GUERCINO

Giovan Francesco Barbieri (Cento 1591 - Bologna 1666), gained the nickname Guercino (=squinter),  because of his squint right eye. He showed an early talent for drawing, thanks to which only 9 years began his adventure as a painter. His poor father, was able to accommodate the son at home of Bertozzi, otherwise unknown painter, so the small Guercino learned to fiddle with the colors, for "little money". Then he continued his apprenticeship passing from a modest painter to another equally modest.
Guercino remembers this early period for the influence of Ludovico Carracci, in particular the “Madonna and Child with Saints”, which he called "my Carraccina”.

In Guercino's artistic career customary has been distinguished "three ways", the first way is inspired by nature, portrayed with a realism away from each academy. The naturalistic approach did say that he  painted under the sign of Caravaggio, but the use of light in Caravaggio is functional to the dramatization of the representation, while in Guercino has value in itself. The “Landscape in the moonlight” is one of the highest examples of this early style.

Achieved a certain notoriety in 1617 founded a school of painting, "L'Accademia del Nudo" (=the Academy of the Nude), which, is not altogether surprising, the school was very successful, as evidenced by “The Bathers”.
And here we must make an aside: the wild Guercino remained celibate for life, it seems that he did not want his freedom should suffer from any constraints.

During this time won the esteem of Alessandro Ludovisi, who, become Pope Gregory XV, called him to Rome where Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi, nephew of the Pope, put in his hands the great villa he had just purchased from Cardinal Del Monte (the discoverer of Caravaggio).

This villa with its famous and large park in 1883 was destroyed and what today remains is the so-called Casino dell’Aurora (=Dawn).
The Ludovisi were in competition with the other great Roman family: the Borghese, who had entrusted the triumphant Guido Reni the decoration of a wing of one of their villas.

In comparison with the classic Reni, Guercino shows an happy fantasy, playing on the dynamism of forms, lights and colors, as shown in the painting “Et in Arcadia Ego”, exposed in the Barberini Gallery.

Guercino fantasy - click to enlarge

In Rome, was born the second manner of Guercino, whose best example is the great altarpiece “The Burial of St. Petronilla”, now in a dedicated room of the Pinacoteca Capitolina, but initially and until 1730 was in St. Peter in Vatican. On the way please note that the Pinacoteca Capitolina exhibits an excellent (or should we say great), collection of “Guercino”.

Also in Rome in the chapel of St. Augustine, in the homonymous church, is exposed the altar piece, in St. Peter in Vincoli, one can see the “Santa Margarita”, and in Santa Maria della Vittoria “the Holy Trinity”.

Parmesan Lanfranco nine years older than Guercino had some influence on the fellow, as can  see who will be curious to compare the works of two great Emilian (observe above all the male figures), which we present in this excursion inside the baroque painters.

When Pope Gregory XV Ludovisi in 1624 died, Guercino returned to his native Cento, load of glory, honor and well-endowed with money, his fame was spreading to all over Europe, so that he was invited in England and offered to pay his work "in which price he wanted”, but because behind the house had comfortable and wealthy clients, Guercino took off the hook by sending his painting “Semiramide” to London, avoiding the hassle of travel.

Come back to Cento begins his third way, which sees critical the art critics.

The charge is to follow the classicism of Guido Reni, who died shortly thereafter, in order to inherit his clients.

This third way saw the harsh confrontation between Academics and anti-Academics.  The Vision of San Bruno (1647), was for some (academics), proof of the maturity gained by Guercino, while for the others was the surrender of his youthful enthusiasm.

Judge for yourself.

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