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| Pietro Campania after Domenico Campiglia Portrait of Giovanni Battista Gaulli ca. 1731-66 engraving British Museum |
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| Giuseppe Macpherson after Pietro Campania Portrait miniature of Giovanni Battista Gaulli ca. 1772 watercolor on ivory Royal Collection, Windsor |
Giovanni Battista Gaulli (1639-1709) was born and trained in Genoa, but settled in Rome at an early age after losing his family to the plague. The fortune of this sad orphan was quickly made, however, when he became protégé to that foremost genius of the baroque, Gianlorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). Rich commissions followed – Gaulli spent his life covering walls and ceilings with florid and orthodox narratives. His most conspicuous accomplishment remains the illusionistic fresco-work in the Gesù, flagship-church of the Jesuit Order.
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Portrait of Jesuit Cardinal Roberto Bellarmino ca. 1678 drawing British Museum |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Portrait of Pope Innocent XI Odescalchi ca. 1676-89 wash drawing Royal Collection, Windsor |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Flying Angel for ceiling fresco Church of the Gesù, Rome ca. 1685 drawing British Museum |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Flying Angel for ceiling fresco Church of the Gesù, Rome ca. 1685 drawing British Museum |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Sacrifice of Noah ca. 1670-75 drawing Royal Collection, Windsor |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Allegory of Justice ca. 1668-71 drawing Royal Collection, Windsor |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Boy with Tambourine ca. 1690 drawing British Museum |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Putti supporting wreath for cupola fresco Church of the Gesù, Rome ca. 1670-75 drawing British Museum |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Allegorical figure of faith ca. 1672 drawing Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Allegorical composition Music and Justice with the Spinola arms ca. 1694 drawing Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Allegory of the Immaculate Conception before 1709 drawing Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Ceiling design with Christ in Glory before 1709 drawing Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
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| Giovanni Battista Gaulli Prophets, Patriarchs, Saints, and music-making Angels in Glory ca. 1690 drawing Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |