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Orazio
Gentileschi

Italia • 1563−1639

Biography and information

Orazio Gentileschi is considered the best and most talented disciple of the school of Caravaggio. Trained as a painter from his brother and uncle in the spirit of Florentine mannerism, Gentileschi in 1580 went to Rome, where he creates murals for the Vatican library. Around 1600 deals of the altar and easel paintings, joins the group of artists around Caravaggio. However, in his work combines the style of Caravaggio with the composition and colour of the Tuscan school.

From periods of the artist's stay in Genoa (1621-1623) and in Paris (1623 or 1624), his paintings have not survived. From 1625 until his death lives in England and holds the position of court painter by king Charles I.

Italian painter of the period caravaggism and early Baroque. Actually, the real name Lomi (Lomi). The representative of a family of prominent artists, one of the most talented artists in the circle of the followers of Caravaggio. Started working in Florence in the second half of the 16th century, was the pupil and assistant of his uncle, the painter. A decisive influence on the manner of Orazio Gentileschi had the works of Caravaggio, seen in Rome in the late 1590-ies. Gentileschi under the influence of the early works of Caravaggio, moved on to oil painting and writing small format paintings on subjects religious, mythological content, and half-figures (the so-called portraits-types).

In the paintings of the painter of the "Madonna and child" (Florence, collection Contini-Bonacossi), "the angel of St. Cecilia, Valerian and Tiburtius" (Milan, Pinacoteca Brera), "St. Christopher" (Berlin national gallery), "Saint Cecilia with an angel" (Rome, Galleria Corsini) the images of the saints endowed with lyrical and contemplative in nature, at times, depicted in the landscape. Chiaroscuro is transmitted much more softly than Caravaggio, exquisite and varied colors, built on a combination of blue, purple, lemon yellow flowers. Not cold sharp, but more delicate silvery light glare on the surface of costumes. Harsh pattern and the enamel surface is, at times, reminiscent of the manner of Bronzino. The development of the realistic tradition of Caravaggio was images of half-figures ("Lutnick", circa 1626, Washington, national gallery), David (Dublin, national gallery), in which writing in the most pronounced distinctive talent Gentileschi. This new 17th century kind of painting had a significant influence on the development of national realistic tradition. Sometimes it will have some theatrical coldness ("David"), but written with great art in the transmission of the physical environment.

Orazio Gentileschi also worked in Genoa and Turin (1621-1624), where he became acquainted with the paintings of van Dyck. In 1625 Gentileschi went to Paris, and in the period 1626-1647 years working in England at the court of Charles I in London. In his later works — "rest on the flight into Egypt" (Louvre; Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum), "Danae" (about 1621, Cleveland art Museum), "Annunciation" (1623, Turin, Galleria Sabauda), enhanced classic features: color becomes lighter, the greater rational clarity becomes the figure, and the distribution of light and shadow compositions — classical clarity of the build. However, the artist manages to avoid schmaltz and sentimentality.

Paintings Orazio Gentileschi rich subtlety of the cut-off modeling, ease of silvery light, glistening on the surface of fabrics, elegant light cool lighting scheme. The works of Gentileschi as one of the representatives of the Italian caravaggism, different lyrical contemplation, the freedom of the composite solutions, the subtlety of black and white conversions and elegance bright color ("Saint Cecilia", national gallery, Rome; "Danae" Museum of art, Cleveland; "Lotniska", national gallery of art, Washington). Art Gentileschi was influenced by the masters of Northern Europe, in particular, the artists of Holland and Flanders, worked in Italy ("novelists"), appreciate his skill in the transfer of cold fluorescent lighting that gives a special poetic and elegiac landscapes and images.