The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 4 (of 6)

This volume surveys painting in Upper Italy, focusing on the distinct schools of Lombardy. Rather than lumping them together, it treats Mantua, Modena, Parma, Cremona and Milan as separate chapters, each traced from the early Renaissance revival to the end of the eighteenth century. By dividing the history into clear epochs, the author shows how local masters and emerging academies guided the artistic direction of each region.

The Mantuan school opens with Mantegna’s pioneering works, moves through Giulio Romano’s vibrant workshop, and later sees attempts at revival via new academies. In Modena, the narrative shifts from early local masters to the influence of Raphael and Correggio, then adopts a seventeenth‑century alignment with Bolognese models. Parma’s story highlights Correggio’s legacy and the Caracci family, while Cremona follows the rise and fall of the Campi dynasty and the later infusion of foreign styles. Milan’s evolution is traced from Leonardo’s pioneering academy through the Procaccini era to the eventual waning of its golden period.