Alessandro Leone Varotari (4 April 1588 – 20 July 1649), also commonly known as Il Padovanino, was an Italian painter of the late-

Mannerist Mannerism, which may also be known as Late Renaissance, is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Ita ...

and early- Baroque Venetian school, best known for having mentored

Pietro Liberi Pietro (Libertino) Liberi (1605 – 18 October 1687) was an Italian painter of the Baroque era, active mainly in Venice and the Veneto. Biography Liberi was born in Padua, his earliest training was with Alessandro Varotari (''il Padovanino''). ...

Giulio Carpioni Giulio Carpioni (1613 – 29 January 1678) was an Italian painter and etcher of the early Baroque era. Life Born probably in Venice, Carpioni studied under Alessandro Varotari (''il Padovanino'') and was also influenced by the work of Simone C ...

, and Bartolommeo Scaligero. He was the son of Dario Varotari the Elder and the brother of painter Chiara Varotari, who accompanied him on his travels and assisted with his work.Alessandro Varotari
in the

RKD The Netherlands Institute for Art History or RKD (Dutch: RKD-Nederlands Instituut voor Kunstgeschiedenis), previously Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie (RKD), is located in The Hague and is home to the largest art history center i ...

Biography

Born in

Padua Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...

, from which his nickname derives, he was the son of the local painter and architect Dario Varotari the Elder, who most probably provided his earliest training. Early paintings such as ''The incredulity of St. Thomas'', ''Virgin and Child'', and the ''Pentecost'' show the influence of

Titian Tiziano Vecelli or Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italian (Venetian) painter of the Renaissance, considered the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, nea ...

. Padovanino married Caterina Mesa 1612 in Padua. He moved to Venice in 1614. He is known to have traveled to

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

twice (in the mid-1610s and in 1625), where he was much employed in producing copies of major paintings by major

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

artists of the prior generation. In 1619 he worked on the mosaics of the

Basilica of San Marco The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark ( it, Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco), commonly known as St Mark's Basilica ( it, Basilica di San Marco; vec, Baxéłega de San Marco), is the cathedral church of the Catholic Pa ...

. In the following years he worked on decorating the interior of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. In 1625 he made another trip to Rome. He painted a major battle canvas entitled ''The victory of the Carnuti (Celts) over the Normans''. His pupils included

, Bartolomeo Scaliger,

Pietro della Vecchia Pietro della Vecchia, Pietro della Vècchia or Pietro Vècchia, formerly incorrectly called Pietro MuttoniBernard Aikema. "Vecchia, Pietro della."Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 5 March 2018 (Vicenza, 1603 &nda ...

and his own son,

Dario Varotari the Younger Dario Varotari the Younger (active 1660) was an Italian painter, engraver, and poet of the Baroque. He was born in Padua Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Ba ...

. His sister Chiara Varotari was a well known portraitist. Among his students was Caterina Tarabotti.

Style

Padovanino was a highly respected artist in his time. Although he had earned much of his fame due to his talents as a copyist, he still deserves a place in the history of painting. He had learned painting in the style of Titian, to whose spirit and style he was faithful throughout his career. His career lasted well into the seventeenth century. His paintings are characterized for their narrative ability and their sensuality. Image:Alessandro Varotari.jpg, ''Venus and Cupid'' File:Venus and Mars Surprised by Vulcan - Il padovanino (1631).jpg, ''Venus and Mars Surprised by Vulcan'' Image:Artgate Fondazione Cariplo - Varotari Alessandro, Europa e il toro.jpg, ''Rape of

Europa Europa may refer to: Places * Europe * Europa (Roman province), a province within the Diocese of Thrace * Europa (Seville Metro), Seville, Spain; a station on the Seville Metro * Europa City, Paris, France; a planned development * Europa Cliff ...

'' File:Padovanino Venus durmiente con angelitos col par.jpg, ''Venus sleeping with angels'' File:Orfeo y los animales (Padovanino).jpg, ''

Orfeus Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with Jason ...

'' File:MarsandVenusinChess.jpg, ''Mars and Venus playing Chess''

References

External links

Web Gallery of Art Biography

Grove encyclopedia entry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varotari, Alessandro 1588 births 1649 deaths Painters from Padua 16th-century Italian painters Italian male painters 17th-century Italian painters Italian Renaissance painters Painters from Venice