Vincenzo Giustiniani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vincenzo Giustiniani
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Vincenzo Giustiniani in a portrait by Nicolas Régnier (c. 1630)
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| Born | 13 September 1564 |
| Died | 27 December 1637 (aged 73) |
| Occupation | banker, art collector |
| Years active | 1586 - 1637 |
| Known for | art collection |
Marchese Vincenzo Giustiniani (born September 13, 1564 – died December 27, 1637) was an important Italian banker and art collector. He lived in the late 1500s and early 1600s. He is famous for the amazing art collection he built with his brother, Cardinal Benedetto. Their collection was kept in their family homes in Rome and Bassano. Vincenzo was also a big supporter of the famous artist Caravaggio.
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Vincenzo Giustiniani's Life Story
Vincenzo's father, Giuseppe Giustiniani, was the last ruler of the Greek island of Chios. This island had been owned by their family for many centuries. In 1566, the island was taken over by the Ottoman Empire. An Ottoman fleet arrived and took control of Chios. The island was looted, and churches were either destroyed or turned into mosques.
Moving to Rome
Vincenzo and his older brother Benedetto moved to Rome with their father. Their uncle was already a cardinal there. Giuseppe Giustiniani became a very successful banker. By the time he died in 1600, he was a banker for the Vatican and one of the richest people in Rome.
Vincenzo Giustiniani followed his father into the family banking business. His brother, Benedetto, joined the Church and became a cardinal in 1586.
Building an Art Collection
Both brothers loved art and became important art supporters. The collection they created was one of the most significant of their time. When Vincenzo died in 1637 (Benedetto had passed away in 1621), their collection had over 300 paintings. This included 15 paintings by the famous artist Caravaggio. They also owned more than 1200 sculptures.
The lists of their art, called catalogues, are very helpful for understanding art from the early 1600s. In 1631, a book called Galleria Giustiniani was published. It showed pictures of the family's sculptures, like the famous Athena Giustiniani and the Giustiniani Hestia.
Other Interests and Support for Artists
Vincenzo Giustiniani was interested in many other things too. He wrote essays about architecture, music, and art. He also wrote about practical topics like hunting, travel, and horse trading.
He was a friend and neighbor of Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte, who was Caravaggio's first supporter. Vincenzo also became a friend to Caravaggio. He even bought Caravaggio's painting Saint Matthew and the Angel when church officials did not like it.
Vincenzo Giustiniani passed away in Rome in 1637.
What Happened to the Giustiniani Collection
The Giustiniani art collection was split up in the early 1800s. The king of Prussia bought over 160 paintings. Many of these important paintings went to museums in Berlin.
Today, the Berlin Gemäldegalerie museum has 43 paintings from the Giustiniani collection. Other works can be found in Potsdam's Neues Palais and the Bildergalerie Sanssouci. You can also see paintings from the collection in the National Gallery, London, the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. More paintings from the collection have been found in other museums and private collections across Europe and the United States.
