Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (Piazzetta Giovanni Battista)

(1683-1754)
Born in Venice, February 13, 1683. He studied in Bologna at the Giuseppe Crespi, whose influence was decisive for the formation of his style. Working in the studio Crespi, Piazzetta began to write in free impressionistic style. Upon returning to his native city has been influenced by the Venetian tradition, which manifested itself in particular in the use of very soft and tender tones to create a cut-off modeling. This tendency is well seen in the portrait of Giulia Lama (ca. 1723, Madrid, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza), it has become an important element in the further development of Venetian painting 18.
For the early works of the painter is characterized by sharp black and white contrasts and the predominance of reddish-brown. With a strong cut-off modeling artist sought to achieve dramatic tension and a bump, as examples painting The Martyrdom of St.. Jacob (1722, Venice, Church of San Stae) and The Sacrifice of Isaac (1735-1741, Vadodara, Museum and Art Gallery). Resolute naturalism Piazzetta like an art of Caravaggio and Guercino. Later, the artist moved from sharp contrasts to the more wealthy the modulation of color and light. One of his best works - The phenomenon of Madonna altarpiece St.. Filippo Neri (1725-1727, Venice, Church of Santa Maria della Fava). Figures are made concrete and reality through the density of colors and dramatic use of light.

In 1723-1727 Piazzetta wrote a great song for the ceiling Chapel St.. Domenica Venetian church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo - The Apotheosis of St.. Dominica. In this arrangement aerial perspective and vigorous movement figures anticipate the techniques of the greatest masters of decorative painting Dzh.B.Tepolo. Like Crespi, Piazzetta, wrote and genre scenes, for example, Pastorale (1740, Chicago Art Institute), Idyll on the beach (1745, Cologne).

Over time, color scheme works by Piazzetta becomes lighter and richer, and their mood - a quiet and contemplative, as in the paintings of Rebecca and Eleazar (1735-1741, Milan, Brera Gallery) and Fortune Teller (1740, Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia). In 1750, Piazzetta was elected a director of the Venetian Academy of Fine Arts. Died Piazzetta in Venice April 28, 1754.