Pietro Liberi
(1614 - 1687) |
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Altarpieces, Secular Narratives, Historical Narratives Art Work
| Name: |
Pietro Liberi |
| Gender: |
Male |
| Place of Birth: |
Padua |
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| Birth: |
1614 |
| Death: |
1687 |
| Website: |
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| Past Auctions: |
Click Here |
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Quick Facts
| Known For: |
Altarpieces, Secular Narratives, Historical Narratives |
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| Fine Art Profession(s): |
Painting
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Biography
| As famous once as he is now unknown, Libcri has been called a pupil of Varotan, but his extensive travels exposed Liberi to a wide range of artistic currents. Besides his youthful adventures as a soldier, merchant, and according to some reports, slave, which took him along the Mediterranean coast to the Middle East, Portugal, and Tunisia, Liberi also traveled to Hungary, France, and Spain. Between 1638 and 1641 he was in Rome, where he enthusiastically absorbed the artistic environs, including its ancient, Renaissance, and contemporary treasures. The works of Pietro da Cortona* and Annibale Carracci* made a particularly strong impression on him. He visited Siena, Florence, and Parma on his way back to Venice, where he arrived in 1643. His exposure to the Academic traditions of Rome and Florence resulted in Liberi adopting this approach in Venice. He was successful, receiving numerous commissions throughout his career. Early important works include the high altar for the Church of SS. John and Paul, and the St. Antonio altar in the Chiesa della Salute. Between 1656 and 1658 he produced the Victory of the Dardanelles, a vast battle picture, for the Ducal Palace in Venice. In 1658 he arrived in Vienna and became court painter. Commissions arrived from Germany and surrounding areas where his mythologies and histories were in great demand. By the late months of 1659 he was back in Venice, where he produced a notable work, The Brazen Serpent, for S. Pietro di Castello. Commissions also flowed in from surrounding centers. For Bergamo he painted The Great Flood for S. Maria Maggiore. In 1665 he produced a ceiling fresco depicting St. Antonio in Glory for the church of S. Antonio in Padua. The paintings of Sebastiano Mazzoni* and Luca Giordano* are considered very influential on this phase of his career. In 1671 his wealth (reportedly gained in part by counterfeiting jewels) was such that he had a palace built on the Grand Canal (the Moro-Lin) and he established a painting academy. While his work has been praised for its grace and delicacy, not only of painted surface but also of subject matter, he has also been criticized for facility and lack of depth. His light, almost frothy pictures should be better known. He can correctly be considered a forerunner of the rococo. |
Samples of Work
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