Pietro Aquila

Pietro Aquila (* around 1630 in Marsala, † 1692 in Alcamo ) was an Italian painter, draftsman and printmaker of the Baroque in Rome and Sicily.

Life

About his first education in Sicily is not known. Well at an early age he came to Rome, where he was at the Accademia di San Luca student of Pietro del Pò.

Aquila was in the second half of the 17th century an important draftsman, etcher and engraver, the numerous works of other artists transposed graphically.

Well in the eighties he returned to Sicily, where he is said to have painted for various churches panel paintings. However, its activity is detected only in the Santa Maria della Pietà ( Palermo), for whom he painted two altarpieces, stylistically enlehnen at Carlo Maratta.

Best known is its extensive portfolio of engravings of the frescoes of Annibale Carracci in the Farnese villa (Rome). In addition, he created engravings after paintings by Raphael, Carlo Maratta, Giovanni Lanfranco, but also of his own works.

His nephew and pupil was the engraver Francesco Faraone Aquila (Palermo, 1690-1740 ).

Works

• Palazzo Massimo ( Roccasecca dei Volsci ): Madonna del Rosario
• Santa Maria della Pietà ( Palermo): panel paintings ( octagon ) " The priest Melchizedek welcomed Abraham " and " Return of the Prodigal Son" ( 1685 ).
• Graphic work on the frescoes by Annibale Carracci at Palazzo Farnese ( 1678)
• Graphic work to Raphael's frescoes in the Vatican loggias (1675 in Rome published)
• Graphic work " assembly of the gods " by Giovanni Lanfranco's frescoes in the Villa Borghese
• The victory of Constantine over Maxentius (1683 )