( fl c. 1694–1716). Italian sculptor, stuccoist and medallist. He worked in southern central Italy, where he is documented as both Pietro Papaleo and Francesco Papaleo, and then in Rome, where his presence is well documented from 1694, when he was elected a member of the Accademia di S Luca, until 1716. His marble work is influenced by Lorenzo Ottoni, who was an accomplished portrait artist in the manner of Bernini. He is presumed to have worked in Naples, where his Victory of St Paul (1688) is in the chapel of S Gennaro in the cathedral. In 1696, with Camillo Rusconi, he was commissioned to make four angels for the chapel of S Ignazio in the church of Il Gesù, Rome, but was replaced by Ottoni and Francesco Moratti because of conflicting contractual obligations (to Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni). His work as a stuccoist included collaborating with Ottoni to make five putti to accompany an Allegory of Papal Power (untraced) in the Galleria delle Carte Geografiche, Vatican Palace. With the sculptors Jean Théodon and Ottoni, he was chosen to judge the sculpture section of the Concorso Clementino of 1702. In SS Apostoli, Rome, his statue of Faith (1705) forms a pair with Prayer by Pierre-Etienne Monnot. Another work traditionally associated with the sculptor is Pope St Fabiano with Angels and Putti (1712), commissioned by Clement XI for the Albani Chapel (Rome, S Sebastiano). Of his work as a medallist it is known only that he was responsible for a medal bearing the effigy of Flavio Orsini (Rome, priv. col., see Forrer).

• Papaleo, Pietro Francesco
  • works
    • Malta, §III, 3: Middle Ages and after: Sculpture