Carlo Dolci

Carlo Dolci ( 1616 – 1686 ) – was born in Florence and is recognised as one of the last Florentine Baroque painters.

He started out at a young age painting portraits, but failed to develop in this direction and, being inspired by Counter-Reformation teachings, vowed to devote his career to painting religious subjects. Whilst many of his peers moved to Rome which had become the centre of monumental Baroque painting, he remained in Florence.

He was painstaking in his technique and this meant he painted slowly, making it impossible for him to do large-scale fresco painting which requires very rapid work before the plaster dries. He worked on a small scale, although he did do a few life-size pictures. He often made several versions of the same composition and his daughter, Agnese Dolci made excellent copies of his paintings.

The National Gallery in London features some of his best works including: the Four Evangelists at Florence; Adoration of the Magi; St Sebastian; Christ Breaking the Bread and St Cecilia at the Organ.

He was known as a pious man and he reputedly painted a half-figure of the Saviour wearing the Crown of Thorns during Passion Week every year. It is also said that in 1682 he observed Giordano, who was known as ‘fa preso’ (quick worker), paint more in 5 hours than he could manage in months and this had him fall into depression.