Bernardo
Strozzi

At seventeen Strozzi joined the order of Capuchins, about 1610, became a priest. Between 1614 and 1621, was listed as a ship's engineer in the Genoese Republic. Fled from the order and settled in Venice about 1631 Working as a painter Strozzi attracted the sympathy of many Venetian painters, partly imitating him. In Genoa, Bernardo met with Simon Vouet and Orazio Gentileschi, Caravaggio followers, did not fail to affect his manner, and familiarity with the works of Rubens, van Dyck worked in Genoa and leaving behind many of his paintings.

Known by the nicknames Cappuccino (Cappuccino), as well as a Priest from Genoa (Prete Genovese) (Prete Genovese). He studied in Genoa in the workshop of an unknown artist, Sorry, under the influence of the oeuvre of Peter Paul Rubens, Bernardo Strozzi joined the painting of Baroque in the future was influenced by Caravaggio. In 1597 Strozzi joined the order of Capuchins, about 1610 he was ordained priest. In Genoa, Bernardo met with Simon Vouet and Orazio Gentileschi, Caravaggio followers, did not fail to affect his manner of painting, as well as familiarity with the works of Rubens, van Dyck worked in Genoa and leaving behind many of his paintings.

Strozzi wrote the monumental, in the spirit of Caravaggio, genre scenes, rendered in household religious composition (“Healing of Tobit”, circa 1635, State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg). The best works of Strozzi (“Piper”, “Cook”, both in the Gallery of Palazzo Rosso, Genoa) characterized by a free style of writing, democracy, and sometimes the sharpness of images (“Old coquette”, the State Museum of fine arts, Moscow).

In 1631, Bernardo Strozzi, disillusioned with monastic life, and fled from the monastery to Venice. In Venice he came to the already established master, although disputes about how, when he developed his individual style in the late 1620-ies in Genoa or in 1630-ies in Venice, are still underway. While staying in Venice, Strozzi had to fear persecution monastic authorities sought to return him to the bosom of the Church. In Venice he became acquainted with beautiful techniques of local craftsmen, rated the paintings of Domenico fetti, Veronese, Lissa. In the works of Bernardo Strozzi's Venetian period, there is a lighter color, they are written with great elegance, easy moving strokes (“Saint Lawrence distributing the Church treasures to the poor” — the Church of San niccolò dei Tolentini, Venice; “Rebecca and Eleazar”, Dresden Picture Gallery).

In his later years Bernardo Strozzi paintings appear to indicate not only increased the beautiful craftsmanship, but the interest in the more subtle psychological motivation of images (“Caesar's Denarius”, Munich, Alte Pinakothek; “the preaching of the Baptist,” Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum). In late period, the artist turned to the portrait. Sonorous color in the paintings “Alvise Grimani” (Washington, national gallery), “portrait of a young man” (Venice, private collection), the “Maltese knight” (Milan, Pinacoteca Brera) corresponds to an emotional warehouse of the depicted models, gives the images in these formal portraits in the style of van Dyck features greater intimacy. Bernardo Strozzi was one of the talented artists of the 17th century, the artist's painting had a great influence on the masters of Venice next time.