Giovanni Francesco Barbieri best known as IL GUERCINO (Cento 1591- Bologna 1666)
is unanimously considered among the greatest italian painters of the XVIIth century.
In 1626 he has been called in Piacenza by Bishop Linati in order to complete the decoration of the great Cathedral Dome; in fact Morazzone, in charge by the Chapter since 1625, suddenly died just after having painted only 2 of the 8 Dome Gores; Linati follows the steps of his predecessor Bishop Rangoni, who had called, at the beginning of ’600, Camillo Procaccini and Ludovico Carracci to decorate the Cathedral Sanctuary.
Between 1626 and 1627 Guercino painted the frescoes representing the remaining Prophets in the Dome gores and Christ’s life Stories in the lunettes and the Sybils, leaving here one of his greatest works.
Guercino left in town his touch in the Capuchin Chruch, the Madonna di Campagna Sanctuary, where, in ’500 the painter Pordenone had worked; he might have impressed Guercino a lot.
The Ferrara master influenced also other artists that where working in the area of Piacenza; this can be noticed in the frescoes of the Modena painter Gavasetti who was working in those years (1624-28) in the absis’ vault of the Basilica of Sant’Antonino.
The first decades of ’600 have been very prolific years before the plague of 1630 ruined all plans; Mochi achieved the extraordinary equestrian monuments of Ranuccio e Alessandro Farnese in tne Main Square, today called Piazza Cavalli.
During the celebrations of the year of Guercino in Piacenza, we propose a guided itinerary following the traces of the great artists that will influence ore were influenced by the presence of Guercino in Piacenza
Info ITINERARY ABOUT GUERCINO IN PIACENZA: eventi@atlanteguide.it – +39 334 1553061
In Piacenza from 4th March to 4th June 2017: Exhibition dedicated to Guercino in Palazzo Farnese and possibility to climb to the Cathedral Dome base.
We will publish more informations as soon as possible.
