Mattia Preti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mattia Preti
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Self-portrait in the painting Predica di San Giovanni Battista
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| Born | 24 February 1613 Taverna, Calabria, Kingdom of Naples
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| Died | 3 January 1699 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Style | Baroque painting |
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Mattia Preti (born February 24, 1613 – died January 3, 1699) was a famous Italian artist. He painted in the Baroque style, which was popular in his time. Mattia Preti worked in both Italy and Malta. He was even made a member of the Order of Saint John, a special group of knights.
Life of Mattia Preti
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Mattia Preti was born in a small town called Taverna in Calabria, Italy. People often called him Il Cavalier Calabrese, which means "the Calabrian Knight". He got this name after becoming a Knight of the Order of St. John in 1660.
When he was young, Preti learned painting from Giovanni Battista Caracciolo. This artist was a "Caravaggist", meaning he followed the style of the famous painter Caravaggio. This early training made Preti interested in Caravaggio's dramatic style for his whole life.
Early Career in Rome
Before 1630, Mattia Preti moved to Rome to join his brother Gregorio, who was also a painter. In Rome, Mattia learned a lot about Caravaggio's painting methods. He also studied the works of other great artists like Guercino, Rubens, Guido Reni, and Giovanni Lanfranco.
While in Rome, Preti painted large frescos (wall paintings) in churches. Some of these can be seen in Sant'Andrea della Valle and San Carlo ai Catinari. He stayed in Rome until 1653, though he might have visited Venice for a short time between 1644 and 1646. He also painted frescoes in Modena and worked on decorating the Palazzo Pamphilj in Valmontone.
Working in Naples
From 1653 to 1660, Preti spent most of his time working in Naples. One of his first important paintings there was Saint Nicholas. In Naples, he was also influenced by another important painter, Luca Giordano.
Preti created a series of large frescoes in Naples. These paintings showed the Virgin Mary or saints saving people from a terrible plague. These frescoes were painted on seven city gates, but sadly, they are now lost. However, two sketches for these works are still kept in the Capodimonte Museum in Naples.
He also helped with the building and decoration of the San Pietro a Maiella church in Naples. For this church, he painted famous works like Judith and Holofernes and Saint John the Baptist.
Life in Malta
In 1659, Mattia Preti became a Knight of Grace in the Order of St John. He then moved to Malta, where the Order had its headquarters. He spent most of the rest of his life there.
Preti made a huge impact on the St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta. He painted a large series of artworks about the life and death of St. John the Baptist between 1661 and 1666. Many of Preti's paintings can also be found in private collections and churches all over Malta.
As his fame grew, more people wanted his paintings. He received requests for his art from all over Europe. Mattia Preti had a long and successful career, creating many beautiful paintings. His artworks, known for their lively Baroque style, are now in many major museums around the world. You can find important collections in Naples, Valletta, and his hometown of Taverna, Calabria.
Gallery
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Sant'Antonio Abate c.1628, 62 x 62 cm, private collection
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The Concert c.1630, Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg
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Homer c.1635, 102 x 81 cm, Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice
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The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew c.1650, Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral
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The Marriage at Cana c.1655-1660, National Gallery, London
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Pilate Washing His Hands, c. 1663, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
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Calling the Apostle Matthew c. 1630-1640, 104 x 164 cm, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
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Unbelieving Thomas, c. 1656-1660, 187 x 145 cm, Kunsthistorisches Museum
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Christ in Glory with Saints, 1660-1661, Museo del Prado, Madrid
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The Death of Sophonisba c.1660-1670, 198 x 174 cm, Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon
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A Mother Entrusting Her Sons to Christ c. 1635-36, 143 x 193 cm, Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan
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The Banquet of the Rich Glutton c.1665, 148 x 200 cm, Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica, Rome
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Plato and Diogenes c.1688, 101 x 151 cm, Capitoline Museums, Rome
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The Deliverance of St. Peter from Prison, c. 1650, 205 x 226 cm, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden
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Saint George on Horseback 1658, 275 x 207 cm, St. John's Co-Cathedral
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St John the Baptist Wearing the Red Tabard of the Order of St John 1671, 98 x 78 cm, National Museum of Fine Arts, Malta
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Saint Veronica with the Veil, 1655-1660, 100 x 74 cm, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
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Saint Paul the Hermit, c. 1662-1664, 103 x 76 cm, Cleveland Museum of Art
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St. John the Baptist Preaching, c. 1665, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
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Adoration of the shepherds, c. 1678, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
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Judith and Holofernes, c. 1653-1654, 186 x 143 cm, Museo di Capodimonte, Naples
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Baldassarre's Feast, 1653-1659, 202 x 297 cm, Museo di Capodimonte
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The four Evangelists, 1650, 153 x 207 cm, Palazzo Abatellis, Palermo
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Christ and the ..., 1650, 85 x 117 cm, Palazzo Abatellis
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Martyrdom of Saint Andrew, 1650-1651, Sant'Andrea della Valle, Rome
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Return of the Prodigal Son, 1658, 202 x 285 cm, Royal Palace of Naples
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Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius Fleeing Troy, 1630, 86 x 153 cm, Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica, Rome
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Saint Sebastian, 1660, 240 x 169 cm, Museo di Capodimonte
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Adoration of the Shepherds, 1645, 148 x 197 cm, National Museum, Warsaw
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Martyrdom of Saint Catherine, 1659, 365 x 267 cm, Church of Saint Catherine of Italy, Valletta, Malta
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Belisarius receiving alms, 1665-1669, 152 x 198 cm, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam
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See also
In Spanish: Mattia Preti para niños
