Who was Annibale Carracci? Everything You Need to Know

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Quick Facts

Birthday: November 3, 1560

Nationality: Italian

Died At Age: 48

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Born in: Bologna

Famous as: Painter

Artists Baroque Painters

Family:

siblings: Agostino Carracci

Died on: July 15, 1609

place of death: Rome

City: Bologna, Italy

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Annibale Carracci was one of the most influential Italian Baroque painters of the late 16th and early 17th century; he specialised in painting frescoes for the high and mighty in Italy. Annibale Carracci belonged to a family of modest means and he would not have been able to go on to become an artist had it not been for his cousin, who took an active interest in his future and taught him the intricacies of painting. Carracci started off in collaboration with his cousin and elder brother and the three collaborated in a lot of projects in their early years and later on he started off on his own as he went on to become one of the most sought after fresco painters in Italy. Carracci’s most famous work were the frescoes he drew at the Palazzo Farnese for a rich cardinal in Rome; these frescos are regarded by most art experts as his masterpiece. Although Annibale Carracci did not get the recognition that he should have got during his lifetime, it changed in later years as more and more people were able to comprehend the brilliance of his frescoes and the different paintings. His paintings can be found at many museums across the world.

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Childhood & Early Life

Annibale Carracci was born on November 3, 1560 in Bologna, Italy to and his wife. His father, Antonio Carracci, was a tailor and Annibale had an older brother named Agostino.

Annibale Carracci’s education as an artist started within his family when his and his brother’s talent for painting was recognised. His cousin Lodovico, who was a painter in his own right, imparted Carracci with the necessary education.

Annibale Carracci went on a tour of the northern part of Italy including Venice in his late teens to get a firsthand look at the work of some of the masters and it had a profound effect on him.

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Career

In the early years of his career; Annibale Carracci often worked in collaboration with his elder brother and cousin. In 1582, he established his own studio with his brother and cousin.

In 1585, Carracci completed his first solo work when he completed an altarpiece titled ‘Baptism of Christ’ at a church in Bologna. Two years later he completed ‘The Assumption’ for San Rocco church.

Annibale Carracci worked with his brother Agostino and his cousin for three years starting from 1589 on the elaborated frescoes titled ‘Founding of Rome’ at Bologna’s Palazzo Mangani .

Carracci then partnered with Lucio Massari to create the altarpiece titled ‘Virgin on the throne with St. John and St. Catherine’ and also painted the ‘Resurrection of Christ’, which was his own creation.

In 1595, Annibale Carracci produced one of his most important works - painting titled ‘San Rocco Distributing Alms’; it remains one of the most famous of his early works.

Carracci’s work in his native Bologna was highly appreciated among artistic circles and in 1595 he was commissioned to paint frescoes at the palace of Odoardo Farnese in Rome and he worked on the project for a decade. The most famous fresco was ‘The Love of the Gods’ that adorned the ceiling of the palace and it is considered among one of the greatest frescoes ever painted.

In 1605, Carracci left Rome after Odoardo Farnese, for whom he delivered some of his best works, refused to pay him appropriately. Although it was one of the biggest setbacks of his career, he still managed to produce exemplary work before and after it happened. Some of the famous works include ‘Domine, Quo Vadis’, ‘The Flight into Egypt’, and ‘Entombment’ for Palazzo Albobrandani.

In his last years, Annibale Carracci was not as prolific a painter as he used to be in his early years. In fact in 1607, he failed to complete a commission given to him by the Duke of Modena.

Major Works

Annibale Carracci was a great painter and one of the greatest artists when it came to frescoes. He painted plenty of frescoes throughout his career but the ones that stand out are the ones he painted at the Palazzo Farnese from 1595 onwards. Those frescoes would go onto usher in a new era in the painting of frescoes.

Personal Life & Legacy

There is no record of Annibale Carracci ever having married or a romantic relationship during his life.

After recovering from a stroke, Annibale Carracci succumbed to a bout of fever on July 15, 1609 in Rome. He was only 48 years old.

Annibale Carracci Biography