Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri)

Key facts

Movement

• Baroque

1. 1581Born Domenico Zampieri in Bologna. His shy, reserved temperament earned him the diminutive nickname "Domenichino" (little Domenico) from fellow students.
2. 1602Moved to Rome at the age of 21 to join the studio of Annibale Carracci, who was then at work on the Farnese Gallery ceiling. Carracci's classical Baroque approach became Domenichino's lifelong model.
3. 1614Completed "The Last Communion of Saint Jerome" in Rome, aged 33. The painting was considered for two centuries to be among the greatest pictures in the world, rivalling Raphael's Transfiguration.
4. 1621Painted the pendentives and apse frescoes of Sant'Andrea della Valle in Rome, aged 40. The commission embroiled him in a bitter rivalry with Giovanni Lanfranco, who painted the dome above.
5. 1631Moved to Naples at the age of 50 to paint the Chapel of San Gennaro in the Cathedral. Local painters resented the commission going to an outsider, and he faced threats and alleged poisoning attempts.
6. 1641Died in Naples aged 60, with the San Gennaro chapel frescoes still unfinished. Rumours persisted that he had been poisoned by jealous rivals, though this was never proven.

• What is Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri) known for?+

  Domenico Zampieri was one of the most important successors of the Carraccis, along with Reni. He assisted Annibale Carracci in Rome from 1602 onwards, and his early work, such as "Maiden and the Unicorn", shows the influence of both Carraccis.
• Who was Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri)?+

  Domenico Zampieri, known as Domenichino, was the son of a shoemaker from Bologna. He trained with Denis Calvaert before moving to the Carracci Academy around 1595, where he studied with Ludovico and Agostino Carracci.
• What was Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri)'s art style?+

  Domenico Zampieri's early work shows the influence of the Carraccis. His "Maiden and the Unicorn" demonstrates an individual style in addition to these influences.