Giovanni Battista Crescenzi

Giovanni Battista Crescenzi (* January 17, 1577 in Rome, † March 17, 1635 in Madrid ) was an Italian architect and painter of the early Baroque. He worked as an architect first in Rome, especially in the papal supervision and then in Madrid, Spain. He came from a leading family of Rome, his brother was the Cardinal Pietro Paolo Crescenzi.

Giovanni Battista Crescenzi was married to Anna Massima, their son Alessandro Agostino was elevated to cardinal in 1675. The CV of Giovanni Battista Crescenzi 's good to prove, since it is included in 1642 written by the painter and writer Giovanni Baglione collection of artist biographies Roman painter of the early Baroque ..

Work in Rome to 1617

Giovanni Battista Crescenzi was like his brother of the Tuscan painter Cristoforo Roncalli (1552-1626) taught in painting and graphics and was then involved by 1605 in Rome at the design of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore and the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. He came to some prominence during the reign of Pope Paul V, especially as to the monitoring of construction projects commissioned architect of the Pope. But its origin and artistic training enabled him also as a mediator between painters and private clients appear and develop on the art market in transition to private collectors as a mediator. He took it upon himself to monitor the delivery and quality of his supervision commission work on images and mediated Italian paintings to collectors all over Europe. However, a patronage relationship between Crescenzi, its artists and the client was still present and Crescenzi merely advisory and intermediary between man and not, as later then usual, an independent art agent on behalf of the professional artist. However, the emergence and operation of early modern art world can be viewed in its role.

Working in Spain from 1617 onwards

Giovanni Battista Crescenzi 1617 went from Rome to Madrid, where he continued his mediation and delivered in 1631, for example, still images selected by him in the collection of the British Royal Family. He also inspired the Spanish King Philip III. for still life. On Crescenzis influence the purchase of a still life by Juan Sánchez Cotán 1618 by the King went back and also the appointment of Juan van der Hamen y León to the court. He also had himself some still life Juan van der Hamens. From 1620 he was involved among other things, the design of the Palace of the King of Spain, the Escorial, known today. Mainly as a builder of the Pantheon, located outside of Madrid gilded grave laying of the Spanish Royal Family He was also the architect of the building of today's Foreign Ministry in Madrid, an important example of Spanish architecture in the early 17th century. The art style in Spain was influenced at that time still mainly by the late Renaissance art, architecture mainly by the Herrera style. However, the architects at the time Crezcenzi started new decorative details add and prepared so slowly the beginning of the Baroque church art as the mid-17th century in Spain before the Counter-Reformation. Crescenzi brought here the Italian Manerismus, the transitional form between the Renaissance and the Baroque with it. The influence Crescenzis on the development of architecture in Spain can be considered significant, during his lifetime he was known for his works of Philip III. awarded by Spain with the title of Marquis de la Torre and appointed a Knight of the Order of Santiago.

Crescenzi and Velázquez

1627 prompted the Spanish king a drawing competition and Giovanni Battista Crescenzi was named one of the jury members. Velázquez was chosen unanimously as the winner and then received among the court painters of pre-eminence.

Image Works (selection)

Apparently from the documentary detectable paintings Crescenzis remained not get. However, drawings and other images such as a pencil drawing of an Italian countryside and a dozen still life with fruit in the style of Natura Morta him to be assigned, assigned in the typical Italian Baroque imagery to the transience of life, mostly still privately owned.

Pupil and successor

The Italian-born painter Bartolomeo Cavarozzi (1590 - 1625) was a student and was Crescenzis 1617 traveled to Spain to support for a year, work on the Escorial.

Master of the Hartford Still - life?

Giovanni Battista Crescenzi is proposed as the identity of the unnamed Master of the Hartford Still - life; this was an Italian painter of the Baroque, in Rome worked around 1590/1610 and lush still life painted in the style of natura morta, a baroque language of symbols to indicate the transience of existence.

Master of the Acquavella Still Life?

Giovanni Battista Crescenzi is proposed as the identity of the unnamed Master of the Acquavella Still Life.