Federico Fiori Barocci

Early Life and Training

• Born: Urbino, Italy (1535)
• Died: 1612
• 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.

Notable Works and Legacy

• Five Studies of Male Figure and two of His Right Hand and Arm (Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy) - A testament to Barocci’s skill in capturing the human form.
• Composition Study (for “Circumcision”, Paris, Musée du Louvre) – Demonstrates his ability to balance composition and emotion.
• Man’s Head (for “Calling of Saint Andrew”, Bruxelles, Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique) - Showcases Barocci's attention to detail and expression.
• The Nativity (1597 oil painting at the Prado).
• Madonna del Popolo (Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy).
• The Madonna of the Cat (La Madonna del Gatto)
• Annunciation (1582)

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).