Barocci - Olsen, pl. 071

Federico Barocci was an Italian Renaissance painter born around 1535 in Urbino, Italy. He is known for his religious paintings, portraits and mythological scenes, which are characterised by delicate colours and soft, atmospheric lighting. Barocci was trained by his father, a local craftsman, and later studied with the painter Battista Franco in Venice. He then returned to Urbino, where he worked for the Duke of Urbino and produced several important works, including the altarpiece "Madonna di San Simone" (1567). In the 1570s, Barocci moved to Rome, where he became a sought-after painter for both religious and secular commissions. His works from this period include the "Entombment of Christ" (1579) and the portrait of Pope Gregory XIII (1581). Barocci's style is characterised by its softness and delicacy, as well as its attention to detail. He often used a technique called sfumato, in which colours are blended to create a hazy, atmospheric effect. Barocci died in Urbino in 1612, leaving a legacy as one of the most important painters of the late Renaissance. His works can be found in museums and galleries around the world, including the Louvre in Paris and the National Gallery in London.