The Bolognese School of

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and a ...

, also known as the ''School of Bologna'', flourished between the 16th and 17th centuries in

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different na ...

, which rivalled

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...

and

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

as the center of painting in Italy. Its most important representatives include the

Carracci family The Carracci ( , , ) were a Bolognese family of artists that played an instrumental role in bringing forth the Baroque style in painting. Brothers Annibale (1560–1609) and Agostino (1557–1602) along with their cousin Ludovico (1555–1619 ...

, including Ludovico Carracci and his two cousins, the brothers Agostino and

Annibale Carracci Annibale Carracci (; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome. Along with his brother and cousin, Annibale was one of the progenitors, if not founders of a leading strand of t ...

. Later, it included other

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...

painters:

Domenichino Domenico Zampieri (, ; October 21, 1581 – April 6, 1641), known by the diminutive Domenichino (, ) after his shortness, was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School of painters. Life Domenichino was born in Bologna, son of a shoem ...

and

Lanfranco Lanfranco (active in Modena from c. 1099 to 1110) was an Italian architect. His only known work is the Modena Cathedral. Record of his work there is in the early 13th-century manuscript ''Relatio de innovatione ecclesie sancti Gemeniani'' in th ...

, active mostly in

, eventually Guercino and

Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religi ...

, and Accademia degli Incamminati in Bologna, which was run by

Lodovico Carracci Ludovico (or Lodovico) Carracci (21 April 1555 – 13 November 1619) was an Italian, early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker born in Bologna. His works are characterized by a strong mood invoked by broad gestures and flickering light th ...

. Certain artistic conventions, which over time became traditionalist, had been developed in Rome during the first decades of the 16th century. As time passed, some artists sought new approaches to their work that no longer reflected only the Roman manner. The Carracci studio sought innovation or invention, seeking new ways to break away from traditional modes of painting while continuing to look for inspiration from their literary contemporaries; the studio formulated a style that was distinguished from the recognized manners of art in their time. This style was seen as both systematic and imitative, borrowing particular motifs from the past Roman schools of art and innovating a modernistic approach.

List of artists

Period of activity: 1501–1600

* Francesco Francia (1447-1517) *

Amico Aspertini Amico Aspertini, also called Amerigo Aspertini, was an Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor whose complex, eccentric, and eclectic style anticipates Mannerism. He is considered one of the leading exponents of the Bolognese School of paintin ...

(1474–1552) * Girolamo da Treviso (1497–1544) *

Pier Maria Pennacchi Pier Maria Pennacchi (1464 – before 1515) was an Italian Renaissance painter primarily active in Treviso. His one documented work is a fresco of ''Christ'' for a chapel in the Treviso cathedral. In Venice, the ceiling of the church of Santa Mar ...

(1464- before 1516) * Girolamo da Carpi (1501–1556) *

Lorenzo Sabbatini Lorenzo Sabbatini or Sabatini, Sabattini or Sabadini (c. 1530–1576), sometimes referred to as Lorenzino da Bologna, was an Italian painter of the Mannerist period from Bologna. Biography Sabbatini was born in Bologna and studied with ...

(c. 1530 – 1576) *

Denys Calvaert Denis (or Denys or Denijs) Calvaert (; around 154016 April 1619) was an Antwerp-born Flemish painter, who lived in Italy for most of his life, where he was known as Dionisio Fiammingo () or simply Il Fiammingo ("the Fleming"). Calvaert was a prof ...

(1540–1619) *

Pietro Faccini Pietro Faccini or Facini (1562–1602), was an Italian painter, draughtsman and printmaker.Pietro Fa ...

(1552–1614) *

Prospero Fontana Prospero Fontana (1512–1597) was a Bolognese painter of late Renaissance and Mannerist art. He is perhaps best known for his frescoes and architectural detailing. The speed in which he completed paintings earned him commissions where he work ...

(1512–1597) * Lavinia Fontana (1552–1614) *

Giovanni Francesco Bezzi Nosadella, full name Giovanni Francesco Bezzi, (active c. 1549–1571) was an Italian painter and draftsman, active during the Mannerist period, mainly in Bologna. He appears to have traveled to Rome. He was a pupil of Pellegrino Tibaldi. Few ...

(

Nosadella Nosadella, full name Giovanni Francesco Bezzi, (active c. 1549–1571) was an Italian painter and draftsman, active during the Mannerist period, mainly in Bologna. He appears to have traveled to Rome. He was a pupil of Pellegrino Tibaldi. Few o ...

) (1530–1571) *

Bartolomeo Passerotti Bartolomeo Passarotti or Passerotti (1529–1592) was an Italian painter of the mannerist period, who worked mainly in his native Bologna. His family name is also spelled Passerotti or Passarotto. Life and work From approximately 1550 to 1555, h ...

(1529–1592) * Bartolomeo Cesi (1556–1629) *

(1560–1609) * Ludovico Carracci (1555–1619) * Agostino Carracci (1557–1602) *

Carlo Bononi Carlo Bononi (1569? - 1632) was an Italian painter. From an 1876 book: '' Giulio Cromer, Carlo Bononi a pupil of Bastaruolo, and Alfonso Rivarola or Chenda, were the last artists of any eminence in Ferrara.'' Page 175 Biography Born and acti ...

(1569 – c. 1632) * Sisto Badalocchio (1581 – c. 1647) *

Camillo Procaccini 300px, ''Nativity'' by Camillo Procaccini Camillo Procaccini (3 March 1561 at Parma – 21 August 1629) was an Italian painter. He has been posthumously referred to as the ''Vasari of Lombardy'', for his prolific Mannerist fresco decoration. B ...

(1551–1629)

1601–1650

* Angelo Michele Toni *

Benedetto Gennari Benedetto Gennari (1563–1610) was an Italian painter of the early-Baroque period, active mainly in Ferrara and Cento. His birthplace is poorly recorded. He adopted a style influenced by Caravaggio, and by age 19, was working in the household o ...

(1575–1642) *

(1581–1641) *

Francesco Albani Francesco Albani or Albano (17 March or 17 August 1578 – 4 October 1660) was an Italian Baroque painter who was active in Bologna (1591–1600), Rome (1600–1609), Bologna (1609), Viterbo (1609–1610), Bologna (1610), Rome (1610–1617), ...

(1578–1660) * Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (Guercino) (1591–1666) *

Lionello Spada Leonello Spada (also called ''Lionello Spada'') (1576 – 17 May 1622) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active in Rome and his native city of Bologna, where he became known as one of the followers of Caravaggio. Biography He f ...

* Lucio Massari * Francesco Brizio *

Giacomo Cavedone Giacomo Cavedone (also called ''Giacomo Cavedoni'') (1577–1660) was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School. Life He belonged to the generation of Carracci-inspired or trained painters that included Giovanni Andrea Donducci (Mastell ...

Bartolomeo Schedoni Bartolomeo Schedoni (sometimes Schedone) (1578 – 23 December 1615) was an Italian early Baroque painter from Modena. Biography He was born in Modena, and moved to Parma with his father, a mask-maker who served the Farnese court. In 1595 Schedo ...

Francesco Gessi Francesco Gessi (20 January 1588 – 1649) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna. Biography Born to a noble family, his father noticed his attraction to the arts and placed him in the apprenticeship with Deny ...

(1558–1649) *

Simone Cantarini Simone Cantarini or Simone da Pesaro, called ''il Pesarese'' (Baptized on 21 August 1612 – 15 October 1648) was an Italian painter and etcher. He is mainly known for his history paintings and portraits executed in an original style, which ...

(Il Pesarese) (1612–1648) * Carlo Cignani (1628–1719) *

Giovanni Antonio Burrini Giovanni Antonio Burrini (25 April 1656 – 5 January 1727) was a Bolognese painter of Late-Baroque or Rococo style. After an apprenticeship with Domenico Maria Canuti, he went to work under Lorenzo Pasinelli with fellow student, Giovan ...

Giovanni Gioseffo dal Sole Giovanni Gioseffo dal Sole (10 December 1654 – 22 July 1719) was an Italian painter and engraver from Bologna, active in the late-Baroque period. Upon the death of Carlo Cignani, Gioseffo dal Sole became among the most prominent painters in Bol ...

Lorenzo Pasinelli Lorenzo Pasinelli (September 4, 1629 – March 4, 1700) was an Italian painter active mainly in Bologna during the late Baroque period. He was born in Bologna, and initially trained in the studio of Simone Cantarini. He then pursued studies in R ...

(1629–1772) * Elisabetta Sirani (1638–1665) * Marcantonio Franceschini * Guido Cagnacci (1601–1663) *

Giuseppe Maria Mazza Giuseppe Maria Mazza (13 May 1653 – 6 June 1741) was one of the leading sculptors of Bologna, Italy, in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was trained as a painter, but is best known for his fine sculptural work in terracotta and stucco ...

(sculptor, 1653-1741) *

Lorenzo Garbieri Lorenzo Garbieri (1580 – 5 April 1654) was an Italian painter of the early-Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna. He was one of the painters in the studio of Ludovico Carracci and is sometimes called ''il nipote dei Carracci''. He was said ...

(1580–1654) *

Domenico Maria Canuti Domenico Maria Canuti (5 April 1625– 6 April 1684) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna and Rome. He was a major painter of fresco decorations. His ceiling decorations showed a mix of Bolognese and Roman influ ...

(1620–1660) * Angelo Michele Colonna (1604–1687) *

Agostino Mitelli Agostino Mitelli (16 March 1609 – 2 August 1660) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period and best known as a fresco painter of ''quadratura'' or illusionistic perspectival architectural frameworks. He was born in Battedizzo, near Bologna ...

(1609–1660). *

Enrico Haffner Enrico Haffner (August 1640 – 1702) was an Italian painter of quadratura during the Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna. Biography Enrico was born to a Swiss father, who was a mercenary Swiss guard for the Papacy, stationed in Bologna; En ...

(1640–1702) * Giovanni Maria Bibiena * Giovan Giacomo Monti * Giovanni Battista Viola *

Alessandro Tiarini Alessandro Tiarini (20 March 1577 – 8 February 1668) was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School. Biography Alessandro Tiarini was born in Bologna. His mother died when he was a child, and he was raised by an aunt. Early on his fa ...

Giovanni Andrea Donducci Giovanni Andrea Donducci (1575–1655), also known as Mastelletta, was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School (painting). His father was a maker of vats (''mastelli''). Born in Bologna, he trained in the Carracci ''Academy degli Inca ...

(''il Mastelletta'')

1650–1700 and after

* Giuseppe Maria Crespi (1665-1747) *

Donato Creti Donato Creti (24 February 1671 – 31 January 1749) was an Italian painter of the Rococo period, active mostly in Bologna. Born in Cremona, he moved to Bologna, where he was a pupil of Lorenzo Pasinelli. He is described by Wittkower as the "Bo ...

(1671-1749) *

Ubaldo Gandolfi Ubaldo Gandolfi (1728–1781) was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque period, mainly active in and near Bologna. Biography He was born in San Matteo della Decima and enrolled by the age of 17 at the Clementine Academy, where he apprenticed ...

(1728-1781) *

Gaetano Gandolfi Gaetano Gandolfi (31 August 1734 – 20 June 1802) was an Italian painter of the late Baroque and early Neoclassic period, active in Bologna. Career Gaetano was born in San Matteo della Decima, near Bologna, to a family of artists. Ubaldo ...

(1734-1802) *

Giuseppe Marchesi Giuseppe Marchesi (1699–1771) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna. He was also known as ''il Sansone'' for his herculean build. He was first a pupil of the painter Aureliano Milani and then of Marcantonio Fr ...

(il Sansone) (1778-1867)

1850-1960 (approximately) The landscape painters

* Luigi Bertelli (1833-1916) *

Alessandro Scorzoni Alessandro Scorzoni (April 22, 1858 in Calcara di Crespellano, Province of Bologna – July 31, 1933 in Bologna) was an Italian painter, who depicted eclectic subjects, including sacred images, allegorical paintings, portraits, and landscape ...

(1858-1933) * Flavio Bertelli (1865-1941) * Giovanni Secchi (1876-1950) * Guglielmo Pizzirani (1886-1971) *

Antonino Sartini Antonino Sartini (Crespellano, 1889 – Bazzano, 7 May 1954) was an Italian painter. He has been called the "painter of serenity" and belongs to that group of landscape painters of the early 1900s of the " Bolognese School of Painting", such a ...

(1889-1954)

List of artists

Period of activity: 1501–1600

1601–1650

1650–1700 and after

1850-1960 (approximately) The landscape painters

See also

References

Further reading