Federico Barocci: Inspiration and Innovation in Early Modern Italy

Reviewers of a recent exhibition termed Federico Barocci (ca. 1533-1612), 'the greatest artist you've never heard of'. One of the first original iconographers of the Counter Reformation, Barocci was a remarkably inventive religious painter and draftsman, and the first Italian artist to incorporate extensive color into his drawings. The purpose of this volume is to offer new insights into Barocci's work and to accord this artist, the dates of whose career fall between the traditional Renaissance and Baroque periods, the critical attention he deserves. Employing a range of methodologies, the essays include new ideas on Barocci's masterpiece, the Entombment
fresh thinking about his use of color in his drawings and innovative design methods
insights into his approach to the nude
revelations on a key early patron
a consideration of the reasons behind some of his most original iconography
an analysis of his unusual approach to the marketing of his pictures
an exploration of some little-known aspects of his early production, such as his reliance on Italian majolica and contemporary sculpture in developing his compositions
and an examination of a key Barocci document, the post mortem inventory of his studio. A transcription of the inventory is included as an appendix.