Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 44 works by Giulio Cesare Procaccini in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Giulio Cesare Procaccini left, the most famous is The Annunciation (1620), in the collection of the The Louvre, Paris. Close behind it come Samson and the Philistines (1625) and The Raising of the Cross (1617). Our catalog holds 44 works by Giulio Cesare Procaccini; the gallery has kept the 42 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
In the masterpiece The Annunciation, created in 1620, Giulio Cesare Procaccini captures the profound moment when the angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will bear a son, Jesus. The composition is defined by a sense of movement and energy, with the figures of Gabriel and Mary arranged along a diagonal line. Through the masterful use of chiaroscuro, the artist employs strong contrasts between light and dark to…
The canvas is a knot of twisting limbs and straining muscle. Samson and the Philistines collide in a dense, chaotic fray where the air seems thick with the scent of dust and iron. Diagonal lines of bone and steel cut through the center of the struggle, pulling the eye into the immediate violence of the combat. Deep ochre and sienna tones ground the scene, while pale flesh tones catch a…
The canvas is a collision of muscle and shadow. A heavy, tilted cross cuts a sharp diagonal across the dark space, forcing the eye upward toward the pale, contorted torso of Christ. Light falls with a sudden, theatrical intensity, catching the tension in a strained limb and the wetness of a wound. Around this central agony, figures press inward, their bodies twisting in a rhythmic, organic struggle against the weight…
Shadows press in from the edges of the frame, creating a dark, indeterminate space that pushes the figures toward the viewer. In this quiet pocket of time, the Holy Family finds a brief respite. The infant Christ lies reclined, his pale, luminous skin acting as the primary source of light within the composition. Mary and Joseph lean toward him, their bodies forming a protective, pyramidal shape that anchors the scene.…
In this 1617 oil painting, we find ourselves in an intimate encounter with Cupid, captured in a moment of quiet, focused movement. The young figure is seen from a three-quarter rear view, reaching upward toward a quiver of arrows, a gesture that suggests both innocence and the impending weight of his mythological duty. The composition is centered, drawing the eye immediately to the soft, fleshy tones of the child's skin,…
Coronation of the Virgin with Saints Joseph and Francis of Assisi is an oil on panel by the Italian artist Giulio Cesare Procaccini. Born in Bologna, Italy, in 1574, Procaccini established himself as a significant figure in the early Baroque era before his death in 1625. This specific work is an autonomous composition rather than a modello or preparatory study.
The Lowering of the Cross with Sts Mary Magdalene, Augustine, Jerome and Angels is a significant work by Giulio Cesare Procaccini, executed circa 1618. The artist was a leading painter active in Lombardy and Milan during the early 17th century, contributing to the expressive dynamism of the era.
In this intimate oil painting from 1587, we find ourselves drawn into a private, sacred moment between Mary and the Christ Child. The composition is built upon a stable, triangular arrangement that directs the eye toward the center of the holy family. Mary is draped in a red garment and a blue mantle, her presence defined by the soft, pale skin of her face and the infant held in her…
The Lamentation of Christ is a significant religious work by the Italian painter Giulio Cesare Procaccini. Created about 1611, this oil painting captures a moment of profound sorrow following the crucifixion. The composition centers on the figure of Jesus Christ, whose presence forms the emotional and physical anchor of the piece.
In this oil painting on panel, the central figures are the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, positioned closely within a tight, focused arrangement. The background is composed of deep, pitch-black shadows that create a sense of tenebrism. From an unseen source, highly directional light emerges to illuminate the pale skin tones of the subjects and the textures of their clothing. This lighting highlights the faces and limbs against the…
Holy Family1587 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
12
The Marriage of Saint Catherine1587 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
13
Holy Family with Angel1587 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
14
Mary Magdalen with Saint John the Baptist and an Angel1600 · Attingham Park
15
The Apotheosis of Saint Charles Borromeo1620 · National Gallery of Ireland
16
The Holy Family with Angels1610 · Royal Collection
17
Dead Christ with Angels1617 · Scottish National Gallery
18
Peace Driving War away1620
19
Martyrdom of Saint Justina1609
20
The Ecstasy of the Magdalen1620 · National Gallery of Art
21
Madonna and Child with St. John and an Angel1610 · Kunsthistorisches Museum
22
Madonna with child, John the Baptist, and an angel1750 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
23
The Virgin and Child with the Infant St John the Baptist and Attendant AngelsNational Gallery of Scotland
24
Ecce Homo1615 · Dallas Museum of Art
25
Holy Family1587 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
26
Holy Family with John the Baptist and an Angel1620 · Hermitage Museum
27
Venus and Cupids1620
28
Madonna and Child with Sts Francis and Dominic and Angels1610 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
29
Matyrdom of St Rufina and St Seconda (detail)1625 · Pinacoteca di Brera
30
Madonna and ChildHermitage Museum
31
Holy FamilyMusée de Grenoble
32
The Scourging of ChristMuseum of Fine Arts
33
Nativity
34
Susanna and the Elders
35
St Sebastian Tended by Angels1610 · Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts
36
Saint CatherineWorcester Art Museum
37
The Martyrdom of St Sebastian
38
Agony in the Garden1618 · Museo del Prado
39
Marriage of the Virgin1617 · Galleria Nazionale
40
Appearance of Christ to Saint Roch1624
41
The Mystic Marriage of St CatherinePinacoteca di Brera
42
Matyrdom of St Rufina and St Seconda1625 · Pinacoteca di Brera
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Giulio Cesare Procaccini | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bavarian State Painting Collections |
Munich | 6 | Mary with the Christ Child, Holy Family, The Marriage of Saint Catherine |
 Scottish National Gallery |
Edinburgh | 3 | The Raising of the Cross, Cupid, Dead Christ with Angels |
 Pinacoteca di Brera |
Milan | 3 | Matyrdom of St Rufina and St Seconda (detail), The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine, Matyrdom of St Rufina and St Seconda |
 Museo del Prado |
Madrid | 2 | Samson and the Philistines, Agony in the Garden |
 Kunsthistorisches Museum |
Vienna | 2 | Lamentation of Christ, Madonna and Child with St. John and an Angel |
 Hermitage Museum |
Saint Petersburg | 2 | Holy Family with John the Baptist and an Angel, Madonna and Child |
 The Louvre |
Paris | 1 | The Annunciation |
 Statens Museum For Kunst |
Copenhagen | 1 | The Holy Family. The Rest on the Flight into Egypt |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
In this intimate oil painting from 1587, we find ourselves drawn into a private, sacred moment between Mary and the Christ Child. The composition is built upon a stable, triangular arrangement that directs the eye toward the center of the holy family. Mary is draped in a red garment and a blue mantle, her presence defined by the soft, pale skin of her face and the infant held in her…
Coronation of the Virgin with Saints Joseph and Francis of Assisi is an oil on panel by the Italian artist Giulio Cesare Procaccini. Born in Bologna, Italy, in 1574, Procaccini established himself as a significant figure in the early Baroque era before his death in 1625. This specific work is an autonomous composition rather than a modello or preparatory study.
The canvas is a collision of muscle and shadow. A heavy, tilted cross cuts a sharp diagonal across the dark space, forcing the eye upward toward the pale, contorted torso of Christ. Light falls with a sudden, theatrical intensity, catching the tension in a strained limb and the wetness of a wound. Around this central agony, figures press inward, their bodies twisting in a rhythmic, organic struggle against the weight…
In the masterpiece The Annunciation, created in 1620, Giulio Cesare Procaccini captures the profound moment when the angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will bear a son, Jesus. The composition is defined by a sense of movement and energy, with the figures of Gabriel and Mary arranged along a diagonal line. Through the masterful use of chiaroscuro, the artist employs strong contrasts between light and dark to…
The Annunciation (1620), The Louvre, Paris. Samson and the Philistines (1625) and The Raising of the Cross (1617) come next.
46 years old: The Annunciation dates from 1620, and Giulio Cesare Procaccini was born in 1574.
The Annunciation, Samson and the Philistines, The Raising of the Cross, The Holy Family. The Rest on the Flight into Egypt, Cupid, Coronation of the Virgin with Saints Joseph and Francis of Assisi, The Lowering of the Cross with Sts Mary ..., Mary with the Christ Child, Lamentation of Christ and Virgin and Child with Angels. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 44 works by Giulio Cesare Procaccini, dated from 1587 to 1625.
Mostly in Bavarian State Painting Collections (Munich), Scottish National Gallery (Edinburgh) and Pinacoteca di Brera (Milan). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1610s: 14 of the 42 works on this page were made then, The Raising of the Cross among them.
On this page, the earliest is Mary with the Christ Child (1587) and the latest Samson and the Philistines (1625).
Woman (19), Child (14) and Drapery (11), across the 42 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 23 of the 42 works on this page.
Baroque, judging by the originals on this page.
Mary with the Christ Child, Holy Family and The Marriage of Saint Catherine: the Bavarian State Painting Collections, Munich holds 6 of the works on this page.
Giulio Cesare Procaccini stands as a pivotal figure in the burgeoning artistic landscape of early Baroque Milan, marking a decisive transition from Mannerist formalism to the expressive dynamism that would define an era. Born in Bologna in 1574, he descended from a lineage steeped in profound artistic tradition; his father, Ercole Procaccini the Elder, was himself a notable Mannerist painter. This heritage profoundly shaped his formative years, instilling within him an appreciation for nuanced stylistic complexities and a technical rigor that would later allow him to masterfully blend grace with grandeur. Around 1585, spurred by the influential patronage of Pierro Visconti, the family relocated to Milan, establishing a crucial connection with one of Italy’s wealthiest art collectors and fostering an environment ripe for the artistic experimentation that would become Procaccini's hallmark.
The artist's creative journey began not with the brush, but with the chisel. His early training was rooted in sculptural endeavors, primarily focused on the sacred spaces of the Milanese Duomo and Santa Maria presso San Celso. This tactile foundation in sculpture left an indelible mark on his later paintings, manifesting in a unique sense of volume, weight, and anatomical presence. However, he eventually transitioned to painting, recognizing its unparalleled capacity for conveying intense emotion and celestial light. During this period of development, Procaccini moved within the highest intellectual circles of Milan, associating with luminaries such as Giovanni Battista Crespi, known as Il Cerano, and Pier Francesco Mazzucchelli, or Il Morazzone. Under the spiritual and material guidance of Cardinal Federico Borromeo, Procaccini's creative output was propelled toward greatness, allowing him to capture the very spirit of the Counter-Reformation.
Procaccini’s mature style is a breathtaking synthesis of various European influences, most notably the vibrant colorism of the Venetian school and the sweeping, energetic compositions of Peter Paul Rubens. His works are characterized by a dramatic use of chiaroscuro, where deep shadows dance against luminous highlights to create a sense of theatrical movement. In masterpieces such as The Annunciation, one can witness this Baroque drama firsthand, as vibrant colors and swirling drapery evoke a profound sense of divine intervention. His ability to manipulate light allowed him to breathe life into religious narratives, transforming static icons into living, breathing moments of spiritual ecstasy.
His technical prowess is perhaps most evident in his large-scale religious commissions, which served both as artistic triumphs and instruments of faith. Notable examples include:
The historical significance of Giulio Cesare Procaccini lies in his role as a bridge between two worlds. He took the sophisticated, often artificial elegance of the Mannerist period and infused it with a new, visceral humanity that resonated with the religious fervor of 17th-century Italy. His work does not merely depict a scene; it invites the viewer into a sensory experience of the divine. Through his mastery of color, light, and movement, he helped establish Milan as a major center of Baroque excellence, leaving behind a legacy of altarpieces and frescoes that continue to captivate the modern imagination with their profound emotional depth and technical brilliance.
