Palmegiani, Marco

Palmegiani, Marco called Marca da Forli, an Italian painter of much merit, scarcely known till the researches of Lanzi brought him before the world, was a native of Forli, and the favorite disciple of Francesco Melozzo. He had two manners: the first dry and formal, extremely simple in composition, with gilt ornaments, as was the custom of the quattrocentisti, or artists of the 14th century. In his second his composition is more copious, and of greater proportions, his outline bolder, and he dispensed with the gilded ornaments. He was accustomed to add to his principal subject some others unconnected with it as in his picture of the Crucifixion, in the church of S. Agostino di Forlis, in which he inserted two or three groups on different grounds, one of which represents St. Paul visited by St. Anthony, and another represents St. Augustine convinced by the angel on the subject of the incomprehensibility of the Supreme Triad. Lanzi says that "in these diminutive figures, which he. inserted either, m the altarpiece or on the steps, he displayed apart extremely refined and pleasing." He often enriched his backgrounds with animated landscapes and beautiful architecture. His works are numerous in Romagna, and are to be found in the Venetian states. In the Palazzo Vicentini, at Vicenza, is one of his most beautiful pictures, representing a Dead Christ, between Nicodemus and Joseph. He excelled in painting Madonnas and similar subjects. Lanzi says he generally signed his name "Marcus Pictor Foroliviensis," or "Marcus Palmasanus P. Foroliviensis Pincebat." He seldom adds the date, but there are two pictures in the collection of prince Ercolani dated 1513 and 1537. Vasari calls this artist Pannegiano. Others call him Palmezzano. Zani says he signed his pictures Marcus Palmasanis, Palmisanus, or Palmeganus, Foroliviensis", etc. Kugler says there are several pictures by Marco Palmezzano in the museum at Berlin.