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  Musei di Strada Nuova

  Genoa, Italy

  1 works

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• What should I know about Orazio Gentileschi's prints?+

  Orazio Gentileschi was an Italian painter, not a printmaker. However, prints were made of artworks in collections that included his paintings. Illustrated books of collections were a way for collectors to advertise their treasures. These books date back to the 1620s. One early example is Cardinal Federico Borromeo's guide to the archbishop's collection, Museum Bibliothecae Ambrosianae (Milan, 1625), although it lacked illustrations. In 1637, the Earl of Arundel planned an illustrated book of selected paintings and drawings in his collection, to be illustrated by Wenceslaus Hollar. Hollar made drawings of numerous paintings, but only produced four prints before fleeing to Antwerp. The idea of publishing prints of collections became popular, and prints were collected and compiled into volumes reflecting the collector's taste. The quality of the prints varied, with many being signed by both the draughtsman and engraver. These collections became a source of conversation and study for artists.
• What style or movement did Orazio Gentileschi belong to?+

  Orazio Gentileschi (1563-1639) is usually associated with the Baroque style. More specifically, he was among the first artists to follow Caravaggio, and is grouped with the Caravaggisti. Like Caravaggio, Gentileschi's early paintings employed realism and dramatic lighting effects. Examples of this style can be seen in works such as *The Lute Player* (1610). However, Gentileschi's style evolved over time. By the 1620s, he moved away from the prevailing Caravaggism as it waned in popularity. While in Genoa, he adopted a more refined approach, seen in *Annunciation* (circa 1623). Later, Gentileschi worked in France and then England as a court painter. His later works displayed a greater elegance, with more subdued contrasts of light and dark. His artistic output also included collaboration with other artists, such as Inigo Jones on *Allegory of Peace and the Arts of the English Crown* (1638-1639).
• What techniques or materials did Orazio Gentileschi use?+

  Orazio Gentileschi was a painter who worked primarily with oil paint, a medium common among artists of his era. Oil paint consists of ground pigments mixed with oil, usually linseed oil. This medium allowed for a greater variety of colours than tempera, as oil pigments can be layered and varnished, creating luminosity conducive to realistic lighting and shading. Seventeenth-century Italian painters like Gentileschi aimed for verisimilitude, a realistic representation that appealed to viewers. Varnish played a role in achieving this, although absorbent grounds could cause technical problems. Some artists applied an isolating oil layer to address the absorbency of the ground. Grounds often contained chalk, sometimes mixed with earth pigments and charcoal black. Gentileschi's artistic circle included painters influenced by both Raphael and Titian. These painters pursued natural appearances on a flat surface, believing that this representation could convey a higher truth.
• What was Orazio Gentileschi known for?+

  Orazio Gentileschi (1563-1639) was an Italian Baroque painter. He is known both for his association with Caravaggio and for his later, more refined style. Gentileschi began his career as a late Mannerist painter in Rome, working on frescoes in various churches. Around 1600, he came into contact with Caravaggio's work, which had a significant effect on his style. He adopted Caravaggio's realism and use of light and shadow, but his paintings often lacked the tension found in Caravaggio's. Examples of this early style can be seen in works such as *The Lute Player* (1610) and *Madonna with Child*. By the 1620s, Gentileschi's style began to change. As Caravaggio's popularity waned, Gentileschi moved toward a more delicate and elegant approach. He relocated to Genoa, and later worked in the French court of Marie de’ Medici. In 1625, he became court painter to Charles I of England, where he remained until his death. His later works include *Annunciation* (c. 1623) and *Allegory of Peace and the Arts of the English Crown* (1638-1639).
• When did Orazio Gentileschi live and work?+

  Orazio Gentileschi was born in Pisa in 1563, the son of a Florentine goldsmith. He moved to Rome around 1576-78, residing with an uncle who was a captain of the guard at the Castel Sant'Angelo; Orazio adopted Gentileschi as his surname from this uncle. Gentileschi began painting relatively late. The first documentation of him as a painter dates from 1588-89, when he was working in the Vatican library. His earliest surviving work is a fresco in Santa Maria Maggiore from 1593. Until about 1600, he painted in a late-Mannerist style, similar to Roman painters such as Niccolò Circignani and Cesare Nebbia. Around 1600, he encountered the paintings of Caravaggio, whose style had a considerable influence on him. In 1621, Gentileschi accepted an invitation to Genoa, and in 1624 he joined the French court. From 1625 until his death in 1639, he was court painter to Charles I of England.
• Where can I see Orazio Gentileschi's work?+

  Orazio Gentileschi's paintings can be found in numerous collections. In London, you can see his work at the National Gallery, which holds The Adoration of the Golden Calf, The Adoration of the Shepherds, The Annunciation, Cephalus and Aurora, and The Nurture of Bacchus. Dulwich College Picture Gallery also has paintings by Gentileschi, including The Nurture of Jupiter, The Return of the Holy Family from Egypt, Rinaldo and Armida, and The Triumph of David. The Wallace Collection in London holds A Dance to the Music of Time. Outside of London, Gentileschi's paintings are in collections such as the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne (The Crossing of the Red Sea), the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (The Death of Germanicus), and the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow (The Continence of Scipio and Landscape with Hercules and Cacus). In Madrid, the Prado holds Apollo and the Muses on Parnassus, Meleager and Atalanta Hunting, and The Triumph of David.
• Where was Orazio Gentileschi from?+

  Orazio Gentileschi was from Pisa; he was born there in 1563. His father was a Florentine goldsmith. Gentileschi relocated to Rome in his mid-teens. He lived with his uncle, who was a captain in the garrison at Castel Sant’ Angelo. He began painting in his twenties, after working in his father’s trade. Gentileschi was self-taught, lacking formal training as a painter. Around 1600, Gentileschi designed a dead cardinal’s catafalque with Onorio Longhi. He may have met M (Caravaggio) through Longhi. By the 1620s, Gentileschi changed his style again. Caravaggio’s popularity in Rome had declined, and the Bolognese painters had become prominent. Gentileschi relocated to Genoa. In 1624, Gentileschi worked in the French court of Marie de’ Medici. In 1625, with Marie de’ Medici’s permission, Gentileschi went to England to serve as court painter to Charles I. Gentileschi died in England in 1639.
• Who did Orazio Gentileschi influence?+

  Orazio Gentileschi, an early follower of Caravaggio, influenced a number of artists, most notably his daughter Artemisia. He taught her to paint, and she surpassed him by the age of seventeen. Artemisia became one of the few female artists of the Baroque period to paint historical and religious subjects. Gentileschi's impact can also be seen in the work of Dutch masters Gerrit van Honthorst and Hendrick Terbrugghen, as well as the French Le Nain brothers and Laurent de La Hyre. Gentileschi initially emulated Caravaggio's realism and dramatic lighting, placing figures close to the viewer. However, his style evolved over time. In the 1620s, he adopted a more refined approach, seen in works such as the Annunciation (c. 1623) and Danaë (c. 1621). He spent time in France, and later England, working for the royal courts. While working under Cesare Baglione, Gentileschi began to incorporate elements of Caravaggio's style into his work. He passed on this knowledge to his daughter, Artemisia, who further developed it.
• Who influenced Orazio Gentileschi?+

  Orazio Gentileschi, born in Pisa in 1563, began painting in his twenties. Before that, he worked in his father's goldsmith workshop. He lacked formal training and was essentially self-taught. Gentileschi's early career involved working on frescos in the Vatican library during the late 1580s. He was friends with Cesari and, around 1595, collaborated with Onorio Longhi on designing a catafalque. It is possible that Longhi introduced Gentileschi to Caravaggio around 1600. Gentileschi became one of the first followers of Caravaggio, known as Caravaggisti. Like Caravaggio, Gentileschi emphasised realism. He positioned his subjects close to the viewer, capturing them in a "stop-action" style. His painting, "The Lute Player" (1610), shows the influence of Caravaggio's lighting techniques. Gentileschi's "Madonna with Child" in the Gallery Borghese in Rome is thought to reflect his feelings for his daughter, Artemisia, whom he taught to paint. Artemisia surpassed her father as an artist by the age of 17.
• Who is orazio gentileschi?+

  Orazio Gentileschi was a Florentine goldsmith's son born in Pisa in 1563. He moved to Rome in his mid-teens and began painting in his twenties.
• Who was orazio gentileschi?+

  Orazio Gentileschi was a Florentine goldsmith's son born in Pisa in 1563. He moved to Rome in his mid-teens and began painting in his twenties.
• Why are Orazio Gentileschi's works important today?+

  Orazio Gentileschi was an Italian painter (1563-1639), active in Florence, Genoa, Rome, and London. He is significant as an early follower of Caravaggio, adapting Caravaggio's dramatic lighting and naturalistic figures. However, Gentileschi's style is more refined. It combines naturalism with elements of Florentine Mannerism. Gentileschi's travels helped spread the Italian Baroque style across Europe. His time in England, as court painter to Charles I, is of particular note. There, he produced major works, including ceiling paintings for the Queen's House, Greenwich. His daughter Artemisia Gentileschi also became a successful painter; their relationship and artistic interactions are subjects of ongoing interest. His careful technique, particularly his rendering of fabrics and light, appeals to modern viewers. His paintings offer a clear example of the early Baroque aesthetic, between the more radical style of Caravaggio and later developments. Studying Gentileschi provides insight into the artistic exchanges between Italy, France, and England during the 17th century.