Venice teemed with mosaics, ancient statues, and basso relievos, besides the gaudy gilded pictures of modern Greece, which flowed in upon them in consequence of the capture of Constantinople, in the year 1204; but still the moresque and florid remained the prevailing taste. When somewhat advanced in refinement, the discovery of Van Eyck occurred, and was communicated to the Vene tian artists by Antonello de Messina, who went to Flanders on purpose to learn the secret ; and was induced, by a salary, to make it available to his brother artists. The ad vantage of oil, in facilitating the smooth harmony and bril liancy of colouring, and the softening and blending of tints, so much cherished by the Venetian painters, occasioned that mode to be greedily adopted, in preference to the severer works in fresco.
Geo. Bellini, who had succeeded his father and brother as the leading artist of Venice towards the close of the fif teenth century, was the first who practised and obtained success in the new mode of oil painting. He was not sur passed by any artist of his age in gracefulness of pencil, mellowness of colouring, or ardour in the study of nature ; but, like Pietro Perugino, his chief glory is now consider ed to consist in having guided the early studies of those destined to higher fame than himself. He was the mas te• of Titian, Giorgione, and Sebastian del Piombo, in whom the style may be said to have taken its distinctive character. But, although the seducing qualities of the brilliant and ornamental were the predominatiug merits of this school, we are not therefore to suppose that they were either ignorant of design, careless in composition, or ne gligent of expression ; for, as these qualities were para mount in Rome and Florence, and at the same time con sistent with a high degree of excellence in colour and chiaro scuro, so were these latter qualities cultivated at Venice in preference, but not in prejudice, of the others.
They were led from this view of the art to a more care ful and studied execution, following a different process from Raphael and others, in order to bring out greater brilliancy of colour and softness of effect. According to Lanzi, they were in the practice of painting on a ground purely white, which greatly aided the production of bright and transparent effect, with minuteness of detail which could be heightened to any extent. They did not work by spread ing their tints, and blending them into each other, as is usually done, but by pointing on the colour, according to the practice of miniature painters. By this means they
were enabled to go on augmenting the depth, force, and effect, without disturbing the purity of the virgin tints by the blendings and shadings of the usual mode. To be able to avail themselves of the benefits which this mode of working was calculated to convey, depending so much on confident knowledge and correctness, not only great ad dress of pencil w.as required, but such a knowledge of the higher qualities of the art, as design, expression, compo sition, &c. as can be possessed by the greatest artists only. Hence the unexpected difficulties that are experienced by those who attempt to imitate or copy the works of the great Venetian masters, which seem to breathe with the glowing colours of life ; it arises from the inimitable art with which their works are executed being so much less obvious, than when the merit consists chiefly in design and composition.
The great advantage of their mode is, the avoiding of hardness, the power of giving depth to the picture, and heightening the illusion of a more delicate chiaro scuro.
They did not confine their minute care to the carnations alone. but extended it equally to the texture of the drape ries, to the high-wrought ornaments of their gorgeous at tire. and also to the subordinate accompaniments of the picture, with such softness., brilliancy, and truth of repre sentation, as to make every part of the performance equally valuable.
The fine epoch of the Venetian school began with Gi orgione and Titian, who lived in friendship with each other, and worked as rivals ; and had not a premature death, at the age of thirty-four,arrested the genius of Giorgione in its middle course, it is doubtful if Titian would have carried •f the palm which the advantage of a longer life secured to hint. Giorgione, despising the minute work of his master Bellini, boldly launched into a grand and free style of painting, strongly marked at first, and de signed for effect, but gradually refining into a masterly display of vigorous outline, with rich and careful finishing. He painted a great deal in fresco, tt hich was perhaps best adapted to the boldness of his pencil; but as these works were generally on the outside of the walls of Venetian mansions, scarcely any of them now remain. 1\l any of his works in oil are in good preservation, painted with what artists call a fat touch ; they are principally portraits, and remarkable for strength of character and richness of attire, glowing with life, gold, and jewellery.