Benedetto Luti was an Italian painter.
Luti was born in Florence on 17 November 1666.
In 1691, he moved to Rome, where he was patronized by Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, an enthusiast of Luti's pastel portraiture. Luti was one of the first artists to work in pastels as the final composition as opposed to initial studies for paintings or frescoes. He also worked in oils and painted frescoes, including for the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano.
Luti was also a successful art dealer and ran a school of drawing; among his pupils were Giovanni Domenico Piastrini, Giovanni Paolo Panini, Claude Arnulphy, Jean-Baptiste van Loo, William Kent, Charles-André van Loo, Gaetano Sardi, Agostino Ratti, Pietro Bianchi, and Placido Costanzi.
In 1720, he was knighted in the Academy of St Luke of Rome and elected Principe. The appointment was not without controversy, since some:
"could not find anything (of Luti's) worthy of memory for the benefit of the arts. Pascoli's of account Luti, found him a deep intellect, and even more knowledgeable of the works that he draws, although ... because he knew too much and was never satisfied, he oftentimes recycled thoughts and figures: he did not make friends with anyone, and for this reason, when was elected Prince of the Academy, there was not much applause."
The next year he dedicated himself to painting frescoes the cupola of the Church of Santi Luca e Martina in Rome.
Pius V and the Ambassador of the King of Poland at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1712
Christ and the Woman of Samaria at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1715-20
Young Girl (1717), pastel on paper
Young Boy (1717), pastel on paper
Boy with the flute (c. 1720), oil on canvas
Apollo and Daphne, oil on canvas
Allegory of Wisdom
Rebecca at Well
St Catherine, oil on canvas
Seated Nude Male Figure (recto); Seated Figure (verso) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

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