THE painters who practised in Milan in the fourteenth century were little better than provincial craftsmen who had come within the range of the Giottesque tradition without grasping the more vital of its principles. Those who worked in Milanese territory in the first half of the fifteenth century acquired some of the reflected influences which passed from the work of Pisanello and Jacopo Bellini in Verona, and from the more striking achievements of the Paduan and early Venetian schools, but their work lacked all trace of originality.

A painter of the name of Michelino Molinari da Besozzo (fl. 1394–1442), or Michele da Pavia, was painting at Milan about 1420. However, there cannot be said to have been a school of painting, but only an aggregation of painters in Milanese territory, prior to the arrival at Pavia and Milan of the Brescian-born master, Vicenzo Foppa, about 1458. Previous to that important event, if not throughout the whole range of its activity, Milanese art lacked the higher elements of genius in all matters Æsthetic. As a school it was to the end too inclined to mere prettiness and superficial sweetness.

The Umbrian-born architect and painter, Bramante (1444–1514), who had received his education in Florence, painted in Lombardy from 1472–1474, as his Panigarola frescoes now in the Brera testify. Bramante also influenced Foppa, whose work is well defined and whose colouring is subdued.

Side by side with Foppa at the head of the Milanese school comes Bernardino Butinone (fl. 1450–1507), a great deal of whose work may still be seen at Milan. A Madonna and Child (No. 1523), which is doubtfully ascribed in the Catalogue to Gregorio Schiavone, a pupil of Squarcione at Padua, may possibly be by Butinone, whose art is marked by an austerity and dryness which are absent from the paintings of Zenale, who was the partner and perhaps a pupil of Butinone.

The Circumcision, with the Portrait of the Donor (No. 1545), although catalogued under the name of Bramantino, may be by Zenale (1436–1526). This panel is inscribed “xl. anno 1491. f?r] i?a lapugnanvs p?p hvmil can.” Bramantino (1455?–1536?), whose name was Bartolommeo Suardi, came under the influence of Foppa and Bramante, and from the latter acquired his sobriquet.

The pictures of Borgognone (1455?–1522?) are easily recognised by the ashen grey pallor of his faces, relieved occasionally by eyelids reddened by grief. He was a prolific painter of religious pictures which show simple pathos. With the possible exception of the Family Portraits in the National Gallery (Nos. 779–780), which are indeed fragments of a standard, and may have been painted by Zenale, Borgognone, whose name was Ambrogio da Fossano, is not known to have painted a secular subject. This typical Milanese painter was another of the pupils of Foppa. Being an architect as well as a painter, Borgognone delighted in giving an architectural setting to his compositions. He also loved to introduce brightly coloured carpets and draperies, and minutely painted jewellery into his pictures. These characteristics are seen in his companion pictures of St. Peter Martyr and a Donoress (No. 1182), and St. Augustine and a kneeling Donor (No. 1182a). The latter of this pair of panels of his early period was purchased from Lord Aldenham in 1899 for 1000 guineas. They originally formed part of a dismembered altarpiece, the centre panel of which is now lost or unidentified. His Presentation of Christ in the Temple (No. 1181), although originally painted on panel, was transferred to canvas in 1885. Borgognone might almost be termed the Perugino of the Milanese school.

ANDREA SOLARIO

Andrea Solario (1460?–1515?), who was perhaps the pupil of his brother Cristoforo a sculptor and architect, went with him to Venice in 1490 and remained there at least three years. During this time he came under the influence of Alvise Vivarini and Giovanni Bellini. Earlier in his career he was impressed by the pictures of Antonello da Messina, who was in Venice and Milan in 1475–1476. Solario can hardly have become Antonello’s pupil at that early age. He must also have come within the sphere of Leonardo da Vinci’s influence. Leonardo, who worked in Milan between 1482 and 1500 and from 1506 to 1513, was asked by the Cardinal George of Amboise to decorate a chapel in the ChÂteau at Gaillon in Normandy. He, however, advised the Cardinal to employ Solario. Solario in consequence went to France in August 1507 to undertake the work. The Louvre is rich in his pictures. His charming Madonna of the Green Cushion (No. 1530) is inscribed:

This small panel was once the property of Marie de MÉdicis. The Crucifixion (No. 1532) was formerly catalogued under the name of Andrea de Milan, which led some to confuse Andrea Solario with the much less efficient painter, Andrea Salaino. This picture is inscribed:

a form of signature which is said to have been employed by Solario only for such of his pictures as were destined for other towns than Milan. The Head of St. John the Baptist on a Charger (No. 1533) is said to be signed and dated

The Portrait of Charles d’Amboise, Seigneur of Chaumont and Governor of Milan (No. 1531), like many other of Solario’s pictures, has in the past, when the range of his art was not so well understood, been attributed to other artists.

BERNARDINO LUINI

In Bernardino Luini (1475?–1533?) we have a lyrical artist. He is said to have been a pupil of one Stefano Scotto, but he was deeply impressed by the art of Borgognone, and early in the sixteenth century came under the influence of Leonardo. Indeed, it was almost impossible at that period of Milanese art for a painter in that school to resist the style of Leonardo. Although Luini’s works are reminiscent of the greater master, he strove after originality; he was an industrious painter rather than an artist of genius. Luini is never very emotional, never passionate, never dramatic. His figures are characterised by sweetness and grace; his types are refined but insipid and are apt to become monotonous. It is as a painter of frescoes that he succeeds best, and the Louvre is fortunate in possessing several of his works in that medium. The best are a Nativity (No. 1359), and an Adoration of the Magi (No. 1360). The Head of Christ (No. 1361) is inscribed:

They were acquired in 1867 from the collection of the Duke Antonio Litta Visconti Arese, of Milan. The Louvre also contains fragments of large fresco paintings of the Forge of Vulcan (No. 1356), a Child Seated (No. 1357), and a Child Kneeling (No. 1358). They form part of the series, which is now preserved in Milan, but formerly decorated the Villa Pelucca near Monza; they were removed from there in 1817. These three fragments have been transferred from plaster to canvas or panel. The four frescoes (Nos. 1362–1365) are by a pupil. The art of Luini as a painter on panel is seen to advantage in the Holy Family (No. 1353), the Virgin and the Infant Christ (No. 1354), and Salome receiving the Head of St. John the Baptist (No. 1355).

The arrival of Leonardo da Vinci, when little over thirty years of age, at the court of Lodovico Sforza at Milan revolutionised art in that city. The exquisite rhythm and balance and the remarkable gestures and facial expression seen in his Last Supper must have made a profound impression on all the Milanese, people and painters alike. Not having been educated in the profound principles that gradually built up the school of Florence, whence the great painter came, the majority of the native artists were so overcome by his power that in time they became enslaved by the magic of his brush.

Ambrogio da Predis (1455?–1506?), who worked as Leonardo’s assistant on the National Gallery’s replica of the Virgin of the Rocks in this collection (No. 1599), is not represented here. Another assistant and pupil of Leonardo was Bernardino de’ Conti. As we have seen, he may be the painter of the Profile Portrait of a Lady—or La Belle FerronniÈre (No. 1605)—which is officially regarded as being of the “School of Leonardo.” A similar attribution is also given to the Madonna of the Scales (No. 1604), which should rather be assigned to Cesare da Sesto (1477–1523), a sickly and insipid imitator of the master. Another of Leonardo’s imitators was Marco d’Oggiono (1470?–1540). His copy of Leonardo’s Last Supper (No. 1603) is perhaps of greater interest than his own Holy Family (No. 1382) and Madonna and Child (No. 1382a).

One of the more original of the imitators of Leonardo was Boltraffio (1467–1516), whose Madonna of the Casio Family (No. 1169) was formerly in the Milan Gallery, where any picture containing a portrait of that poet might reasonably have been expected to remain. This picture is the painter’s masterpiece.