Ciro Ferri

Ciro Ferri (1634 - 13 September 1689) was an Italian Baroque painter, the chief pupil and successor of Pietro da Cortona. He was born in Rome, where he studied under Pietro, to whom he became warmly attached, and, at an age past thirty, completed the painting of the ceilings and other internal decorations begun by his instructor in the Pitti palace, Florence. He also co-operated in or finished several other works by Pietro, both in Florence and in Rome. Of his own independent productions, the chief is an extensive series of scriptural frescoes in the church of S. Maria Maggiore in Bergamo; also a painting (rated as Ferris best work) of St Ambrose healing a sick person, the principal altarpiece in the church of S. Ambrogiodella Massima in Rome. The paintings of the cupola of S. Agnese in the same capital might rank even higher than these; but this labor remained uncompleted at the death of Ferri, and was marred by the performances of his successor Corbellini. He executed also a large amount of miscellaneous designs, such as etchings and frontispieces for books; and he was an architect as well. Ferri was appointed to direct the Florentine students in Rome, and Gabbiani was one of his leading pupils. As regards style, Ferri ranks as chief of the so-called Machinists, as opposed to the school founded by Sacchi, and continued by Carlo Maratta.

Related Topics:
1634 - 13 September - 1689 - Italian - Baroque - Painter - Pietro da Cortona - Rome - Pitti palace - Florence - Bergamo - Machinist - Carlo Maratta

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