Francesco Terzio, or Francesco Terzi (ca. 1523 – 20 August 1591) was an Italian painter of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

period. He was born in

Bergamo Bergamo ( , ; ) is a city in the Alps, alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from the alpine lakes Lake Como, Como and Lake Iseo, Iseo and 70 km (43 mi) from Lake Garda, Garda and Lake ...

. He was a pupil of

Giovanni Battista Moroni Giovanni Battista Moroni, also known as Giambattista Moroni ( – 5 February 1578) was an Italian painter of the Mannerist school. Best known for his elegantly realistic portraits of the local nobility and clergy, he is considered one of the g ...

. He painted two pictures a ''Nativity'', and an ''Assumption of the Virgin'' for San Francesco, in

. Around 1550, Terzio received commissions from the circle of

Emperor Charles V Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) fr ...

, and his monogram appears on a portrait of Charles V at age 50. Following Charles's death in 1558, Terzio continued to work in Austria, where he served as court painter to his sons,

Emperor Maximilian II Maximilian II (31 July 1527 – 12 October 1576) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 until his death in 1576. A member of the Austrian House of Habsburg, he was crowned King of Bohemia in Prague on 14 May 1562 and elected King of Germany (Kin ...

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

and Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria in

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...

. He contributed to various large-scale projects celebrating the history and genealogy of the House of

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...

, designing 74 engravings illustrating the Imagines Gentis Austriacae and painting several full-length portraits of members of the Habsburg family, including official portraits of Ferdinand II. Terzio spent the greater part of his life in Austria but died in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

References

* 1520s births 1591 deaths 16th-century Italian painters Italian male painters Painters from Bergamo Italian Renaissance painters {{Italy-painter-16thC-stub