DOLCI, CARLO, was born at Florence, May 23, 1616. His father Andrew, and his mother's father and brother, Pietro and Bartolomeo Marinari, were all 'minters, and much esteemed and respected In their native city. At the age of four years, Carlo had the misfortnno to lose his father, and his mother was obliged to maintain a numerous family by liar industry. At the age of nine she placed him with , Jacopo Vignali, a pupil of Roselli, who was famous for his powers of teaching. In four years Carlo could paint-. His first efforts attracted the notice of Piero de' Medici, an amateur, who procural him the notice of the court, and he was soon busily and profitably employed. In 1654 he married Theresa Bucherolli, by whom he had a numerous family. About 1670 ho was invited to paint the likeness of Claudia, the daughter of Ferdinand of Austria, at Inuspruek, which place ho visited for a short time. After his return he was afflicted with melancholy, and he died on Friday, January 17, 1696, leaving one eon in holy orders, and seven daughters, of whom Agnese, married to Carlo Baci, a silk merchant, painted In the manner of her father.
Dolci'e biographer, Baldinucci, attributes his excellence In painting to tho goodness of Heaven, as a just reward for his singular piety, in illustration of which numerous anecdotes are told. When invited to take Claudia's portrait, he declined for fear of the length of the journey, never having lost sight of the cathedral dome and campauilo of his favourite city since his birth ; and his assent was only procured by obtaining the commands of his confessor, which he obeyed et once. In like manner he was recovered from his first fit of melancholy
by the command of his confessor to proceed with a picture of tho Virgin. Ho appears to have been extremely good and amiable, but singularly timid. His last illness is said to have beau brought on by a remark which Luca Giordano uttered in joke, according to his intimate friend Baldinucci, that his slowness would never allow him to amass 150,000 dollars as the expeditious Giordano had done, but that he must starve. Upon this, poor Carlo seems to have grown bewildered; fancied that the threatened evil was imminent, and refused food for some time. In the midst of his troubles, his excellent wife died, and death soon released him from his grief. In all his insanity ho was never violent, but dejected and helpless, and as obedient as a child to his ghostly adviser.
From his first attempts at painting, Carlo determined to paint noun but sacred subjects, and lie almost literally observed this rule. Ilia style is pleasing, and full of gentle and tender expressions; his drawing for the most part, but not always, correct ; his colouring varied, soft, bright, and harmonious; sometimes to pearly in its tint. He elaborated all he did with the most consummate patience and delicacy. His pictures are numerous, and found in many collections, for ho painted many duplicates, and many copies were made by his pupils Alessandro Lomi and Bartolomeo Mancini, and Agnese, his daughter. Oaorio Marinari, his cousin and scholar, gave groat promise, but died young. (Baldiaucci.)