Belisario Corenzio | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1558 |
| Died | 1646(1646-00-00) (aged 87–88)[1] |
| Resting place | Tomb atSanti Severino e Sossio |
| Nationality | Greek |
| Education | Apprentice toTintoretto |
| Notable work | Frescos Crypt ofMatthew |
| Style | Mannerism |
| Movement | Italian Renaissance Italian Baroque |
Belisario Corenzio (Greek:Βελισσάριος Κορένσιος 1558–1646) was aGreek-Italian painter, active inVenice andNaples. He is one of few Greek painters that did not belong to theCretan Renaissance like his contemporaries of the time. He escaped themaniera greca completely. He adopted theVenetian style. Other similar Greek painters wereMarco Basaiti,Ioannis Permeniates,Antonio Vassilacchi andEl Greco. He was sometimes referred to asIl Greco. His teacher was prominent Venetian painterTintoretto. In 1590, at age 32 Corenzio settled in Naples. Corenzio was influenced byCavalier d'Arpino. He continued to flourish in the region. His apprentices included:Luigi Rodriguez,Andrea di Leone,Onofrio De Lione andMassimo Stanzione. Corenzio painted many frescos that survived today. Some of his works are in the Church ofSan Severino andCertosa di San Martino. His style resemblesCaravaggio. An Italian legend in Naples exists involving Corenzio, Spanish painterJusepe de Ribera, andBattistello Caracciolo. They were referred to as theCabal of Naples. The three painters were rumored to have poisoned their competition for painting contracts. The rumors lack documented evidence. The three painters were very popular in Naples. Corenzio frescoed the Crypt that holds the remains ofMatthew the Apostle atSalerno Cathedral and it depicts scenes from theGospel of Matthew. Corenzio was one of the most celebrated fresco painters in Naples during his time. His drawings can be found all over the world namely at theMetropolitan Museum,Museo di Capodimonte andLouvre.[2][3][4][5][6] More recently, his life and work was studied by the Greek art historian Panayotis K. Ioannou in a comprehensive monograph (Belisario Corenzio: La Vita e le Opere).[7]
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Corenzio was born in the city of Arcadia (today Kyparissia) in South West Peloponnese. He was in theKingdom of Naples by age 12. The region was part of theSpanish Empire. His family was part of the Greek community in Naples. His father's name was Ioannis. His father and Uncle Nikolaos were prominent members of the Spanish community. The family had a close relationship withDon Juan de Austria. Nikolaos served in the Royal Navy. He was a professional seaman. The family was very wealthy. According to the testimony of collector Padre Resta, Corenzio was sent to learn painting by theDon himself. A contract exists from 1574 regarding Corenzio's painting education but it was only for six months.[8][9]
He migrated to Venice during the 1580s. He spent five years in Venice studying underTintoretto. There was a prominent Greek community in Venice around that period.San Giorgio dei Greci employed many of the Greek painters. Some of the Greek painters living in Venice wereAntonio Vassilacchi,Thomas Bathas andEmmanuel Tzanfournaris. By 1590, Corenzio returned to Naples and settled there for the rest of his life. He had an active workshop. Art historianBernardo de' Dominici extensively wrote about the painters of Napoli in his famousVite dei Pittori, Scultori, ed Architetti Napolitani in the later part of the 18th century. It is one of the first extensive biographies written about Corenzio. It was published in 1742.Bernardo de' Dominici was considered the NeapolitanVasari.[10][11]
Dominici described Corenzio as a brilliant painter who was exceptionally talented. He could paint faster than five painters combined. According toDominici, Corenzio painted for money rather than art. He complained that Corenzio's artwork suffered when he was paid less.Dominici had a similar opinion regarding other prominent Italian painters.Paolo de Matteis began collecting notes on Neopolitan artists. He died before he could publish his work.Dominici used these notes in his writings about Corenzio.[12]
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According toDominici, Corenzio was also very jealous and despotic towards other painters. Because of his ill-temper and bad reputation his artistic reputation was overshadowed by negative rumors. Corenzio formed an alliance withJusepe de Ribera andBattistello Caracciolo. The group was called theCabal of Naples. For four hundred years historians have added their own versions of the story but none of the claims are grounded on solid evidence. According to legend, the three painters did not allow the employment of foreign painters in Naples.Luigi Rodriguez was a student of Corenzio. It is rumored that his student was so good that he began to obtain his own contracts. Corenzio became very jealous and he slowly poisoned him. Some historians disagree on the date ofLuigi Rodriguez‘s death.[13]
Guido Reni was afraid to paint in Naples around 1621 because of rumors that theCabal of Naples poisoned artists that tried to compete with them. Another rumor surfaced thatGuido Reni's assistant was murdered by theCabal of Naples andGuido Reni was driven out of the city. Another claim that involved Corenzio and theCabal of Naples was the poisoning of famous painterDomenichino, butDominici specifies that his relatives played a major part in his death because they wanted his money.[14]
Corenzio continued to paint all over Naples. He mainly completed many frescos in different churches in Naples. Three notable churches includeSalerno Cathedral,Santi Severino e Sossio, andSantissima Annunziata Maggiore, Naples. He taught fresco painting in Naples some of his students also included paintersOnofrio De Lione,Massimo Stanzione andAndrea di Leone. Many of Corenzio's drawings survived until today. More rumors surfaced about his death. One such story states that he fell from a scaffolding while repairing one of his frescos in the church of San Severino another rumor states he poisoned himself. He is one of the most gossiped and celebrated artists of his time. His tomb can be found atSanti Severino e Sossio.[15][16][17]
His earliest work was during the 1590s he painted the Medici Chapel of Gragnano which is part of theSanti Severino e Sossio andCertosa di San Martino. Around 1603, the painter painted the basilica of Santa Maria a Parete inLiveri Naples. He painted two frescos. The larger one is on the right side depicting scenes of the Dance of Death, Judgment, Hell, and Heaven. Other paintings are inNola at the Church of the Annunciation. There is evidence that Corenzio painted parts of theCastel Capuano from dated payments of theBanco di Napoli in 1608. Corenzio also painted frescoes in the church of Santa Patrizia.[18]
In 1609, he decorated the vaults of the nave, transept, and choir ofchurch of Santi Severino e Sossio. By 1615, he frescoed the lunette vault of the apse of the church ofSanta Maria di Costantinopoli. Around 1629, he frescoed the dome ofMonte Cassino (lost in the bombing of 1944 ). He also painted frescoes in the gallery of Capuano Palace (Portici). They were also destroyed. He worked for many years in the church ofSanta Maria la Nova (he frescoed the ceiling). He created four canvases for theSanta Maria Del Popolo (Christmas, Epiphany, Presentation and the Rest in Egypt). The painter retired in the village ofEsperia, he died in 1646 at 88 years old. He completed countless works throughout his lifetime. Many artists were extremely jealous of his successful workshop.
He was a prominent member of the Greek community in Naples. A similar church existed resemblingSan Giorgio dei Greci in Venice. The church served the local Greek Orthodox population and it was called theSanti Pietro e Paolo dei Greci (Naples, Italy). Corenzio completed frescos in the church. He was also a member of the Confraternity of Saints Peter and Paul of the Greeks. A road inVomero is named after him, it is called Via Belisario Corenzio.
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