Battista Franco Veneziano facts for kids
Battista Franco Veneziano, also known as Giovanni Battista Franco, was an Italian artist who lived in the 1500s. He was a painter and a printmaker, which means he made art by creating etchings. He worked in important Italian cities like Rome, Urbino, and Venice. People sometimes called him il Semolei or just Battista Franco.
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Life and Art of Battista Franco
Early Life and Work in Rome
Battista Franco was born in Venice before the year 1510. When he was in his twenties, he moved to Rome, a big city famous for its art. In Rome, he painted a picture about the Battle of Montemurlo in 1537. This painting is now in the Pitti Palace. He also painted a fresco, which is a painting done on wet plaster, called the Arrest of John the Baptist. He made this fresco for the Oratory of San Giovanni Decollato in 1541.
Working in Urbino
From 1545 to 1551, Battista Franco worked in Urbino. He might have been a teacher or mentor to another famous artist named Federico Barocci, along with Girolamo Genga. Franco's painting style was called Mannerism. This style was very much influenced by the great artist Michelangelo. However, Franco's drawings and etchings were often more lively and original than his paintings.
Return to Venice
Later, Battista Franco went back to his hometown of Venice. There, he helped paint the ceiling of the Biblioteca Marciana, which is a famous library. He also painted several panels, including a Baptism of Christ, for the Barbaro chapel. He created art for the walls and ceiling of the Grimani chapel in the church of San Francesco della Vigna in Venice. Another important painting he made was The Raising of Lazarus, which is in the Ducal Palace. Battista Franco was also the father of another artist, Giacomo Franco, who was an etcher and publisher.
Artworks by Battista Franco
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Baptism of Christ at San Francesco della Vigna
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Vault of the Grimani chapel at San Francesco della Vigna
See also
