CICOGNA'RA, COUNT LEOPOLD, was born at Ferrara, Novem ber 26, 1767, and. although the Inheritor of considerable wealth, began early to distinguish himself by his application to study. While yet a youth he made considerable proficiency in mathematics and physics, whereby he recommended himself to the notice of Spallanzani, Scarpa, and many other eminent Individuals at the -university Of Pavia. Having completed his course of studies there he proceeded to Rome, where he occupied many years not only in studying the great works of art, but likewise in practising himself both iu drawing and painting, fur which he bad almost from his boyhood manifested more than ordinary talent. After visiting Naples and Sicily, in which latter country he published, at Palermo, his first literary effort, a poem, entitled ' Le Ore del Giorno,' he successively visited Florence, Milan, Bologna, and Venice, for the purpose of making himself thoroughly acquainted with the various treasures of art in those cities. In 1795 he fixed himself at Modena, and during the twelve following years appears to have given much of his attention to public affairs, having been for soma time minister at the court of Sardiuia. He resigned his post in 1808, when be was made president of the Academy of the line Arts at Venice ; an office for which ho was well qualified no lass by the publicsspirited zeal with which he discharged it than by his knowledge of art itself and the literature belonging to it. From this epoch in his life may be dated the commencement of his career as a writer, during which he enriched the branch of literature just men tioned by many important works. In the same year (180S) he published a treatise on ' The Beautiful' Bello'). This waa ceeded by his great work, ' The History of Modern Sculpture' ('Scoria dells Seultura dal suo risorgimento in Italia el Secolo di Napoleon(?), an undertaking to which he had been urged by his friends Giurdani, IYAgincourt, and SehlegeL It is in three folio volumes, the first of which appeared In 1810, and the last in 1818, and contains about 180 outline plate's, exhibiting a vast number of eubjects from the earliest period—the ago of the Pisani and Donatelle—to that of Cauora, to a notice of whose works the whole of the seventh or last book is devoted. Although not without defects, it is undeniably a perform
ance of great research and erudition, bringing down to tho present century the history of the art from the point at which it had been left by IYAgineourt, who himself bad taken it up where Wiockelmann had quitted is. Besides a vast body of information as to the professed subject, this work also embraces much subsidiary matter of great interest, particularly tho descriptive and historical notices of St. Mark's at Venice, the cathedrals of Milan and Orvieto, St. Peter's, and many other Baailiese.
Ille next publication was a catalogue raixonn6 in two thick 8vo volumes of his own library, an immense collection of works in every department of the fine art& This is a most valuable addition to bibliography, and shows that Cioognara spared no cost in tho pursuit of his favourite studies). Ile likewise produced a work entitled 'llesoorie per acrylic alla Scoria della Caleografie; and contributed numerous articles relative to subjects of art and artists to various journals. Even had be produced none of the works above enumerated, the name of Cicognara would have been transmitted to posterity with honour by the two splendid architectural volumes entitled ' Le F'abbriebe pin Compicue di Venezia,' 1815-20, of which the greater share of the literary part and the chief conduct of the work belong to him, although he was assisted in it by Diode and Salve, who furnished the accounts of many of the buildings. It is illustrated with 250 engraviogs of all the moat interesting structures of Venice. Cicogoara died at Venice of a disease of the lungs, March 5, 1534, and his obsequies were performed with great solemnity in the cathedral of St. Mark.