Watercolors and drawings — ART AND ANTIQUES & MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART
Pietro da Cortona, born as Pietro Berrettini, was an eminent figure in the Italian Baroque movement. His multi-faceted genius encompassed painting, architecture, and design, earning him a reputation second only to Bernini in the Roman Baroque style. Cortona's journey in art commenced in Rome around 1612, where his talents flourished under the patronage of influential families like the Barberini.
Pietro da Cortona's masterful frescoes in the church of S. Bibiana, commissioned by Urban VIII, set the tone for his illustrious career. His most iconic work, the colossal fresco "Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power" in the Gran Salone of the Palazzo Barberini, epitomizes his skill in creating grandiose, illusionistic art. This piece, commenced in 1633 and completed in 1639, is a testament to his belief in the epic scale of history painting, a view he defended in a notable debate with Andrea Sacchi.
In 1637, Pietro da Cortona's artistic journey took him to Florence at the behest of Ferdinand II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Here, in the Palazzo Pitti, he created frescoes for the Planetary Rooms, combining allegorical themes with lush stucco work, significantly influencing the Italian and French decorative arts.
Pietro da Cortona's contributions to architecture were equally significant. His architectural masterpiece, the church of SS. Martina e Luca in Rome, exemplifies his ability to create grand structures with a unified Baroque vision. His architectural prowess, though less correlated with his painting style, made a lasting impact through its emphasis on form rather than ornament.
For art collectors and enthusiasts, Pietro da Cortona's works offer a rich tapestry of Baroque artistry, blending grandeur, realism, and allegory. His frescoes, paintings, and architectural designs continue to captivate audiences, symbolizing the opulence and dynamism of the Baroque era.
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Maria Anna Angelica Kauffmann was a Swiss Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Remembered primarily as a history painter, Kauffmann was a skilled portraitist, landscape and decoration painter. She was, along with Mary Moser, one of two female painters among the founding members of the Royal Academy in London in 1768.
Mathias Gabriel Lori the Younger was a Swiss landscape painter, draughtsman, watercolorist and master of etching.
He mastered the art of painting under the guidance of his father, the painter Gabriel Ludwig Lori the Elder (1763 - 1840). In collaboration with his father, Matthias created the album "A Pictorial Journey from Geneva to Milan". He also co-authored a famous book on Swiss costume with 55 fine engravings.
Gabriel Ludwig Lori the Elder was a Swiss landscape painter, draughtsman, watercolorist, printmaker and master of etching.
He was known in Bern for his albums of landscapes of Italian and central Switzerland. In 1797 he moved to Herisau, where he worked with his son, the painter Gabriel Laurie the Younger (1784-1846), on a series of views of Moscow and St. Petersburg. In 1812, Laurie returned to Bern and co-founded the Bern Society of Artists.
