Giovanni Battista Viola
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Battista Viola was an Italian
painter of the early Baroque
period in Rome.
Giovanni was born in Bologna
. His skills were initially noticed by Annibale Carracci
. He collaborated with Domenichino in the Room of Appollo in Villa Aldobrandini
in Frascati (1616-18), where Viola painted the landscpapes and Domenichino, the figures. He appears to have worked for the Giustiniani
in Bassano di Sutra. In 1612, he was sharing a house with Francesco Albani
. In 1612, Viola married Silvia Gemelli, who was already mother to an Anna Gemelli, who in turn married Albani. Hence, Albani was Viola's stepson-in-law. Giulio Mancini
commented in his writings that Viola was well respected for his landscape
canvases, which were annotated as present in the collections of Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, Giustiniani, Cardinal Mazarin, and the Pamphilj. Louis XIV of France collected at least landscapes, now in the Louvre. He was a teacher of Bartolommeo Lotto and Pietro Paolo Bonzi
(il Gobbo dalle Frutta), and would have been influential for Claude Lorraine. The biography of Amorini recounts that Viola died mortified after offending the Cardinal Ludovisi.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
painter of the early Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
period in Rome.
Giovanni was born in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. His skills were initially noticed by Annibale Carracci
Annibale Carracci
Annibale Carracci was an Italian Baroque painter.-Early career:Annibale Carracci was born in Bologna, and in all likelihood first apprenticed within his family...
. He collaborated with Domenichino in the Room of Appollo in Villa Aldobrandini
Villa Aldobrandini
The Villa Aldobrandini is a villa in Frascati, Italy, property of the Aldobrandini family. Also known as Belvedere for its charming location overlooking the whole valley up to Rome, it was rebuilt on the order of Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, Pope Clement VIII's nephew over a pre-existing edifice...
in Frascati (1616-18), where Viola painted the landscpapes and Domenichino, the figures. He appears to have worked for the Giustiniani
Giustiniani
Giustiniani is the name of a prominent Italian family which originally belonged to Venice, but also established itself subsequently in Genoa, and at various times had representatives in Naples, Corsica and in the islands of the Archipelago, where they had been the last Genoese rulers of the Aegean...
in Bassano di Sutra. In 1612, he was sharing a house with Francesco Albani
Francesco Albani
Francesco Albani or Albano was an Italian Baroque painter.-Early years in Bologna:Born 1578 in Bologna, his father was a silk merchant who intended to instruct his son in the same trade; but by age twelve, Albani became an apprentice under the competent mannerist painter Denis Calvaert, where he...
. In 1612, Viola married Silvia Gemelli, who was already mother to an Anna Gemelli, who in turn married Albani. Hence, Albani was Viola's stepson-in-law. Giulio Mancini
Giulio Mancini
Giulio Mancini was a noted physician, art collector and writer on a range of subjects.A native of Siena, he came to Rome in 1592 and quickly made a brilliant medical career, becoming personal physician to pope Urban VIII in 1623....
commented in his writings that Viola was well respected for his landscape
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
canvases, which were annotated as present in the collections of Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, Giustiniani, Cardinal Mazarin, and the Pamphilj. Louis XIV of France collected at least landscapes, now in the Louvre. He was a teacher of Bartolommeo Lotto and Pietro Paolo Bonzi
Pietro Paolo Bonzi
Pietro Paolo Bonzi also known as il Gobbo dei Carracci or il Gobbo dei Frutti , was an Italian painter, best known for his landscapes and still-lifes....
(il Gobbo dalle Frutta), and would have been influential for Claude Lorraine. The biography of Amorini recounts that Viola died mortified after offending the Cardinal Ludovisi.