Annibale Carracci

There is no record of Annibale Carracci ever having married or a romantic relationship during his life.

After recovering from a stroke, Annibale Carracci succumbed to a bout of fever on July 15, 1609 in Rome. He was only 48 years old.

Annibale Carracci was born on November 3, 1560 in Bologna, Italy to and his wife. His father, Antonio Carracci, was a tailor and Annibale had an older brother named Agostino.

Annibale Carracci’s education as an artist started within his family when his and his brother’s talent for painting was recognised. His cousin Lodovico, who was a painter in his own right, imparted Carracci with the necessary education.

Annibale Carracci went on a tour of the northern part of Italy including Venice in his late teens to get a firsthand look at the work of some of the masters and it had a profound effect on him.

In the early years of his career; Annibale Carracci often worked in collaboration with his elder brother and cousin. In 1582, he established his own studio with his brother and cousin.

In 1585, Carracci completed his first solo work when he completed an altarpiece titled ‘Baptism of Christ’ at a church in Bologna. Two years later he completed ‘The Assumption’ for San Rocco church.

Annibale Carracci worked with his brother Agostino and his cousin for three years starting from 1589 on the elaborated frescoes titled ‘Founding of Rome’ at Bologna’s Palazzo Mangani .

Carracci then partnered with Lucio Massari to create the altarpiece titled ‘Virgin on the throne with St. John and St. Catherine’ and also painted the ‘Resurrection of Christ’, which was his own creation.

In 1595, Annibale Carracci produced one of his most important works - painting titled ‘San Rocco Distributing Alms’; it remains one of the most famous of his early works.

Annibale Carracci was a great painter and one of the greatest artists when it came to frescoes. He painted plenty of frescoes throughout his career but the ones that stand out are the ones he painted at the Palazzo Farnese from 1595 onwards. Those frescoes would go onto usher in a new era in the painting of frescoes.