Paolo Emilio Besenzi

Paolo Emilio Besenzi (1608–1656) was an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect of the 17th century, born and active in Reggio Emilia. He lived and worked as a painter, sculptor and architect in Reggio Emilia in the first half of the 17th century. According to Tiraboschi he was sent to France for a short time, at the court of Louis XIII, who would have named him a knight. [1]He trained with Francesco Albani, and was a friend and companion of Lionello Spada. He was buried in the now demolished church of Santa Maria Maddalena, for which he designed the main altar.[2]

Saint Peter. 114 x 135 cm. Oil on canvas. Uffizi Gallery

Works

Among the works by the artist were:

  • a canvas depicting the Martyrdom of St Placido and St Flavia for the church of San Pietro, Reggio Emilia;
  • a Mystic marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria;
  • a canvas depicting St Simone, Saints Bernard and Catherine that once was atop the Altar of the Brusati at San Prospero.[3]

In the Church of San Pietro, beyond the canvas of St Placido, are several sculptural works:

  • a stucco image of Jesus Resurrected, in the vaulted ceiling of the main sacristy;
  • the statues of Saints Peter and Prospero in the chancel;
  • the stucco decoration for the altars of St Placido and St Giulia.[4]

He made also twelve apostles and four evangelists for the Confraternity of San Domenico;[5][6] the twelve apostles are lost. It is said that Besenzi helped design the reconstruction of the Church of Sant'Agostino.

References
  • Bryan, Michael (1886). Robert Edmund Graves (ed.). Dictionary of Painters and Engravers, Biographical and Critical (Volume I: A-K). York St. #4, Covent Garden, London; Original from Fogg Library, Digitized May 18, 2007: George Bell and Sons. p. 121.CS1 maint: location (link)
  • Ticozzi, Stefano (1830). Dizionario degli architetti, scultori, pittori, intagliatori in rame ed in pietra, coniatori di medaglie, musaicisti, niellatori, intarsiatori d'ogni etá e d'ogni nazione' (Volume 1). Gaetano Schiepatti; Digitized by Googlebooks, Jan 24, 2007. p. 157.
  1. Ferratini, Teresa. "- Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 9 (1967)". Treccani. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  2. Tiraboschi, Girolamo (1786). Notizie de' pittori, scultori, incisori, e architetti natii degli stati del Serenissimo Signor Duca di Modena. Presso la Societa' Tipografica, Modena; Digitized by Googlebooks. pp. 117–118.
  3. Tiraboschi, G: By the 19th-century, replaced by a Deposition by Pier Maria Clementi
  4. B. Adorni, E. Monducci, I Benedettini a Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, 2002
  5. G. Tiraboschi: the latter were transferred in 1770 to the Cathedral, and by Fra Stefano da Carpi, the latter were converted to patriarchs of the Bible.
  6. http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/paolo-emilio-besenzi_(Dizionario-Biografico)/


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