Giovanni Francesco Barbieri Guercino

Variant namesauktoriserad namnform: Giovanni Francesco Barbieri Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri Il Guercino

DatesBiographical dates: 1591 - 1666 dead: dead 1666-12-22 born: born 1591-02-02

Gender

Places

Nationality

Function

BiographyBiography: Guercino was born in Cento, near Bologna, where he was initially apprenticed to Benedetto Gennari (1633‒1715). He later moved to Bologna and was greatly influenced by the work of the Carracci, especially perhaps that of Ludovico. He was called to Rome by the commissions he received from Pope Gregory XV (1554‒1623). Between 1621 and 1623 he executed frescoes for the casino of the Villa Ludovisi and the altarpiece of the Burial of St Petronilla in the Vatican, today in the Musei Capitolini. After the death of Gregory XV, Guercino returned to Cento, where he established a successful workshop. From 1629 onwards he and his brother kept an account book of their work, which is therefore very well documented. In 1642 he relocated his workshop to Bologna and soon received numerous commissions. Guercino was prolific and mastered a wide variety of genres and subjects. In the 20th century Guercino’s work received renewed attention, primarily through Denis Mahon’s pioneering research on the artist. Today he is considered one of the foremost exponents of the Bologna school.

External links