Pietro da Cortona , of its true name Pietro Berrettini (in French Pierre de Cortone ) (Cortona, November 1st 1596 - Rome, May 16th 1669) is a Artist-painter and a Italian Architecte of the starting Baroque.

One knows especially his work in the field of the decorative frescos and painting.

Under the pontificate of Urbain VIII (of which it made a portrait), it was one of the principal architects operating in Rome, with the Bernin and Borromini.

It arrives at Rome in 1612 and studies the large Masters (Raphaël, A. Carrache) and copies the antiques. It begins its career with the service from the Sacchetti family which entrusts to him in 1623 the building site of the villa of Pigneto. With the Sacchetti palate, it meets the Marin rider and the Barberini cardinal, who becomes his guard. By its intermediary, it obtains its first great ordering of painting, the cycle of decorations with fresco of Holy Bibiane in Rome (1624-1626), whose frontage was carried out by Bernin. The success which it meets opens him an active career: in 1629, it paints the Removal of Sabines which becomes the proclamation of painting baroque Roman. In 1633-1639, it carries out for the pope Urbain VIII (Mafeo Barberini) its most famous fresco: the Glory of Barberini, which is on the ceiling of the large living room of the palate of Barberini, in Rome. This painted decoration is also called “the Triumph of Divine Providence”. It is about an allegory of Providence and divine capacity of Barberini. This large fresco is animated, abounds characters seen in an extreme low-angle shot (sotto in known), which characterizes its illusionists effects.

It will become principle (prince) of the Accademia di San Luca of Rome.

The architectural projects most known

It is necessary to quote the church of the saints Luc and Martine close to the Forum (finished in 1664, the shape in Greek cross of this church is due for him), the notable embellishment of the outside of Santa Maria della Pace (1656 - 1667) and the frontage (with a surprising Loggia) Santa Maria in Via Lata (towards 1660).

It is him which made the plans of Castel Gandolfo such as it is today. Other work is not seen any more: the Casino Al Pigneto del Marchese Sacchetti and the Villa Pigneto Sacchetti close to Ostie.

Boards of anatomy

Before becoming famous as architect, Pietro drew anatomical boards which would be published only one century after its death in 1741. The boards of Tabulae anatomicae were undoubtedly made up towards 1618. The dramatic installations and finely studied are in the style of the other artists like the Rebirth and the Baroque, but are particularly expressive.

Some works in the museums

• César gives Cléopâtre on the throne of Egypt , (~1637) oil on fabric of 255 cm X 266 cm with the Musée of the Art schools of Lyon

External bonds

• ''Tabulae anatomicae''

Source