having been treated with great-severity by that master, he left him, and became a pupil in the academy of the Caracci, where he remained for a long time. The genius of Domenichino was slow in its development. He was at first timid and distrustful of his powers; whilst his studious, thoughtful, and reserved manners were misunderstood by his companions for dulness. But the intelligent Annibal Caracci, who observed his faculties with more attention, and knew his abilities better, testified of Domenichino that his apparent slowness of parts would in time produce what would be an honour to the art of painting. When his early productions had brought him into notice, he studied with incredible application, and made such advances in painting as to raise his works into a comparison with those of the most admired masters. From his acting as a continual censor of his own works, he became amongst his fellow pupils the most accurate and expressive designer; his colours were the truest to nature, and of the best impasto, and he proved the most universal master in the theory of his art; in short, the only painter amongst them all, in whom Mengs found nothing to desire, except a somewhat larger proportion of elegance. That he might devote his whole being to the art, Domenichino shunned all society, or if he occasionally sought it in the public theatres and walks, it was in order better to observe the play of the passions in the features of the people,—those of joy, anger, grief, terror, and every affection of the mind, and to commit them vividly to his tablets; and thus, says Belloni, it was that he succeeded in delineating the soul, in colouring life, and calling forth heartfelt emotions, at which his works all aim, as if he waved the same wand which had belonged to the poetical enchanters Tasso and Ariosto.

After several years’ severe study at Bologna, Domenichino went to Parma, in order to examine the beautiful [7:8:99]works of the Lombards, and thence proceeded to Rome, where he assisted Annibal Caracci, and obtained employment through his recommendation from Cardinals Borghese, Farnese, and Aldobrandi, for all of whom he painted works ip fresco, which were justly admired. The distinguished reputation which he had acquired excited the jealousy of some of his contemporaries, who represented his very excellencies as defects. Lanfranco in particular, one of his most inveterate enemies, asserted that his Communion of St Jerome was an imitation from Agostino Caracci, and procured an engraving of this master’s picture of the same subject, copies of which were circulated for the purpose of showing up Domenichino as a plagiarist. But this stratagem only tended to expose the calumnious intents of his rivals, as it was evident that there was no other resemblance in the compositions than what must necessarily be the case in the pictures of two artists treating the same subject; and that every essential part, and all that was admired in the work, were entirely his own. If it had been possible for the exertions of modest merit to have repelled the shafts of slander, the pictures which he painted immediately afterwards, representing subjects from the life of St Cecilia, might have silenced the attacks of envy and malevolence; but they only increased the alarm of his competitors, and redoubled their injustice and malignity. Disgusted with these cabals, Domenichino left Rome for Bologna, where he remained until lie was recalled by Pope Gregory XV., who appointed him principal painter and architect to the pontifical palace. But the persecutions of his enemies continued unabated, and are said to have absolutely wearied out his life. He died, not without suspicion of being poisoned, in 1641.

Domenichino, in correctness of design, expression of the passions, and simplicity and variety in the airs of his heads, is allowed to be little inferior to Raffàelle. “We must,” says Lanzi, “despair to find paintings exhibiting richer or more varied ornaments, accessaries more beautifully adapted, or more majestic draperies. The figures are finely disposed both in place and action, conducing to the general effect; whilst a light pervades the whole, which seems to rejoice the spirit, growing brighter and-brighter in the aspect of the best countenances, whence they first attract the eye and heart of the beholder.” The persons delineated could not tell their tale to the ear more plainly than they speak it to the eye. The Scourging of St Andrew, which he executed in competition with Guido at Rome, is a powerful illustration of this truthful expression. Of the two∖vorks of these'masters, Annibal Caracci preferred that of Domenichino. It is said that iir painting one of the executioners the artist actually threw hittj-sélf into a passion, using threatening words and actions, and that Annibal Caracci surprising him at that moment, embraced him,, exclaiming with joy, “To-day, my dear Domenichinβ, tliou art teaching me.” “So novel,” remarks Lanzi, “and at the same time so natural,· it appeared to him, that the artist, like the orator, should feel within himself all that he is representing to others.” Domenichino is universally esteemed as the most distinguished disciple of the Caracci. Algarotti prefers him to the greatest masters; and Nicoo Poussin considered him as the first painter after Raffaelle. His pictures of the Communion of St Jerome, Adam and Ėve, and the Martyrdom of St Agnes, are esteemed amongst his best works. Domenichino was unrivalled in his frescos. He excelled also in landscape painting. In that style the beauty r arising from the natural and simple elegance of his scenery, his trees, his well-broken grounds, and in particular the character and expression of his figures, gained him as much public admiration as any of his other performances.

The worth of Domenichino, as Agucchi foretold, was never rightly appreciated during his lifetime. But the spirit of party which set in so strongly against him whilst living, soon passed away when he was no more; and impartial posterity has done justice to the talents of this illustrious painter, whose works are in the highest esteem, and fetch enormous prices. (z. z.)