Giovanni Baglione

Giovanni Baglione (1566–December 30 1643) was an Italian early baroque painter and art historian.

Biography

A pupil of Francesco Morelli, he worked mainly in Rome, initially with a late-Mannerist style. He was also nicknamed "Il Sordo del Barozzo". He published two books, "The nine churches of Rome" (1639) and The Lives of Painters, Sculptors, Architects and Engravers (active from 1572-1642) [Le Vite de’ Pittori, scultori, architetti, ed Intagliatori dal Pontificato di Gregorio XII del 1572. fino a’ tempi de Papa Urbano VIII. nel 1642.] (1642). The last title is still seen as an important historical source for painters living in Rome during the life of Baglione.

Among those he chronicled, and for whom he was notorious in his animosity was Caravaggio, whose style had influenced him much. The latter was forced to leave the city after Baglione's accusations of sodomy. Baglione's "Sacred love versus profane love", a response to Caravaggio's "Love Victorious", shows an angel (Sacred Love) interrupting a 'meeting' between Cupid (Profane Love) and the Devil (portrayed with the face of Caravaggio).

He was employed in many considerable works in Rome during the pontificates of Clement VIII and Paul V. His main works are frescoes which can be seen in the Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, in the Cappella Borghese. For the church of Santa Maria dell'Orto he painted in the chapel of Our Lady with the Zuccheri scenes from the life of the Blessed Virgin. Among other works which he executed for this church is a painting of Saint Sebastian. An excellent example of Baglione's work is "The Last Supper" at San Nicola in Carcere. From his brush also there is a "Saint Stephen" in the Cathedral at Perugia, and in that of Loreto a "Saint Catherine". Pope Paul V knighted Baglione a Knight of the Order of Christ for his painting of "Saint Peter Raising Tabitha from the Dead" (1607) in St. Peter's Basilica. He also painted a "St. Stephen" for the cathedral of Perugia, and a "St. Catharine" for the cathedral of Loreto. The Giustizia hall at the Rocca dei Rossi was completely frescoed by Baglione. He died at Rome

ee also

*Sacred-profane dichotomy
*Artists in biographies by Giovanni Baglione

References

*cite book| first=Michael| last=Bryan| year=1886| title="Dictionary of Painters and Engravers, Biographical and Critical" (Volume I: A-K)| editor = Robert Edmund Graves| pages= page 68| publisher=George Bell and Sons|location=York St. #4, Covent Garden, London; Original from Fogg Library, Digitized May 18, 2007 |id= |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=4GYCAAAAYAAJ&printsec=titlepage&dq=DICTIONARY+AACHEN+AALST&as_brr=1| authorlink=

External links