Ghislandi, Vittore

Ghislandi, Vittore 

(as a monk, also known as Fra Vittore or Fra Galgario). Born Mar. 4, 1655, in Bergamo, Lombardy; died there Dec. 3, 1743. Italian painter.

Ghislandi studied in Bergamo under his father, Domenico Ghislandi, and after 1675 in Venice under S. Bombelli. In Venice he took monastic vows. He worked mainly in Bergamo (beginning in 1701 or 1702), where he was the favorite portraitist of the local aristocracy. The work of Ghislandi, an artist of a transitional period, blends features of baroque and rococo and traces of early classicism. In his best works, striking composition is combined with accuracy of realistic observations, striving for direct revelation of the spiritual condition of the models, and deep analysis of complex, contradictory characters. In his portraits, which were executed with artistic freedom and virtuosity, Ghislandi played up the rich, decorative effects of luxurious costumes and fabrics.

REFERENCES

Lazarev, V. N. Portret v evropeiskom iskusstve XVII veka. [Moscow-Leningrad] 1937. Pages 28-31.
Vipper, B. R. Problema realizma v ital’ianskoi zhivopisi XVII-XVIII vekov. Moscow, 1966. Pages 154-60.
Mazzini, F. Fra’ Galgario e del’ 700 in Bergamo. Bergamo, 1955.