(b Carpi, 1652; d Rome, 1721). Italian painter. His early career was spent in the Modena area, where he was influenced by Francesco Stringa, but his training in Bologna under Carlo Cignani (1676–82) had the greatest impact on him. His stay in Bologna increased his reputation, and on his return to Carpi he won many commissions from churches, for example St Francis Xavier Baptising the Indian Kings (c. 1689; Carpi, S Ignazio). He visited Venice, though this experience had little effect on his style, and in 1690 settled in Rome, where he came into contact with the work of Carlo Maratti’s pupils. He remained loyal, however, to the Bolognese classicist style of Cignani and of such painters as Lorenzo Pasinelli. He taught a great deal (one of his pupils was Marco Benefial) and decorated many Rome palaces (e.g. the Palazzo Taverna, ex Gabrielli) and churches, for example S Maria sopra Minerva (Death of St Peter Martyr, before 1693); S Ivo dei Brettoni (the Annunciation, c. 1690–93; now in the convent of S Luigi dei Francesi) and Santo Spirito dei Napoletani (the Miracle of St Francis of Paola, 1705). In 1719 he was commissioned to execute the cartoons for the mosaics of the Angeli Chapel and S Petronille Chapel in St Peter’s, Rome, which were completed by Lorenzo Gramiccia.

• Lamberti, Bonaventura
  • Benefial, Marco, §1: Before 1740
  • Gramiccia, Lorenzo