paccio, one of the most important of the early Venetian
painters of the Renaissance. Probably born in Venice in
the early 14605, Carpaccio's earliest paintings date from
the early 14805. By 1490 he was certainly an established
master, as in that year he signed and dated the first scene
of a major cycle of paintings of the life of Saint Ursula
done for the Scuola di Sant'Orsola, Venice. The series of
nine canvases (Accademia) was completed circa 1495.
Soon thereafter, circa 1502-8, he painted another cycle
for a different Venetian confraternity, the Scuola di San
Giorgio degli Schiavoni (in situ). Carpaccio worked for
other confraternities and completed many independent
paintings, altarpieces, and portraits during his successful
career. Among the latter are the Meditation on Christ's Pas-
sion of circa 1502-8 (Metropolitan Museum of Art) and
Saint Thomas in Glory between Saints Mark and Louis of
Toulouse of 1507 (Stuttgart, Staatsgalerie). The inspira-
tion of Giovanni Bellini is apparent in works such as the
Presentation in the Temple, dated 1510 (Accademia) and
painted for San Giobbe.
AGOSTINO CARRACCI
Bologna 1557-Parma 1602
Agostino was a student of Prospero Fontana. One of his
earliest commissions, undertaken with his younger
brother Annibale and their cousin Ludovico, was the
fresco decoration of the Palazzo Fava, Bologna, begun
circa 1583. The three Carracci established an influential
art academy in Bologna in the 15805. Agostino traveled
to Venice in 1582 and to Parma in 1586; there he was im-
pressed by the works of Tintoretto, Veronese, Correg-
gio, and others and made engravings after their paint-
ings. Agostino's masterpiece is the Last Communion of
Saint Jerome of circa 1589 (Bologna, Pinacoteca Nazio-
nale). He collaborated with Annibale and Ludovico on
the decoration of the Palazzo Magnani, Bologna, in
1590-91. Circa 1598 Agostino moved to Rome, where
he and Annibale designed the elaborate program for the
decoration of the grand gallery of the Palazzo Farnese.
Agostino painted two sections of the ceiling with the
stories of Cephalus and of Aurora and Galatea. In 1600
he went to Parma and began work on a hall in the Palazzo
del Giardino, but he died before finishing the project.
GIOVANNI BENEDETTO
CASTIGLIONE
Genoa circa 161 o-Mantua 1663/65
Castiglione trained in Genoa with Giovanni Battista
Paggi and Sinibaldo Scorza and may have studied there
with Anthony van Dyck between 1621 and 1627. He spe-
cialized in biblical or pastoral themes populated with an-imals and still life elements, as in Noah Entering the Ark
of before 1632 (Palazzo Pitti). A prolific and imaginative
draughtsman, Castiglione developed the techniques of
brush drawing in oil and monotype. He admired the
etchings of Rembrandt, whose influence is evidentin his
own graphic art, such as the print Pastoral Journey of 1638
(B.28[25]v.46,2i). While living in Rome between 1630
and 1635 and again from 1647 to 1651, he frequented the
circle of Poussin. This contact resulted in the introduc-
tion of romantic mythological subjects to his repertoire,
as can be seen, for example, in the brush drawing Saving
of Pyrrhus (Windsor Castle). Castiglione traveled to Na-
ples, Venice, and—later—Genoa; from 1651 on he re-
sided in Mantua as court painter to the Gonzaga family.
His paintings were popular among eighteenth-century
artists, who admired their picturesque quality.CESARE DA SESTO
Sesto Calende 1477-Milan 1523
Little is known about Cesares education. He is best
known as a follower of Leonardo, whose works he knew
in Milan. By circa 1505 Cesare was in Rome, working
with Baldassare Peruzzi. He returned to Milan by way of
Florence circa 1510-12. Many of Cesare's paintings,
such as Salome of circa 1512 (Vienna, Kunsthistoriches
Museum), exhibit a synthesis of the styles of Leonardo
and Raphael. In 1514 Cesare left Milan and traveled
south, settling in Naples and Messina for several years
and returning to Milan circa 1520. An important painting
from his Neapolitan period is the Adoration of the Magi of
circa 1518 (Naples, Capodimonte). Cesares last major
work was a polyptych, the Madonna in Glory of 1523
(Milan, Castello Sforzesco), painted for the church of
San Rocco, Milan.MICHEL CORNEILLE THE
YOUNGER
Paris 1641-1708
Corneille received his earliest artistic training from his fa-
ther, Michel Corneille the Elder. He also studied with
Charles Le Brun and Pierre Mignard. In 1659 he received
the Prix de Rome, which allowed him to study in Rome
from 1659 to 1663; there he became familiar with the
works of the Carracci. Corneille was admitted to the
Académie in 1663, becoming a professor in 1673. He
worked for Louis XIV decorating rooms at Versailles,
Fontainebleau, and other royal residences in addition to
receiving many commissions for religious paintings for
French churches. Among the latter is The Calling of Saints
Peter and Andrew of 1672 (Louvre), originally painted for
Notre-Dame, Paris. As most of his paintings have been330 ARTISTS BIOGRAPHIES