LANZI, LUIGI, an eminent modern Italian archeologist and writer on art, was born in the Marca d'Aneona, on the 14th of June 1732. After receiving an excellent education at home, he entered the order of the Jesuits at the ago of seventeen, and as soon as he had completed his own studies, which were directed chiefly to classical literature, distinguished himself as a zealous and able instructor of youth. Afflicting as the event was to him at the time, and it occa sioned him a serious inners, the suppression of the order may bo considered to have been a most fortunate one for Lanes reputation, since it threw him into a literary career which he would else probably not have entered. The first step towards it was his being appointed antiquary, or keeper of the cabinet of medals, at Florence, by the grand-duke Peter Leopold, April 17th 1775. One of his first literary productions was Isis Deecrizione della Gallerin,' which, greatly superior to the generality of productions of the same class, afforded proof of critical acumen and erudition. To this succeeded his dissertation on the sculpture of the ancients, entitled ' Notizie Preliminari, 17E9, and tho celebrated 'Saggio di Lingua Etrusca,' a work of extra ordinary study and research, which throws considerable light on ver7 obscure and difficult branch of archeology. Yet notwithstanding its intrinsic value it was from its nature calculated to interest only a small portion even of the learned world, and has therefore contributed less towards ita author's fame with tho European public than his 'Storia Pittorica.' Thus latter work, the first portion of which appeared in 1792, and to undertake which he had been excited by Tiraboschi, the historian of Italian literature, was the first attempt to give a comprehensive and continuous history of Italian painting arranged according to schools and epochs, and written in a tone of impartial criticism ; where :is prior to Re appearance the numerous particular histories and artietical biographies prenented little better than a confused mass of materiels, and conflicting prejudices and opinions. Lanett object was to characterise all the various schools,
and the chief masters In each, and also the changes in regard to style and taste which each had undergone; while the utility of the work as bcok of reference is greatly increased by three excellent indexes.
The work was received with general favour abroad as well Re in Italy. and several editions were called for during the author's life. Each of these he carefully revised; the last which he superintended was published shortly before his death at Bresnan°, 1809, and was a much fuller as wall as more correct work than the early editions. Hardly bad its author completed the publication of the Storia Patellar,' when the battle of Hassan°, September 8th 1796, drove him from that city, and compelled him to seek an asylum in Treviso, and after wards in Udine, where he remained till the latter part of 1801, when he returned to Florence, having been restored to his former appoint ment in the museum. Here be wrote his three dissertations on the so-called Etruscan vases, and made a collection of lapidary inscrip tions, but suffering from repeated apoplectic attacks and the infirmities of age, it was not until earnestly pressed by Cardinal Zondadari, archbishop of Sienna, that he prevailed upon himself to publish the latter, adding to them his own Latin poems, which are remarkable for their purity and graces of style. he addition to the above, and ono or two minor productions, ',nazi published a translation of llesiod in tern rims, first undertaken by him in his youth, and carefully corrected and touched up by him from time to time. his death was occasioned by apoplexy, March 30, 1810. His 'Stevie I'ittorica ' has been translated into various languages; the English version by Mr. Thomas Roscoe is a very good one ; the last edition of it forms three volume, (1847) of Bohu'a 'Standard Library.'