Camillo Rusconi facts for kids
Camillo Rusconi (born July 14, 1658 – died December 8, 1728) was a famous Italian sculptor. He lived and worked in Rome during the late Baroque period. His art mixed the grand, dramatic style of Baroque with the calmer, more classical style of Neoclassicism. People sometimes called him "a Carlo Maratta in marble" because his sculptures were as beautiful as Maratta's paintings.
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Camillo Rusconi's Life and Art
Camillo Rusconi started his art training in his hometown of Milan. His first teacher was Giuseppe Rusnati. Around 1685 or 1686, he moved to Rome. There, he joined the studio of Ercole Ferrata, another well-known sculptor.
Rusconi's talent quickly got him important jobs. For example, he created plaster statues for the Ludovisi chapel in the Sant'Ignazio church. These statues showed four virtues: wisdom, fairness, self-control, and strength. He also worked with Pierre Le Gros to sculpt angels. These angels were for the altar of Saint Ignatius at the Church of the Gesù.
Masterpieces in Rome
Camillo Rusconi's most famous works are four large statues of apostles. These are Matthew, James the Great, Andrew, and John. He finished them between 1708 and 1718. You can find these statues in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran (San Giovanni in Laterano).
Creating these statues was a huge art project in Rome at the time. Other famous sculptors like Le Gros and Pierre-Etienne Monnot also made apostles for the church. But Rusconi made the most, with four statues. Pope Clement XI himself helped choose the artists for this big project.
Other Important Works
Rusconi also helped decorate other churches in Rome. These include San Silvestro in Capite, San Salvatore in Lauro, and the Chiesa Nuova (Santa Maria in Vallicella).
He also created several impressive tombs. He made the tomb for Pope Gregory XIII in St. Peter's Basilica. He also sculpted the tomb of Bartolomeo Corsino in San Giovanni in Laterano. Another tomb he made was for principe Alessandro Sobieski in the church of Santa Maria della Concezione.
Rusconi also created a portrait of Giulia Albani degli Olivieri. She was a very powerful aunt of Pope Clement XI. This portrait is now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. His tomb for Caesar Fabretti is in the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
Teaching and Recognition
Camillo Rusconi taught many students who became famous sculptors themselves. Some of his pupils included Pietro Bracci, Giovanni Battista Maini, and Filippo della Valle. In 1727, he was given the important title of principe (prince) of the Accademia di San Luca. This was a very high honor for an artist.
See also
In Spanish: Camillo Rusconi para niños
