born Nov. 4, 1575, Bologna, Papal States [Italy]
died Aug. 18, 1642, Bologna
early Italian Baroque painter noted for the classical idealism of his renderings
of mythological and religious subjects.
First apprenticed to the Flemish painter Denis Calvaert at the age of 10, Reni
was later influenced by the novel naturalism of the Carracci, a Bolognese family
of painters. In 1599 he was received into the guild of painters, and after 1601
he divided his time between his studios in Bologna and Rome. Upon gaining
prominence Reni surrounded himself with helpers—such as Giovanni Lanfranco,
Francesco Albani, and Antonio Carracci—who were fascinated by his noble if
somewhat tyrannical personality.
In his early career Reni executed important commissions for Pope Paul V and
Scipione Cardinal Borghese, painting numerous frescoes in chapels for these and
other patrons. Among these works is the celebrated fresco “Aurora” (1613–14). In
his religious and mythological paintings, Reni evolved a style that tempered
Baroque exuberance and complexity with classical restraint. Such compositions as
“Atalanta and Hippomenes” (1625) show his preference for gracefully posed
figures that mirror antique ideals. In the later part of his career, Reni
employed lighter tones, softer colours, and extremely free brushwork.
Except for the work of the Carracci family, the frescoes of Raphael and ancient
Greek sculptures were the main inspiration for Reni's art. He strove toward a
classical harmony in which reality is presented in idealized proportions. The
mood of his paintings is calm and serene, as are the studied softness of colour
and form. His religious compositions made him one of the most famous painters of
his day in Europe, and a model for other Italian Baroque artists.
The Rape of Dejanira
Oil on canvas, 259 x 193 cm
Musee du Louvre, Paris
The Triumph of Samson
1611-12
Oil on canvas
Pinacoteca Nazionale, Bologna
Portrait of an Old Woman
1611-12
Oil on canvas, 34,5 x 28 cm
Pinacoteca Nazionale, Bologna
Susanna and the Elders
c. 1620
Oil on canvas, 113 x 118 cm
City Art Gallery, Auckland
Angel of the Annunciation
Oil on canvas, 58,5 x 46,5 cm
Landesmuseum, Oldenburg
Virgin of the Annunciation
Oil on canvas, 58,5 x 46,5 cm
Landesmuseum, Oldenburg
Cleopatra with the Asp
c. 1630
Oil on canvas, 113,7 x 94,9 cm
Royal Collection, Windsor
Cleopatra
1635-40
Oil on canvas, 122 x 96 cm
Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence
St Joseph
Oil on canvas
Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Venice
St Joseph with the Infant Jesus
c. 1635
Oil on canvas, 126 x 101 cm
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg
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