Self-portrait 16th century
Cristofano Allori was an Italian painter of the late Florentine Mannerist school, painting mostly portraits and religious subjects. Allori received his first lessons in painting from his father, Alessandro Allori, but becoming dissatisfied with the hard anatomical drawing and cold coloring of the latter, he entered the studio of Gregorio Pagani. When still young he became a court portraitist for the Medicis, though many of his commissions were replicas of portraits by his predecessor Bronzino, or had participation by others.[citation needed. His pictures are distinguished by their close adherence to nature and the delicacy and technical perfection of their execution. His most famous work, in his own day and now, is Judith with the Head of Holofernes.
Abraham Bloemaert was a Dutch painter, draughtsman, and printmaker from the Golden Age of Dutch painting, one of the founders of the Guild of St. Luke in Utrecht. Bloemart was a caravagist. He painted mainly landscapes, mythological and biblical scenes, and pastoral works.
Paul Bril was a prominent Flemish painter, best known for his significant contributions to landscape painting. Born around 1554 in Antwerp, he later moved to Rome, where he became a central figure in the art scene, influencing the Italian and Northern European landscape painting traditions.
Paul Bril's early works were steeped in the Flemish manner, exhibiting a picturesque arrangement of landscape elements with dramatic contrasts of light and dark. His style evolved during his stay in Rome, influenced by the work of Annibale Carracci and Adam Elsheimer. By around 1605, Bril's compositions became more serene and classical, showcasing calmer transitions from foreground to background and embracing pastoral and mythological themes.
Paul Bril's contributions extended beyond his paintings. He was a respected figure in Rome's art community, becoming the first foreign director of the Accademia di San Luca in 1621. His patrons included some of the most influential families in Rome, and his work was sought after by collectors and fellow artists. Bril's influence was profound, impacting future generations of artists, including the Dutch Italianates and genre painters active in Rome.
His works can be found in prestigious galleries worldwide, illustrating his enduring legacy in the art world. For collectors and art and antiques experts, Paul Bril's work represents a significant period in the evolution of landscape painting, blending Flemish traditions with Italian classicism.
For those interested in exploring the captivating landscapes and historical significance of Paul Bril's art, staying informed about new product sales and auction events is essential. Signing up for updates can provide valuable insights and opportunities to acquire pieces associated with this influential artist.
Jacopo Bassano, known also as Jacopo dal Ponte, was an Italian painter who was born and died in Bassano del Grappa near Venice, and took the village as his surname. Trained in the workshop of his father, Francesco the Elder, and studying under Bonifazio Veronese in Venice, he painted mostly religious paintings including landscape and genre scenes. He often treated biblical themes in the manner of rural genre scenes, portraying people who look like local peasants and depicting animals with real interest. Bassano's pictures were very popular in Venice because of their depiction of animals and nocturnal scenes. His four sons: Francesco Bassano the Younger, Giovanni Battista da Ponte, Leandro Bassano, and Girolamo da Ponte, also became artists and followed him closely in style and subject matter.
Albrecht Dürer, born on May 21, 1471 in Nuremberg, Germany, is widely regarded as the greatest German Renaissance painter. His contribution to painting and engraving is quite significant and has left a notable mark on the art world. Dürer's early life was spent in Nuremberg, a city that played a crucial role in his development as an artist and was also the site of his death on April 6, 1528. He was the son of the goldsmith Albrecht Dürer the Elder, from whom he initially learned the basics of drawing and metalworking.
Dürer's work is characterized by a combination of Gothic elements with the emerging Renaissance style, which is evident in his woodcuts and engravings. His oeuvre encompasses many themes, including religious works, altarpieces, portraits, and self-portraits. His outstanding prints, such as The Knight, Death and the Devil (1513), St. Jerome in his Study (1514) and Melencolia I (1514), are known for their intricate detail and artistic skill. Dürer was also one of the earliest European landscape painters, as evidenced by his watercolor paintings.
Equally significant are his theoretical writings on mathematics, perspective, and ideal proportions in art. Dürer was not only an artist but also a keen intellectual, his interests encompassing various aspects of culture and science. He served as court painter to Holy Roman Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V, completing several significant art projects for them. Dürer's keen mind and versatile interests brought him into contact with the most prominent figures of his time, including theologians and scientists of the Reformation era.
Dürer's self-portraits are particularly famous, demonstrating not only his artistic skill but also his self-awareness and personal style. These portraits attest to his growing success and confidence as an artist. Dürer's legacy is immense; he influenced not only the art of his time, but also left an indelible mark on the history of European art.
For those interested in the work and legacy of Albrecht Dürer, we recommend subscribing to our updates. Our subscription service is designed to provide information about new sales and auction events related to this remarkable artist. Join us to keep up to date on the latest art and antiques related to Albrecht Dürer.
Hendrik Hondius I was a Flemish-born and trained engraver, cartographer, and publisher who settled in the Dutch Republic in 1597. Hondius was apprenticed in Brussels to Godfried van Ghelder, goldsmith to Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma. He also studied drawing with the engraver Jan Wierix of Antwerp. At this time he started to study engraving. He applied himself to mathematics and studied perspective, architecture and the construction of fortifications. He moved to The Hague by 1597. He obtained his first print privilege for a portrait of Prince Maurits. He dedicated himself to his engraving practice. His work was very well received and he got commissions from many eminent personalities for engravings or drawings. He turned more to publishing rather than engraving and printing in the 1630s. His publications were mainly maps, books about fortifications and official portraits.[5] He also reused original plates and blocks by earlier artists for reprinting and such reprints represented almost a third of his publishing output. In the 1640s he returned to printing concentrating exclusively on etching. One of the most important publications of Hondius was the work Pictorum aliquot celebrium praecipue Germaniae inferioris Effigies (Effigies of some celebrated painters, chiefly of Lower Germany) of 1610, which was a collection of 69 portraits of mainly Netherlandish artists.
Cornelis Cornelisz. van Haarlem was a Dutch painter, draftsman, and architect. Along with Karel van Mander and Hendrik Goltzius, he is one of the leading artists of the Dutch Mannerism of the Haarlem School, more commonly referred to as Cornelis van Haarlem.
Iacopo Negretti, best known as Jacopo or Giacomo Palma il Giovane or simply Palma Giovane ("Young Palma"), was an Italian painter from Venice and a notable exponent of the Venetian school. After Tintoretto's death (1594), Palma became Venice's dominant artist perpetuating his style. Outside Venice, he received numerous commissions in the area of Bergamo, then part of the Venetian Domini di Terraferma, and in Central Europe, most prominently from the connoisseur emperor Rudolph II in Prague. Rejecting Mannerism in the 1580s, he embraced a reformist naturalism.[6] He varied the ingeniously synthesised amalgam according to subject matter and patrons' own eclectic and conservative tastes, with "virtuoso skill and a facile intelligence". Palma il Giovane went on to organize his own, large studio which he used to produce a repetitive series of religious and allegorical pictures that can be found throughout the territory of the Venetian Republic.
Cristoforo Roncalli was an Italian mannerist painter. He was one of the three painters known as Pomarancio or Il Pomarancio. Most of his fresco work was in Rome, though he worked for a decade in Loreto, where he decorated the New Sacristy.
Carlo Saraceni was an Italian painter, renowned for his contributions to the Baroque art movement. Born in Venice around 1579, Saraceni spent a significant portion of his career in Rome, where he was deeply influenced by the works of Caravaggio and Elsheimer. His art is celebrated for its vivid naturalism and meticulous detail, reflecting the stylistic transitions of early 17th-century Italian painting.
Saraceni's ability to blend Venetian colorism with Roman naturalism allowed him to create works that resonated with patrons across Europe, securing commissions from prominent ecclesiastical and aristocratic figures. His paintings, such as "Judith and the Head of Holofernes" at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and "Saint Sebastian" at the Picture Gallery of the Prague Castle, showcase his mastery in depicting biblical and mythological scenes with emotional depth and realism.
Notably, Saraceni's work "The Dormition of the Virgin" was commissioned to replace a rejected painting by Caravaggio, indicating his stature and recognition in the artistic community of Rome. This commission highlights the nuanced differences in interpretation and representation of religious themes that distinguished Saraceni's approach from Caravaggio's.
Throughout his career, Saraceni remained connected to the vibrant artistic scene in Rome, engaging with the broader European context through his international relations. His legacy is preserved in the numerous works held in galleries and museums worldwide, reflecting his enduring influence on the Baroque art movement.
For art collectors and experts, Saraceni's oeuvre represents a pivotal moment in the transition of artistic styles, offering a rich tapestry of themes and techniques that continue to inspire and captivate audiences.
To stay updated on new product sales and auction events related to Carlo Saraceni's works, consider signing up for updates. This subscription is a great way to remain informed about opportunities to engage with the art and legacy of this influential Baroque painter.
Alessandro Tiarini was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School. He was the godson of painter Lavinia Fontana and initially apprenticed in Bologna under her father Prospero Fontana, and subsequently with Bartolomeo Cesi. He was not inducted into the Carracci Academy. Forced to flee from Bologna, he moved to Florence, where he painted frescoes, façade decorations, and altarpieces. He painted a series of frescoes for the Brami Chapel in the sanctuary, as well as other works, for the Basilica della Ghiara in Reggio Emilia.
