GUERCINO. The original name of this celebrated artist was Giovanni Francisco Barbieri. Malvasia relates, that in his infancy he lost the sight of his right eye, and that from this accident he acquired the name by which he is now generally known. He was born at the village of Cen to, in the territory of Ferrara ; and little doubt remains that he never received any regular instructions in painting but what he derived from two very obscure artists in his own country, namely, Gio. Batista Cremonini, and Benedetto Gennari. It has been affirmed, indeed, that he was taught in the school of the Carracci ; but this supposition is rendered improbable by a variety of circumstances, and by none more than the peculiarities of his different styles, all-of which are at variance with the principles of that school. It is more than likely, however, that he derived much advantage front stu dying the magnificent picture of Lodovico Carracci at the Capuchins at Cento ; but for the great proficiency which lie attained, he must be considered as chiefly indebted to the strength of his own genius, and to the careful study of na ture. The tendency of his mind began to spew itself at an early age ; and it is recorded of him, that when only ten years old, he painted a picture of the Virgin, in the facade of his father's house, which would not have disgraced a more mature age, and a more practised hand. When pre mature talent is found to ripen into great excellence, we too readily give credit to the stories which blind admiration delights to record of childhood already atchieving what be longs to experience and age. And when his biographers relate that this picture of Guercino, at the age of ten, with such a subject as the Virgin, was actually a picture of ex traordinary excellence, we may safely class it among those innumerable instances of a like nature, in which exaggera tion sets not only what is probable, but what is possible al so, at defiance.
In the course of his practice, Guercino adopted three different styles, which he followed at different periods. The first is not distinguished either by accuracy or grace of design ; and in respect of colouring and effect, is violent, inharmonious, and harsh. It is a bad imitation of Michael Angelo Caravaggio, whose works at that time were held in high estimation. Dissatisfied with his attainments, he visited the celebrated schools of art at Rome, at Venice, and Bologna, and by great study and observation, he changed and im proved his manner ; and his second style is free from many of the faults which are observable in his previous works. He still retained that vivid contrast of light and shade which distinguishes the productions of Caravaggio; and, like him, his outlines are generally lost, and blended in the fondo, but he now far surpassed him in grandeur of composition, and in dignity of character. His females
are remarkable for elegant and fascinating. beauty. His men, however, are not always free (even in this his best and most valued manner) from a degree of vulgarity and individuality, which probably arose from too strict an ad herence to the mode from which he painted. Among the great performances which he executed at this period, we may reckon the picture of St Petronilla, formerly in St Peter's, and lately removed from the gallery of the Louvre; the Aurora, in the Villa Ludovisi ; his St Philip of Neri ; his St Glena ; and his fine picture of the Resurrection. In a similar style of bold design, and magically forcible ef fect, both of colouring and of light and shade, lie exe cuted his grand undertaking of the Dome at St Piacenza, in which he has carried fresco painting to a high degree of perfection. The late Mr Barry, in a letter dated at Bologna, to Sir Joshua Reynolds, speaks in terms of the highest praise of the pictures by Guercino, at that time in the church of St Gregorio. Speaking of the solemn co louring in the works of I,udovicp Carracci, " Guercino," says he, " has much of this manner in his fine pictures at St Gregorio, with this difference, that I observe in Guercino more mellowing and fuoco in the colouring ;" and he re grets that this great artist should ever have departed from the grave majestic tone which he then practised. Like the great painter to whom he is thus compared, one great excellence of Guercino is the clearness of his deepest shadows. In his best works, he admitted a very large proportion of shadow ; yet, notwithstanding their breadth and deep repose, every object which it envelopes is as distinctly seen as it would be in nature. Nothing is lost, nothing is left arnbiguou-s.
From this style, however, he was at an advanced period of his life tempted to deviate. The manner of colouring which Guido had adopted, remarkable for sweetness, open ness, and delicacy, was become the subject of great ad miration; and Guercino, in attempting to rival the pecu liarities of style so widely' different from his own, lost all that stamped him an original genius, and fell into a man ner of comparative imbecility. In this last manner, were his pictures of the Annunciation at Forli, the Prodigal in the royal palace at Turin, and the Marriage of the Vir gin in St Paterniano, at Faro.
This laborious artist left an incredible number of works. In the list given by Malvasia, he enumerates 106 altar pieces for the churches, 144 large historical pictures, besides his great fresco works, and his numerous portraits and landscapes in private collections. He left also a vast number of drawings, which are held in great estimation. The etchings which he executed, nine in number, are very spirited. He died in 1666, aged 76 (t)