BORGOGNONE, JACOPO CORTESE

BORGOGNONE, JACOPO CORTESE, so called from Burgundy, the place of his birth, was born at St Hippolite in 1621. He studied at Bologna, where Guido was in full reputation, and was befriended by that great artist, whose mode of colouring he studied with advantage. Cortese was chiefly remarkable for the life and spirit which he imparted to his battle pieces, which he always represented as scenes that he had witnessed. He resided long at Florence, where he acquired a handsome independence by his profession, which he assiduously practised till 1655, when some religious scruples induced him to become a Jesuit monk. Yet even then he continued to employ his pencil on his favourite

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Boring.

subjects, until apoplexy put a period to his life in 1676. Many of his spirited pictures are in British collections, particularly four in the Earl of Derby's residence at Knobsley, two of which are battle pieces, another a Turkish march, and the fourth the overthrow of the host of Pharaoh in the Red Sea. (T. S. T.)