Matteo Rosselli

Matteo Rosselli (10 August, 1578 – 18 January, 1650) was a Florentine painter of the late Counter-Maniera and early Baroque. He is best known however for grand manner historical paintings with large numbers of figures.

He first apprenticed with Gregorio Pagani. On 26 February 1599 he was inducted to the Accademia del Disegno, and in 1605 went to be with Domenico Passignano in Rome for six months.

He completed some frescoes on lives of Servite monks (1614-18) in the Palazzo Pitti and in the Cloister of the Basilica di Santissima Annunziata; a Madonna and child with Saint Francis altarpiece for the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Florence; and an Adoration of the Magi (1607) for the Church of Sant'Andrea in Montevarchi. He painted a Crucifixion (1613) now in the Scarperia at Prepositurale. He painted a Last Supper (1614) now in Conservatorio di San Pier Martire. Upon the French monarch’s death, he was commissioned two commemorative paintings of events in the life of Henry IV: his visit to Nantes and Gaudabec (1610). He also completed an Assumption (1613) for the church of San Domenico in Pistoia. He painted a number of frescoes for the Casa Buonarroti based on events of Michelangelo's life, including Fortifications of San Miniato (1615) and two others (1627 and 1628), all commissioned by his nephew, Michelangelo Buonarroti the younger.

In 1621, he was commissioned to paint a Triumph of David (Pitti) and a Lot and his Daughters and Tobias and Angel (Galleria Corsini). Further decorations (1622–3) were commissioned by Leopoldo de’ Medici for the Casino di S Marco: Frederick II rebuilds the Port of Livorno and the Capture of Ippona (Florence, Corte d’Assise). Leopoldo also commissioned from Rosselli the allegorical paintings (1622) in the Sala della Stufa in Palazzo Pitti.

He frescoed in reception rooms of the Villa di Poggio Imperiale, scenes portraying European emperors amid biblical and historical scenes (1619-23). He painted a Madonna of the Rosary (1649) for the Cathedral of Pietrasanta and a canvas of the Mission of Saint Paul in Damascus (frame by Nero di Porta Venere, for the Duomo di Volterra.

Among his many pupils were Lorenzo Lippi, Baldassare Franceschini (il Volterrrano), Francesco Furini, Giovanni da San Giovanni (Giovanni Mannozzi), and Jacopo Vignali.

Sources

• [Artnet biography from Grove Encylclopedia of Art]