Giovanni Battista Cipriani (Cipriani Giovanni Battista)

(1727-1785)
Born in Pistoia, near Florence in 1727, he studied under Antonio Domenico Gabbiani. Working in Rome in 1750-1753, became acquainted with the English architect William Chambers and the English sculptor Joseph Wilton. In 1755, Cipriani accompanied them during a trip to London, where he created his most famous work - a painting Somerset Hausa. It is believed that all the decoration of the mansion (except for the statues of John Bacon) was performed on his drawings. In 1768 Cipriani was one of the founders of the Royal Academy of Arts. His renown artist owes much to the remarkable engravings done with his paintings by Francesco Bartolozzi. Died Cipriani in London on December 14, 1785.