By Anne Leader
Guido Reni died 18 August 1642 in Bologna. Born in the same city on 4 November 1575, Reni became one of the leading figures of Italian Baroque painting.
Reni began his career in his native Bologna alongside Domenichino in the studio of Flemish painter Denis Calvaert. By 1595 Reni was a member of the Carracciacademy. He worked on canvas and in fresco in Rome, Naples, Mantua, and Bologna for esteemed patrons including Pope Paul V and various members of Italy’s elite. Known for his graceful, classical style, gentle emotion, and sweetness, Reni dominated the Bolognese art scene after the death of his mentor Ludovico Carracci in 1619.
Reference: Richard E. Spear. “Reni, Guido.” Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press.
Further reading: The Divine Guido: Religion, Sex, Money, and Art in the World of Guido Reni by Richard E. Spear.
Aurora. Fresco. 1614. Rome: Casino Rospiglioso, Palazzo Pallavicini.
Charity, ca. 1630. Oil on canvas. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 1974.
Immaculate Conception, 1627. Oil on canvas. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Victor Wilbour Memorial Fund, 1959.)