CANINI, GIOVANNI AGNOLO Italian designer and engraver, was born at Rome. He was a pupil of Domenichino and afterwards of Antonio Barbalonga. He painted some altar-pieces at Rome, including two admired pictures for the church of San Martino a' Monti, representing the martyrdom of St. Stephen and of St. Bartholomew. Having accompanied Cardinal Chigi to France, he was encouraged by the minister Colbert to carry into execution his project of designing from medals, antique gems and similar sources a series of portraits of the most illustrious characters of antiquity, accompanied with memoirs ; but shortly after the commencement of the undertaking Canini died at Rome. The work, however, was continued by his brother Marcantonio, who, with the assistance of Picard and Valet, completed and published it in 1699, under the title of Iconografia .di Gio. Ag. Canini. It contains 15o engravings. A reprint in Italian and French appeared at Amsterdam in 1731.