Gregorio Guglielmi (13 December 1714,
Rome - 2 February 1773,
Saint Petersburg) was an Italian-born fresco painter who worked primarily in Germany.
Biography
His artistic education concluded with lessons from
Francesco Trevisani
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Frances ...
, but he was already turning toward the
Academic style of
Sebastiano Conca, with whom he may also have studied.
[''Le Muse'', Ed. by De Agostini, Novara, 1964, Vol.V] There are some indications that he studied in Paris during the 1740s and became acquainted with
Claude Joseph Vernet. Early on, he obtained the patronage of Cardinal
Alessandro Albani and may have also been supported by Cardinal
Neri Maria Corsini.
In 1752, he was invited to Naples by the architect,
Ferdinando Fuga
Ferdinando Fuga (11 November 1699 – 7 February 1782) was an Italian architect who was born in Florence, and is known for his work in Rome and Naples. Much of his early work was in Rome, notably, the Palazzo della Consulta (1732–7) at the Quiri ...
, but court intrigues prevented him from obtaining any major commissions. However, Queen
Maria Amalia introduced him to her father, Elector
Frederick Augustus II
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, caption = Portrait by Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein
, image_size = 220px
, reign = 6 June 1836 – 9 August 1854
, coronation =
, predecessor = Anthony
...
, who arranged for him to work in
Dresden.
[Biography from the '' Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani'' @ Treccani]
His Academic inclinations were enhanced in Germany; where he met
Pietro Metastasio. In 1755, he created
fresco
Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...
es, inspired by Metastasio, at what is now the
Austrian Academy of Sciences, and in
Schönbrunn Palace, upon commission by the
Sardinian ambassador, Luigi Gerolamo Malabaila (1704-1773). The latter were heavily damaged in World War II. In 1764, at the invitation of a painter named Sophonia De Derichs (1712-1773), he was working in Berlin. A major project, proposed by King
Stanisław August Poniatowski
Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1764 to 1795, and the last monarch ...
for
Ujazdów Castle never came to fruition.
The following year, he made a temporary return to Italy to paint an
altarpiece
An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...
at the and murals at the
Royal Palace
This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent.
Africa
* Abdin Palace, Cairo
* Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo
* Koubbeh Palace, Cairo
* Tahra Palace, Cairo
* Menelik Palace
* Jubilee Palace
* Guenete Leul Palace
* Imperial Palace- Massa ...
in
Turin, followed by frescoes at the
Cappella Colleoni
The Cappella Colleoni (Italian: "Colleoni Chapel") is a chapel and mausoleum attached to the Basilica of St. Mary Major in the northern Italian city of Bergamo.
Dedicated to the saints Bartholomew, Mark and John the Baptist, it was built ...
in
Bergamo
Bergamo (; lmo, Bèrghem ; from the proto- Germanic elements *''berg +*heim'', the "mountain home") is a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from Switzerland, the alpine lakes Como ...
. He then went back to Germany, creating frescoes for the main hallway at the
Schaezlerpalais
The Schaezlerpalais is a baroque palace in Augsburg. The palace extends far back from the street, encompassing dozens of rooms, courtyards and gardens. The gilded mirrored ballroom was built between 1765-1770 and has survives intact. it is widely r ...
in
Augsburg.
As early as 1767, he had submitted drawings to the Russian court in Saint Petersburg. In 1770, he was finally called there by
Catherine the Great
, en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes
, house =
, father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
, mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
, birth_date =
, birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anhal ...
, assisted by the De Derichs, who had already established themselves at the court. But, except for some portraits, his work there never progressed beyond the initial sketches.
In fact, it was said (by the sculptor,
Étienne Maurice Falconet), that he died of a "putrid fever" after Catherine severely criticized a portrait of her. For some commentators, the fact that he and De Derichs died on the same day, followed by De Derichs' wife the day after, suggests that they were poisoned. No motive has been proposed, although Falconet's comment may indicate that he was not well-liked.
References
Further reading
* Edith Gabrielli; ''Gregorio Guglielmi: pittore romano del Settecento'' (exhibition catalog) Istituto poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Libreria dello Stato, 2009
* Stefanie von Langen; ''Die Fresken von Gregorio Guglielmi'', Tuduv-Verlag, 1994
External links
Biographyfrom the ''
Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani'' @
Treccani
Guglielmi@ the ''
Artcyclopedia''
More works by Guglielmi@ ArtNet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guglielmi, Gregorio
1714 births
1773 deaths
Italian painters
Fresco painters
Painters from Rome
Italian emigrants to Germany