Giulio clovio biography of albert

There never has been, and for many ages there probably never will be, a more admirable and more extraordinary miniaturist, I mean a painter of minute objects, than Don Giulio Clovio, who has far surpassed all that have hitherto distinguished themselves in that manner. He was born in Sclavonia, or Croatia, at a town called Grisone, in the Diocese of Madrucci; his family was of Macedonian origin, and he was baptized Giorgio Giulio.

From his childhood he was kept to the study of letters; but he took to design by instinct, and, desirous of improvement, he came to Italy when he had attained his eighteenth year, attaching himself to the service of Marino Cardinal Grimani; labouring for three years in the studies of design, with so much zeal, that his progress went much beyond what had previously been expected from him.

Giulio clovio biography of albert: Life ofCriorgio Giulio Clovio. relating

Proof of this may be seen in certain designs for medals, and their reverses, which he executed for the above-named Prelate at that time; they are drawn with the pen with infinitely minute detail, and are finished with an extraordinary, nay, almost inconceivable, care and patience. Among these counsellors was Giulio Romano, a painter of illustrious name, from whom Clovio first learned to use tints and colours prepared with gum and in tempera.

Acquitting himself well in this, Giulio was introduced, by means of the Signor Alberto Carpi, who was then serving in Hungary, to the notice of Lodovico, King of that country, and of Maria his Queen, the sister of Charles V. To that Monarch he took a Judgment of Paris in chiaro-scuro, which gave infinite satisfaction; and to the Queen he presented the Roman Lucrezia killing herself, with other things, which were all considered to be very beautiful.

But Ludovico dying, and the affairs of Hungary falling into confusion, Giorgio Giulio was compelled to return to Italy, where he had scarcely arrived before Cardinal Campeggio the elder took him into his service. He was thus accommodated to his liking, and painted a Madonna for that prelate, with some other small works. He also disposed himself to study Art with more zeal than ever, and set himself with all his power to copy the works of Michelagnolo.

These his good intentions were nevertheless interrupted by the unhappy sack of Rome in , when the poor man, taken prisoner by the Spaniards, and finding himself in evil case, had recourse, in the extremity of his wretchedness, to the help of God, making a vow, that if ever he got safe out of that miserable ruin, and escaped from those modern Pharisees, he would immediately make himself a monk.