Annibale Carracci

In 1582, he founded the Accademia degli Incamminati in Bologna with his family. This school, emphasizing life drawing, became a pioneering model for later art education throughout Europe.¹

In his early career, he collaborated with his brother Agostino and cousin Ludovico, making individual attribution difficult. The frescoes in Palazzo Fava are a prime example of their collective work.¹

In 1595, he moved to Rome at the invitation of Cardinal Odoardo Farnese. Decorating the Palazzo Farnese became the major turning point of his career, leading to the maturation of the Baroque style.¹

His masterpiece, 'The Loves of the Gods' in Palazzo Farnese, fused classical monumentality with Baroque dynamism. It was regarded as the unrivaled masterpiece of fresco painting in the 17th and 18th centuries.¹

While his contemporary Caravaggio pursued naturalism, Carracci emphasized ideal beauty. Their contrasting styles competed as the two dominant artistic currents in Rome at the time.¹

In the Cerasi Chapel in Rome, his 'Assumption of the Virgin' is displayed alongside Caravaggio's masterpieces, allowing a comparison of the two masters' contrasting approaches.¹

Assumption of the Virgin