PICKERSGILL. 



PIERMARINI, GIUSEPPE. 



one. Her frequent intercourse with eminent literary men aud poeta 

 had led her very early to become a writer, aud ehe had contributed 

 many small poetical pieces to the German almanacs. But it was not 

 till after her marriage, and by the persuasion of her husband, that 

 some of her previously written papers were published under the title 

 of ' Gleichiiisse ' (' Parallels '), but without her name, in 1800. En- 

 couraged by the praises of some eminent men, she next issued the 

 novel of ' Olivier,' which first appeared, still without her name, in 

 1802, in the ' Osterreiehische Taachenkalendar.' To this succeeded 

 'Idyllen,' mostly youthful productions, in 1803; the novel of 'Leo- 

 nore,' in 1804, in two volumes; and 'Ruth,' a poem, in 1805. Her 

 next work was an attempt, in the novel of ' Agathocles,' published in 

 1808, to depict the influence of Christianity in elevating the character 

 of mankind, in opposition to Gibbon's depreciatory remarks in his 

 history. Hormayr and others, struck with the talent this work dis- 

 played, now advised her to relinquish poetry, and to devote herself to 

 the popularising the history of her native country. This she did in 

 the 'Count von Hohenburg,' 'The Siege of Vienna in 1565,' 'The 

 wedes in Prague,' ' The Re-conquest of Ofen,' ' Henrietta of England,' 

 and ' Frederic the Fighter,' in all of which the historical material is 

 worked up with considerable skill, and a good picture afforded of the 

 manners of the time. These all appeared between 1811 and 1832, 

 and the earlie-t of them therefore preceded the labours of Sir Walter 

 Scott iu elevating the character of the historical novel. Their great 

 fault consists in a diffuseness occasioning a frequent flatness, which 

 pervades all her productions. She also wrote, on similar subjects, 

 two or three dramas, but with no great success. Her other novels 

 were ' Frauenwiirde ' ('The Worth of Women'), in 1808, and 'Die 

 Nebenbuhler' ('The Rival'), in 1821, both of which obtained aud 

 deserved considerable applause and popularity. Her next work was 

 the 'Zeitbilder' ('Pictures of the Times'), which was published in 

 1840. She died in Vienna on July 9, 1843. After her death appeared 

 'Denkwiirdigen aus meinem Leben ' (' Memorable Events of my Life ') 

 which was published in 4 volumes in 1844 ; and her collected works 

 have been issued in 60 volumes. 



* PICKEHSGILL, the name of two distinguished living painters. 



* HENRY WILLIAM PICKBKSGILL, R.A., born about 172, at the com- 

 mencement of his artistic career painted some historical and mytho- 

 logical subject!, but he eventually devoted himself exclusively to 

 portrait-painting, and it is as a portrait-painter that he has obtained 

 his present high position. Mr. Pickersgill has painted the portraits 

 of a great number of members of aristocratic and wealthy families, and, 

 especially since the death of Mr. Phillips [PBILLIPS, THOMAS, R.A.], he 

 has had an unusually large proportion of sitters eminent in the world 

 of politics, scirDce, and letters ; he has likewise been greatly in request 

 to paint honorary and presentation portraits for public bodies, &c. 

 Bis stvle is quiet and pleasing, and his likenesses are generally faithful 

 and expressive. Mr. Pickersgill was elected R.A. in 1825 ; in 1855 he 

 succeeded Mr. Uwins as librarian to the Royal Academy. In the 

 Vernon Gallery is an excellent likeness, painted by Mr. Pickersgill iu 

 1846, of Robert Vernon, the munificent donor of the Vernon Collection 

 to the nation : the same collection also contains a portrait iu a fancy 

 drega by Pickersgill, entitled ' A Syrian Maid.' 



* FREDERICK RICHARD PICKERSOILL, A.R.A., a nephew, we believe, 

 of the preceding, was born in London in 1820, and studied at the 

 Royal Academy. He exhibited his first oil picture, 'The Combat 

 between Hercules and Achelous' in 1840; to which succeeded 'Amoret 

 delivered by Britomart,' 1841 ; 'CEdipus,' 1842; 'Dante's Dream,' and 

 'Florimel in the Cottage of the Witch ' (now in the Vernon Gallery), 

 1843 ; ' The Lady in the Enchanted Chair (Comus),' 1844 ; ' Amoret, 

 /Krnilia, and Prince Arthur in the Cottage of Sclaunder,' and ' The 

 Four Ages,' 1845; 'The Flight of Stephano Colloprino,' 1846; and 

 'The Christian Church during the persecutions by the Pagan Emperors 

 of Rome,' 1847. At the Cartoon exhibition in Westminster Hall, 

 1843, Mr. Pickeragill received one of the ten additional prizes of 100/. 

 for his cartoon of ' The Death of Kiug Lear.' In 1845 he scut a fresco 

 to Westminster Hall ; and in 1847 one of the three first-class prizes of 

 COO/, was awarded to him for his painting of ' The Burial of Harold,' 

 and the picture was purchased by the Commissioners, for an additional 

 5001., for the House of Lords. Mr. Pickcrsgill was in November of 

 the same year elected A.U.A. Since then he has contributed the 

 following works to the exhibition of the Royal Academy : ' Idleness,' 

 'Britomartia unveiling Amoret,' 1848; 'Circe' and 'The Maids of 

 Alcyna tempting Rogero," 1849; 'Samson betrayed," 'Pluto carrying 

 away Proserpine,' and ' A scene during the invasion of Italy by Charles 

 VIII.,' 1850; 'Rinaldo,' 1851; 'Pan and Syrinx," and ' The Adoration 



of the Magi,' 1852; 'Angelo Participazio,' and ' Arrest of Francesco 

 Novello da Carrara,' 1853; 'The death of Francesco Foscari,' 1854; 

 ' Britomart unarming," ' Christian in the Valley of Humiliation,' and 

 'John sendeth his Disciples to Christ," 1855; ' Love's Labour Lost," 

 and ' Christ ble-xing little Children,' 1856. Mr. Pickersgill's pictures 

 are pleasing rather than impressive in character; his style is 

 apparently formed on that of Sir Charles Eastlake, alike in range of 

 subjects, composition, colour, and general treatment. 



PICO, GIOVANNI DELLA MIRA'NDOLA, born in 1463, was the 

 ion of Giovanni Francesco Pico, count aud sovereign of the little state 

 of Mirandola and Concordia, which now forms part of the Modenese 

 territory. He was a precocious youth, and gifted with a prodigious 



memory ; he studied almost every branch of learning which was then 

 taught, philosophy, law, philology, general literature, and poetry. 

 He learned Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldaic, and Arabic. With regard 

 to philosophy, he followed the Platonic, or rather the Neo-Platonic, or 

 Alexandrine school. He travelled through France and Italy, and 

 sustained public scholastic disputations in several universities. He 

 was pleased to argue on both sides of a question, aud he thua acquired 

 a wonderful reputation for learning. When twenty-three years of 

 age he went to Rome, where he drew up uine hundred propositions on 

 all kinds of subjects, logic, ethics, physics, metaphysics, theology, 

 mathematics, astrology, and the cabbala, inviting all the learned of 

 Europe to argue with him upon each and all of them. This challenge 

 was accepted in some instances, in which he is said to have come off 

 victorious. But this display of erudition was not without danger, 

 especially iu that age. Out of the 900 propositions, 13 were picked 

 out by officious persons which savoured of heresy, or incredulity, or 

 something of the kind, and were denounced to Pope Innocent VIII., 

 who ordered a strict inquiry upon so grave a subject. Pico wrote hia 

 defence, which was drawn up with great modesty, and in which he 

 professed his submissive orthodoxy. In conclusion the pope con- 

 demned the propositions, but acquitted the author of any heretical 

 intention. 



At last Pico chose Florence for his residence, being attracted thither 

 by the renown of Lorenzo de" Medici and his friends. (Machiavelli, 

 1 Stor. Fiorent.,' VL) He there disputed and wrote upon the Platonic 

 philosophy, which he strove to reconcile with the scriptures. He also 

 wrote a work against astrology, iu 12 books, which is perhaps the best 

 of his writings, aud likewise a dissertation on ancient mythology, and 

 a commentary on the book of Genesis. His works have long since 

 been forgotten. He died at Florence, in November 1494, at the age 

 of thirty-two, on the very day that Charles VIII. of France entered 

 that city. His nephew Gian Francesco Pico wrote his biography. 



PICTOR, FABIUS. [FABIDS PICTOB.] 



PIERMARI'NI, GIUSEPPE, an eminent Italian architect, was 

 born at Foligno, July 18th, 1734. His father (Pietro) was a merchant, 

 and intended that Giuseppe should apply himself also to business ; 

 but his bent of mind led him to give his attention more willingly to 

 mechanics and scientific pursuits. Having constructed for himself a 

 geographical globe, 20 Roman palms (about 14^ English feet) in 

 diameter, it attracted many visitors, and among others the celebrated 

 mathematician Boscovich, who recommended his father to send him to 

 Rome to pursue his studies systematically under proper instructors. 

 He was nearly twenty years of age when he wont to Rome, and, eager 

 to make up for lost time, he applied himself with ardour to mathe- 

 matics and architecture. He studied architecture first under Poggi, and 

 next under Vauvitelli [VAHVITELLI, LUIGI], who conceived a particular 

 regard for him, and afforded him every opportunity of gaining prac- 

 tical instruction, the means for which were abundantly supplied by 

 Vanvitelli's numerous engagements." On Vanvitelli's going to Naples 

 to erect the palace of Caserta, he .took Piermarini with him as his 

 principal assistant in that extensive work. Again, when Vauvitelli 

 was afterwards invited to Milan, by the Austrian government, for the 

 purpose of altering and embellishing the palace there, or that now 

 called the Palazzo Itnperiale, for the Archduke Ferdinand, Piermarini 

 accompanied him; and for Piermariui this proved a singularly 

 important event. Meeting with obstacles and having other engage- 

 ments that demanded his attention, Vanvitelli contented himself with 

 making some general designs and explaining his ideas, aud recom- 

 mended his pupil as fully competent to supply his place. The work 

 was accordingly transferred to Piermarini (1769), who thus unex- 

 pectedly found himself established at Milan, the city destined to 

 become the chief theatre of his professioual labours, with the title of 

 architect to the archduke, and inspector-general of buildings. After- 

 wards on the Academy of Fine Arts at the Brera being established, 

 he was appointed to the professorship of architecture. For thirty 

 years Piermariui was constantly employed at Milan, which is indebted 

 to him for most of the principal structures erected at that period. 

 Had he executed nothing of any note besides the theatre Delia Scala, 

 that edifice alone would have secured his professional fame : but he 

 erected, or else altered and improved, so many buildings as greatly to 

 enhance the architectural character of the city. Among the private 

 palaces or mansions by him are the palazzi Greppi, Moriggia, Lasnedi, 

 Sannazari, Litta, Cusani, and the magnificent aud extensive fajade of 

 the Palazzo Belgiiiioso; also one of the fronts of the archbishop's 

 palace. Among his public buildings are the Monte di Pietti, the Monte 

 Napoleone, the Luoghi Pii, the Teatro della Canobbiana, and the Porta 

 Oflentale, his designs for which were adopted iu preference to Gag- 

 cola's. [CAONOLA.] He likewise conducted many general public 

 improvements, such as several new streets, the Piazza del Tagliamento, 

 and almost the whole of the new quarter called the Coutrada di S. 

 Redegouda; to which may be added the Public Gardens and their 

 buildings. Nor were his labours confined to Milan itself, for he was 

 the architect of the elegant imperial villa at Monza ; also of the Villa 

 d'Adda iu Casano, and of the Villa Cusani at Desio, at which last 

 place he improved and completed the church. 



Some years before his death, political chauges and the state of 

 public affairs induced him to withdraw altogether from Milan, and 

 retire to his native town Foligno, where he occupied himself with hia 



