Ventura Salimbeni | |
|---|---|
 Engraving byBernardino Capitelli | |
| Born | Ventura di Archangelo Salimbeni 20 January 1568 |
| Died | 1613 |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Known for | Painter |
| Movement | Mannerism |
Ventura di Archangelo Salimbeni (also later called Bevilacqua; 20 January 1568 – 1613) was an ItalianCounter-Maniera painter andprintmaker highly influenced by thevaghezza and sensual reform of Federico Barocci.
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Salimbeni was born inSiena.[1] He studied painting, together with his half-brotherFrancesco Vanni, under their fatherArcangelo Salimbeni in his native Siena,
He possibly spent some time, in Northern Italy and then moved to Rome in 1588 to work, together with others, on the fresco painting of the Vatican Library under popeSixtus V.
During 1590-1591, he received a commission from CardinalBonifazio Bevilacqua Aldobrandini for paintings in the Roman JesuitChurch of the Gesù and theBasilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. These paintings show the influence ofCavalier D'Arpino and the Counter-Mannerist Barocci pupilAndrea Lilio.
Salimbeni returned to Siena in 1595. Here he persisted in a Reformist orCounter-Maniera style. He was here influenced byFederico Barocci as can be seen in the draperies, highlighted with abrupt changes of light and flickering surfaces, of his painting "Birth of a Virgin" in theSan Domenico church inFerrara (1607–1608).
He completed painting cycles (1595–1602) for Sienese churches such as theOratory of Santa Trinità. He is known for detailed preparatory drawings, most of which are now in theUffizi inFlorence or the Fine Arts Museum ofSan Francisco. At around 1600, he began painting the "Life of St Hyacinth" for the Sienese church ofSanto Spirito. These paintings show the innovative perspective and style of the Florentine Reformers Ludovico CigoliCigoli and Domenico PassignanoDomenico Passignano. He continued to create paintings for churches throughout Italy, including Florence. At theBasilica della Santissima Annunziata di Firenze, he frescoed lunettes (1605–1608) illustrating events in the history of theServite Order. In theDuomo di San Salvatore, he executed a magnificentJohn the Baptist.
At about the same time, around 1600, he got an assignment inAssisi for afresco of the "Resurrection of Christ" and the "Dying Saint Clare is visited by the pope" in the vault of chapel of San Massimo in theBasilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli.
In 1603, Salimbeni was commissioned to paint frescoes with scenes from the church's patron saintsQuiricus and Julietta for the church ofSs Quirico e Giulitta, one of the oldest churches in Siena. As in the church ofSanta Trinità, he worked here alongside the painterAlessandro Casolari.
This period saw a proliferation of new assignments: three paintings for the churchSan Lorenzo in San Pietro inMontalcino, the "Donation of the Keys" (1599), the "Glorification of the Eucharist" (1600), and the "Crucifixion" (1604).
At the same time he was painting the "Vision of Gregory the Great" and the "Punishment of David" in the Basilica of San Pietro inPerugia. The papal legate, cardinal Bonifazio Bevilacqua (1571–1627), who had commissioned these paintings, was so pleased that he invested Ventura Salimbeni with theOrder of the Golden Spur, a very selective papal order. He was even authorized from now on to name himself Cavalieri Bevilacqua. He painted the canvas of theAscension of the Virgin (1607) forSan Frediano, Pisa.
In 1612 he painted the "Life of Saint Galganus" for theChurch of the Santuccio in Siena with the hermit saint set in a wooded landscape.
His last work of art was the oil painting the "Marriage of the Virgin" for the Seminario Diocesano inFoligno in 1613.
He was influenced byFederico Barocci,Domenico Beccafumi, and by the rich and harmonious palette ofLodovico Cigoli. Among his pupils wasAlessandro Casolani.
In the period between 1589 and 1594 he also made in Rome some etchings, of which seven survive. They are among the finest Italian prints of the period. The earliest dated, and the largest, is theBaptism of Christ of 1589, which he produced in collaboration with the more experiencedAmbrogio Brambilla.
