Palace. After the death of Niccola the Pisans were anxious to have Giovanni remain in his native city, where he executed important works. The church of S. Maria della Spina was the first example in Italy of the pointed architecture, and is a most pleasing one. In 1278 he was chosen to build the Pisan Campo Santo ; it was the first and the most beautiful church of all Italy. It is too well known to be described in our limited space, but it seems that nothing could have been more fitting for its purpose than the plan which he adopted. Many of the sculptures here were also by his hand. The rep- resentation of Pisa was the first attempt at making large statues in Italy since the days of Constantine. It is a strange, and in many respects an unlovely work ; and yet it has great intensity of expression in its principal figure, and displays the originality of Giovanni. He gained much reputation from this, and in 1286 went to Siena, where he was commissioned to build the facade of the cathedral. The people of Siena were very desir- ous that he should fix his home there; the magistrates made him a citizen, and exempted him from taxes for life ; but he remained only three years, and went next to Perugia. In that city he made a monument to Urban IV, which no longer exists. From this time he devoted himself almost wholly to sculpture. At Arezzo he made the shrine of S. Donato for the cathedral, which cost (including jewels for the Madonna, enamels, and silver bass-reliefs) 30.000 florins. It was a superb work of art. His next work was done as a rival to " II Tedesco," a sculptor who had made a pulpit for the church of S. Giovanni at Pistoja, which was much praised. A new pulpit was also to be made for the church of S. Andrea, and there were those in Pistoja who had so admired Niccola Pisano that they desired to have Giovanni do it ; he excelled his rival in every way, and fully sup- ported the reputation he had gained. Our artist now went to Florence. This was a prosperous time there, and Giovanni remained two years. In 1305 he began the monument of pope Benedict XI, and somewhat later one for St. Margaret in S. Dominica at Perugia. In 1312 he undertook the rebuilding of the cathedral of Prato, and, though he did not live to see it completed, his de- signs were carried out with precision. He died in 1320. He had many pupils ; among them Andrea Pisano (q. v.). See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine A rts, s. v. ; Vasari, Lives of the Painters and Scutytors ; Cicoguara, Storia della Scultura, s. v.
Pisano, Giunta (or Giunta di Giustino of Pisa), is the earliest known Tuscan painter, and flourished in the first half of the 13th century. A crucifixion paint- ed by him in the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli at Assisi, about the year 1236, is still preserved; it is admirable in impasto and absolutely great as a work of art, compared with anything we know of this early period in Italy. Giunta was anterior to Cimabue. This shows how little reliance is to be placed on local and partial histories, especially where individuals are made heroes of. This picture, of which a fac-simile has been published by the Diisseldorf painter Ramboux, in his Outlines from Tracings, illustrating the Old Christian Art in Italy, shows that, so far from Cimabue being the fa- ther of Italian painting, he was scarcely equal to Giunta, certainly inferior in style of drawing. If an individual can have the credit of reviving painting in Italy, it must belong to Giunta Pisano, for anything we know, as yet, to the contrary; he is said to have worked with the Greeks about 1210. There was notoriously an influx; of Greek artists into Italy after the Venetian capture of Constantinople in 1204, but we know of no Greek works equal to this crucifixion by Giunta. There are several other works of his preserved, and the progress of the art was evidently very slow, even down to the time of Masaccio, notwithstanding the great impulse given to it by the works of Giotto. See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine A rts, s. v.
Pisano, Niccola, a noted Italian architect and
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sculptor, was born at Pisa about 1206. At the age of fifteen he was appointed architect to Frederick II. with whom he went to Naples. In the service of this Bovereign he passed ten years, and then went to Padua, where he made the design forthe Basilicadi S.Antonio. The firsl known attempt which he made as a sculptor re- sulted in his alto-rilievoofthe Depositionfrom tht Cross which now fills a lunette over a door of the cathedral ofS. Martino at Lucca. This is most excellent as the work of an untutored artist, as he was at that time, and it shines by comparison with works of his contempora- ries which are near it. The statuettes of the Bliseri- cordiaVecchia at Florence are of about the same merit as this bass-relief. In 1248 Niceolawent to Florence to assist the Ghibellines in their work of destruction ; he was commissioned to overturn the tower called Guarda- niorto in such a way as to destroy the Baptistery; he overturned the tower, but it did not tall in the antici- pated direction, and we may believe that this was in ac- cordance with his intention, although it was attributed to a special miracle by Villain. During the twelve suc- ceeding years he was employed in making designs for the building and remodelling of many churches and palace-. The church of Santa Trinita at Florence is cue i known of his works of this period. In 1260 Niccola established his fame as a sculptor by the mag- nificent pulpit which he executed for the Baptistery at Pisa, < >f course marks of his comparative inexperience can be found in this work, but taken all in all it almost challenges criticism. His next work was the .1 rca di s. Domenico at Bologna, which is now surrounded with a maze of beautiful sculptures, of which the Area is tie centre, and is of great interest as illustrating the art of the l.'.ih century. In 1266 Pisano went to Siena to make the pulpit for the Duomo. This is similar to that of I'isa in many ways, hut not so effective, because sur- rounded by other objects of interest, and in a larger space, while at l'isa the pulpit seems almost the only thing to attract the attention. In L269 he was com- missioned to build the abbey and convent of La Scor- gola, which are now in ruins. In 1274 he commenced the fountain of Perugia, which was his last work. The authorities oi the city made severe laws for its preser- vation, and it was considered the most precious posses- sion of the city. In 1278 Pisano died, after a life of great usefulness, for his influence had been felt through all Italy. His services could never be estimated. He bad founded a new school of sculpture; had put behind him the standards of barbarism; in architecture, too. the same may he said, and in the words of Mr. Perkins, " 1 fe was truly a great man. one It, whom the world Owes an eternal debt of gratitude, and who looms up in gigantic proportions through the mist of live centuries, holding the same relation to Italian art which Haute bolds to Italian literature." In his life he was respected and beloved by all who came in contact wnh him, he it as patron, friend, or servant. See Spooner, Biog. Hist. <;/'