DOMENICHINO, du-inti'0-ke'no ( 15S1-1641 ) . An Italian painter of the Bolognese School (q.v.), whose real name was Domenico Zampieri. lie was born in Bologna, October 21. 15S1. and stud ied chiefly under the Carracci. Among his school. mates were Guido Reni and Francesco Alban': with the latter he formed a life-long friendship. Together they visited Parma, :Modena, and Reg gio, studying the works of Correggio and his school, and it was in response to Albani's urgent letters that Domenico went to Rome in 1603.
In Rome he was well received by his country men, especially by his teacher, Annibale Carracci, whom he assisted in his frescoes in the Villa Farnese. On Annibale's recommendation, he and Guido were employed in decorating the Chap el of San Andrea, in the Church of San Gregorio. In executing this commission a rivalry arose between the two painters. Both represented the "Martyrdom of Saint Andrew," but while Guido chose the moment where the saint, at sight of the cross, falls into an ecstasy, Domenichino painted the martyrdom itself, in all its gruesome details. This rivalry culminated in Domeniehi no's "Last Communion of Saint Jerome." paint ed in 1614 for the chief altar of the chapel, and now occupying a place of honor in the Vatican Col lection opposite Raphael's "Transfiguration." It is a noble and well-balanced composition, full of action, and is nnquestionably the best of his works. In connection with Ids stay in Rome, Domenichino decorated the villa of Cardinal Aldobrandini, in Frascati, with frescoes from the life of Apollo. and the Abbey of Grotta Fer rata with a fine series representing the life of Saint Nilus (1609), among which the "Meeting of the Saint with the Emperor Otho" is par ticularly good. lie also decorated the Church of San Luigi dci Francesi in Rome with frescoes from the life of Saint-Cecilia.
In 1617, wearied by the annoyances caused by the jealousy of the painters in Rome, he returned to Bologna. and in 1619 he was married. Front
this time the Raphae]esque type of women dis appears from his pictures, and is replaced by one less impressive, indeed, but full of charm and more realistic—the image of his wife. His chief work of this period is the "Madonna of the Ro sary." now in the gallery of Bologna. In 1621 he returned to Rome, and was principal painter and architect of the Papal Palace.
The chief works of his second stay in Rome were the "Four Evangelists." on the pendentives of the cupola of San Andrea della Valle—noble and impressive representations—and a charming mythologieal canvas. "Diana and Iler Nymphs Bathing," in the Palazzo Borghese, Rome. In 1631 he went to Naples to decorate the Capella del Tesoro. in the cathedral. with frescoes repre sentino the life of Saint Januarius; but he was so restricted by his instructions, and annoyed by the murderous threats of Neopolit an artists, that he was unable to produce his best work. Ile (lied suddenly in DAL It is supposed that he was poison. 41. Ile was a man of modest disposi tion. diligent and conscientious in his work, and calohle of line and high emotions.
Domcnichitio and Guido Beni were the most important of the pupils of the Carraeci, and Do m•nichino was the most naturalistic of them all. llis art is midway between that of the Carracci and Caravaggio. Ilis works are uueveu in color, and the dominating tone is a soft gray. Ile was fond of using landscapes as backgrounds, which were of high decorative value.. Ilis portraits belong to the best done by the Bolognese School, good his own portrait and that of Cardinal in the Uffizi Gallery, in Florence. .1s an architect he did some creditable work, but as a sculptor he was less successful. Consult the authorities referred to under Iltmo 1,NESE SCHOOL OF