Mannerism Bolognese School
Francesco Albani was a renowned Italian painter and fresco artist. He is celebrated for his contributions to the academic Bolognese school, which was profoundly influenced by the Carracci family, under whom Albani trained. Albani's artistic journey began at the young age of 12, marking the start of a career that would see him become one of the 17th-century's most esteemed Bolognese masters.
Francesco Albani's style is characterized by its lyricism and often features cherubic figures, a trait that became his signature. Despite not embracing the monumentality or tenebrism prevalent in the works of his contemporaries, his thematic appeal and mannerist elegance have earned him a place in art history. His works often comprise mythological and religious scenes, executed with a refined and lyrical view of nature. This approach helped disseminate the classical ideals prominent in Carracci's landscapes.
Among Francesco Albani's notable works are his frescoes in the Hall of Aeneas at Palazzo Fava in Bologna and Palazzo Doria Pamphilj in Rome, and his paintings "The Judgment of Paris" and "The Toilet of Venus". His works can be found in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Museo del Prado, Galleria Borghese in Rome, and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
Francesco Albani's influence extended beyond his lifetime, with his classicising and idealised scenes finding favor with 18th-century French painters and collectors. However, his popularity waned during the 19th century. Despite this, his work remains an integral part of the study of Baroque art, particularly in understanding the transition from Mannerism to Baroque styles.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, the legacy of Francesco Albani presents an opportunity to explore a pivotal moment in the history of Italian painting. His works not only provide aesthetic pleasure but also serve as important cultural artifacts, offering insights into the artistic trends and societal values of the 17th century.
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Amico Aspertini was an Italian Renaissance painter, draughtsman, and sculptor, considered one of the leading representatives of the Bolognese school of painting.
He was trained in the family workshop and was influenced by the artists of the Ferrara school, Ercole de'Roberti, Lorenzo Costa, and Francesco Francia. He worked as a painter and sculptor, and was also an excellent draughtsman, as evidenced by his many surviving drawings and sketches. Contemporaries marveled at his complex and impulsive character and noted that he worked with both hands simultaneously.
Aspertini painted splendid portraits as well as numerous frescoes and altarpiece paintings in chapels and churches in Italy. Many of his works are eccentric and eclectic, even whimsically fantastical, his complex style anticipating Mannerism.
Denijs Calvaert, a Flemish painter born around 1540 in Antwerp, is a distinguished figure in the history of art. Settling in Bologna, Italy, around 1560, Calvaert became a significant influence in the Bolognese School of painting. He is known for his devotion to religious subjects and his contributions to the Mannerist style. Calvaert's work showcases a blend of Northern European landscape sensibilities and Italian chiaroscuro techniques, reflecting influences from artists like Antonio da Correggio and Federico Barocci.
Denijs Calvaert's legacy includes not only his paintings but also his role as a teacher. He established an academy around 1575 in Bologna, imparting knowledge to over 100 pupils. Some of his most notable students were Francesco Albani, Domenichino, and Guido Reni, who later became prominent figures in the Bolognese School. His academy likely inspired the more celebrated academy of the Carracci.
Notable works by Denijs Calvaert include "The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist," "The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine," and "The Martyrdom of Saint Stephen." His works are showcased in various esteemed locations, such as the National Art Gallery of Bologna, the Louvre in Paris, the Met Museum in New York, and the British Museum. Additionally, "St Michael," one of his most renowned works, is displayed at the Basilica of San Petronio.
Denijs Calvaert's paintings can be found in the collections of several prominent museums, including the National Galleries of Scotland, the Fitzwilliam Museum, and the Museo Nacional del Prado. His unique contribution to the art world lies in his fusion of Northern and Italian Renaissance elements, making his work a vital link between these two pivotal artistic movements.
For collectors and enthusiasts of art and antiques, the work of Denijs Calvaert offers a unique opportunity to delve into a critical transition period in European art. His fusion of Northern European and Italian Renaissance styles represents an important chapter in art history. For those interested in exploring and possibly acquiring pieces of this significant artist, keeping informed about exhibitions, sales, and auctions where Calvaert's works are featured is essential.
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Agostino Carracci, an Italian painter and printmaker born in 1557 in Bologna, is celebrated not just for his own art but also for his significant contributions alongside his brother Annibale and cousin Ludovico to the revitalization of Italian painting at the end of the sixteenth century. While Agostino's paintings are noteworthy, he is particularly distinguished as one of the premier printmakers of his era, producing high-quality reproductive engravings of works by renowned artists like Veronese and Tintoretto, as well as his original creations.
His collaborative work with Annibale on the frescoes for the gallery of the Palazzo Farnese in Rome is one of the notable highlights of his career, demonstrating the Carracci family's impact on the direction of Italian art towards a more realistic and classical style, countering the prevalent Mannerist tendencies of their time. His untimely death in 1602 in Parma curtailed a career that, through his engravings and teachings at the informal academy founded in Bologna with his relatives, influenced a broad swath of the art world, including future generations.
For art collectors and experts, Agostino Carracci's works offer a glimpse into a pivotal moment in art history, where a shift towards classical realism was being forged. His engravings and paintings remain a testament to his skill and a vital part of the narrative of Italian art's evolution.
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Bartolomeo Cesi was an Italian painter and draftsman of the Bolognese School. He made easel paintings as well as frescoes. He is known mainly for his religious paintings but he also painted portraits and mythological scenes.
Odoardo Fialetti was an Italian painter and printmaker who began his training during the late Renaissance, and showed distinct mannerist sensibilities in his mid-career, adopting a much looser and more dynamic style in his later life.
Born in Bologna, he initially apprenticed with Giovanni Battista Cremonini, and after traveling to Rome, he moved to Venice to work in the elderly Tintoretto's studio.
From 1604 to 1612, he is listed as member of the Venetian Fraglia dei Pittori. In Venice, he painted a St Agnes for the church of San Nicolò da Tolentino and scenes from the Life of St Dominic for the sacristy of the Santi Giovanni e Paolo.
Lavinia Fontana was a Bolognese Mannerist painter active in Bologna and Rome. She is best known for her successful portraiture, but also worked in the genres of mythology and religious painting. She was trained by her father Prospero Fontana who was a teacher at the School of Bologna. She is regarded as the first female career artist in Western Europe as she relied on commissions for her income. Her family relied on her career as a painter, and her husband served as her agent and raised their 11 children. She was perhaps the first woman artist to paint female nudes, but this is a topic of controversy among art historians.
Bartolomeo Passerotti was an Italian painter of the mannerist period, who worked mainly in his native Bologna.
He influenced many Bolognese who would later play a role in the rise of the Baroque. Annibale Carracci (whose brother Agostino studied with Passerotti) was influenced by Passerotti's genre scenes in a select set of paintings (such as The Beaneater and The Butcher's Shop, the latter being originally attributed to Passerotti). Lucio Massari and Francesco Brizzi were among his pupils. Three of Passerotti's sons, including Ventura (1566–1618), Aurelio (1560–1609) and Tiburzio, were painters.
Giambattista (Giovanni Battista) Tinti was an Italian painter of the Mannerist period.
Giambattista Tinti studied painting in Bologna. Returning to Parma, he was inspired by the work of Correggio and Parmigianino. In August 1588 he was commissioned to paint a fresco in the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Parma.
The following year he painted his most important work, the altarpiece "Assumption of the Virgin" in the upper left transept of the Chapel of the Assumption, Parma Cathedral. In 1595 he created several frescoes in the church of San Prospero in Reggio Emilia.