, called Borgognone, was a Jesuit, born in Franche Comte, 1621, who carried
, called Borgognone,
was a Jesuit, born in Franche Comte, 1621, who carried the art of battle-painting to a degree unknown before or
after him. M. A. Cerquozzi himself did justice to his power,
and dissuading him from the pursuit of other branches of
painting, fixed him to that in which he could not but perceive that Cortesi would be his superior rather than his
rival. The great model on which he formed himself was the
“Battle of Constantine
” in the Vatican. He had been a
soldier, and neither the silence of Rome, nor the repose
of the convent, could lay his military ardour, He has
personified courage in attack or defence, and it has been
said that his pictures sound with the shouts of war, the
neighing of horses, the cries of the wounded His manner
pf painting was rapid, in strokes, and full of colour; hence
its effect is improved by distance. His style was his own,
though it may have been invigorated by his attention to
the works of Paolo at Venice, and his intercourse with
Gnido at Bologna. He died in 1676, leaving a brother
William Cortesi, like him called Borgognone, who was
the scholar of Pietro da Cortona, though not his imitator.
He adhered to Maratta in the choice and variety of his
heads, and a certain modesty of composition, but differed
from him in his style of drapery and colour, which has
something of Flemish transparence his brother, whom he
often assisted, likewise contributed to form his manner.
A Crucifixion in the church of St. Andrea on Monte Cavallo, and the Battle of Joshua in the palace of the Q.uirinal, by his hand, deserve to be seen.* He died in 1679,
aged 51. The brothers are both mentioned by Strutt as
having etched some pieces.