eturn, the
three relatives, assisted by an eminent anatomist, Anthony de la Tour,
opened, in 1589, an academy of painting under the name of the
Incamminati (or, as we might paraphrase it, the Right Road), provided
with numerous casts, books and bassi-rilievi, which Lodovico had
collected in his travels. From the affability and kindness of the
Caracci, and their zeal for the scientific education of the students,
their academy rose rapidly in popular estimation, and soon every other
school of art in Bologna was deserted and closed. They continued
together till, at the invitation of Cardinal Farnese, Annibale and
Agostino went to Rome in 1600 to paint the gallery of the cardinal's
palace. The superior praises awarded to Agostino inflamed the jealousy
of Annibale, already kindled by the brilliant reception given by the
pupils of the Incamminati to Agostino's still highly celebrated picture
of the "Communion of St Jerome," and the latter was dismissed to Parma
to paint the great saloon of the Casino. Here he died in 1602, when on
the eve of finishing his renowned painting of "Celestial, Terrestrial
and Venal Love." Annibale continued to work alone at the Farnese gallery
till the designs were completed; but, disappointed at the miserable
remuneration offered by the cardinal, he retired to Naples, where an
unsuccessful contest for a great work in the church of the Jesuits threw
him into a fever, of which he died in 1609. Lodovico always remained at
his academy in Bologna (excepting for a short visit to his cousin at
Rome), though invited to execute paintings in all parts of the country.
He died in 1619, and was interred in the church of Santa Maria
Maddalena. The works of Lodovico are numerous in the chapels of Bologna.
The most famous are--The "Madonna standing on the moon, with St Francis
and St Jerome beside her, attended by a retinue of angels"; "John the
Baptist," "St Jerome," "St Benedict" and "St Cecilia"; and the "Limbo of
the Fathers." He was by far the most amiable of the three painters,
rising superior to all feelings of jealousy towards his rivals, and
though he received large sums for his productions, yet, from his almost
unparalleled liberality to the students of the academy, he died poor.
With skill in painting Agostino combined the greatest proficiency in
engraving (which he had studied under Cornelius de Cort) and high
accomplishments as a scholar. He died not untroubled by remorse for the
indecencies which, in