Paolo Emilio Besenzi
{{short description|Italian painter}}
Paolo Emilio Besenzi (1608–1656) was an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect of the 17th century, born and active in Reggio Emilia. He lived and worked as a painter, sculptor and architect in Reggio Emilia in the first half of the 17th century. According to Tiraboschi he was sent to France for a short time, at the court of Louis XIII, who would have named him a knight.{{cite web|last1=Ferratini|first1=Teresa|title=- Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 9 (1967)|url=http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/paolo-emilio-besenzi_(Dizionario-Biografico)/|website=Treccani|accessdate=10 March 2018}} He trained with Francesco Albani, and was a friend and companion of Lionello Spada. He was buried in the now demolished church of Santa Maria Maddalena, for which he designed the main altar.{{cite book | first= Girolamo|last= Tiraboschi| year=1786| title= Notizie de' pittori, scultori, incisori, e architetti natii degli stati del Serenissimo Signor Duca di Modena| editor = | pages= [https://archive.org/details/notiziedepittori00tira/page/117 117]–118 | publisher= Presso la Societa' Tipografica |location=Modena | id= | url= https://archive.org/details/notiziedepittori00tira | authorlink= }}
Works
Among the works by the artist were:
- a canvas depicting the Martyrdom of St Placido and St Flavia for the church of San Pietro, Reggio Emilia;
- a Mystic marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria;
- a canvas depicting St Simone, Saints Bernard and Catherine that once was atop the Altar of the Brusati at San Prospero.Tiraboschi, G: By the 19th-century, replaced by a Deposition by Pier Maria Clementi
In the Church of San Pietro, beyond the canvas of St Placido, are several sculptural works:
- a stucco image of Jesus Resurrected, in the vaulted ceiling of the main sacristy;
- the statues of Saints Peter and Prospero in the chancel;
- the stucco decoration for the altars of St Placido and St Giulia.B. Adorni, E. Monducci, I Benedettini a Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, 2002
He made also twelve apostles and four evangelists for the Confraternity of San Domenico;G. Tiraboschi: the latter were transferred in 1770 to the Cathedral, and by Fra Stefano da Carpi, the latter were converted to patriarchs of the Bible.{{Cite web|url=http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/paolo-emilio-besenzi_(Dizionario-Biografico)/|title=BESENZI, Paolo Emilio in "Dizionario Biografico"}} the twelve apostles are lost. It is said that Besenzi helped design the reconstruction of the Church of Sant'Agostino.
References
{{Commons category}}
- {{cite book| first=Michael| last=Bryan| year=1886| title=Dictionary of Painters and Engravers, Biographical and Critical |volume=I: A-K |editor=Robert Edmund Graves |page=121| publisher=George Bell and Sons|location=London |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4GYCAAAAYAAJ}}
- {{cite book | first= Stefano| last= Ticozzi| year=1830| title= Dizionario degli architetti, scultori, pittori, intagliatori in rame ed in pietra, coniatori di medaglie, musaicisti, niellatori, intarsiatori d'ogni etá e d'ogni nazione' (Volume 1)| editor = | pages= 157 | publisher=Gaetano Schiepatti |location=Milan | id= | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=0ownAAAAMAAJ | authorlink= }}
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Category:Artists from Reggio Emilia
Category:17th-century Italian painters
Category:Italian male painters
Category:Italian Baroque painters
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