[Born at Bologna, 1581. Died at Naples, 1641. Aged 60.]
A famous painter of the Bolognese school. A pupil of the Carracci. At
Rome, painted some frescos, and other pictures, but was poorly paid. His
life one series of misfortunes. His fame and skill excited the jealousy
of the Roman and Neapolitan artists, who destroyed his paintings, mixed
deleterious compounds with his colours, and--it is believed--at last
poisoned him. His works occasionally reveal artlessness, and a clear
conception of nature, but he never escapes from the trammels of the
imitative school of the Carracci. His great work, the “Communion of St.
Jerome,” pronounced by Poussin only inferior to the Transfiguration of
Raffaelle. Yet for this picture, Domenichino received fifty scudi--about
ten guineas. In person, stout and short--hence his name, Domenichino
(little Dominic). Passionately fond of music, and devoted to study and
tranquillity. Whilst he painted, he would have his house as quiet and as
noiseless as a monastery.
[By Alessandro d’Este. There is another bust of him in the Louvre by
Mlle. Charpentier.]