About the Artist

Bernardo Strozzi (1581 Genoa-1644 Venice), Called il prete Genovese ("the Genoese priest"), was first trained in his native city by the painter Pietro Sorri from Siena. In 1598 he entered the Capucin Order, but he left the order in 1610 in order to support his mother and to pursue his artwork more freeely. in the following years he was active as a mission ary, and from 1614 to 1621 worked as a harbor engineer in the Republic of Genoa. Around 1630, Strozzi, who is perhaps the most important Genoese painter of the varoque era, went to Venice, where he was elevated into the aristocracy. He remained in Venice until the end of his life. Here Strozzi studied the works of the older masters. Through the artistic rechness of his style, he was able to give new inspiration to Venetian painting of the Settecento. Among the artist's major works are Lamentation of Christ, c. 1610, Accademia Ligustica, Genoa; Isaac Blessing Jacob, c. 1615, Palazzo Bianco, Genoa; and The Gamba Player, c. 1640, Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden.