Taddeo Zuccari

Taddeo Zuccari Taddeo Zuccaro or even Taddeo Zucchero (* 1529 in Sant'Angelo in Vado at Urbino, † 1566 in Rome) was an Italian painter and a major representative of Mannerism.

Life

Zuccari was born in 1529 as son of the largely unknown painter Ottaviano Zuccaro, who taught him. In 1540 his brother Federico was born. With the support of his father in 1543 Zuccari was the age of fourteen to Rome. Zuccari was able to win a number of wealthy clients for himself and soon earn as frescoes and Sgraffitimaler in churches and palaces his livelihood. His clients were the popes Julius III. and Paul IV, together with Prospero Fontana he worked on the decoration of the Villa Giulia. In 1556 he created the frescoes in the Cappela Mattei, a side chapel of the church of Santa Maria della Consolazione representing the Passion story. The frescoes reminiscent of the work of Francesco Salviati, Girolamo Muzianos, Sebastiano del Piombo, and Daniele da Volterra. His main work applies the decoration of the twelve state rooms in the Villa Farnese in Caprarola. Together with his brother he created around 1559 a number of important frescoes that portray both historical persons, as well as the history of the Farnese family tell.

Zuccari died in 1566 in Rome, he was buried in the Pantheon near the tomb of Raphael.

Works (selection)

• Adoration of the Magi, 1555, wood, 112 x 86 cm. Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum.
• Conversion of Saul, 1553, canvas, 68 × 47 cm. Rome, Galleria Doria Pamphily.
• Emperor Charles V at the capture of Tunis in 1535, 1563-65, fresco. Vatican City, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, Sala Regia.
• Dead Christ with Angels, canvas, 232 × 142 cm. Galleria Borghese, Rome.