Early Life and Training
Federico Fiori Barocci, an Italian Renaissance painter and printmaker, was born in 1535 in Urbino, Italy. His original name was
Federico Fiori, and he was nicknamed
Il Baroccio, which means a two-wheel cart drawn by oxen in northwestern Italian dialects.
Barocci received his earliest apprenticeship with his father,
Ambrogio Barocci, a sculptor of some local eminence. He was then apprenticed with the painter
Battista Franco in Urbino. This training laid the foundation for his future success.
Artistic Career and Influences
Barocci's work was highly esteemed and influential, foreshadowing the Baroque style of Peter Paul Rubens. He worked in the pre-eminent studio of Taddeo and Federico Zuccari in Rome, where he was exposed to various artistic influences.
- His first notable work was a St. Margaret executed for the Confraternity of the Holy Sacrament.
- He was invited by Pope Pius IV to assist in the decoration of the Vatican Belvedere Palace at Rome, where he painted the Virgin Mary and Infant, with several Saints and a ceiling in fresco, representing the Annunciation.
- Barocci's style was characterized by a mix of Mannerism and Baroque elements, as seen in his Madonna del Popolo (Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy).
Notable Works and Legacy
Artistic Impact and Followers
Barocci's influence can be seen in the work of various artists, including
Peter Paul Rubens, who was inspired by Barocci's dramatic and emotive brushwork. His legacy continues to be celebrated through his numerous works, now housed in museums such as the
Uffizi Gallery (Florence, Italy) and the
musée du Louvre (Paris, France).
- View more of Barocci's works on WahooArt.com
- Explore the Italian Renaissance art movement and its impact on Western art on WahooArt.com
Discover more about Federico Fiori Barocci and the Italian Renaissance on WahooArt.com.