BARBALONGA, ANTONIO. - Painter of the Alberti family, born in Messina in 1600, died in 1649. In his youth he came to Rome where he was a follower of
BARBARA, SAINT - Fresco in S. Maria Antiqua (8th century) - Rome.
Domenichino, with whom he collaborated in S. Maria della Vittoria and, perhaps, in S. Carlo ai Catinari.
His paintings are also in S. Silvestro al Quirinale and in S. Andrea della Valle. Returning to Messina (1631), he executed numerous works (some of which were taken to Spain after the revolution of 1674), including, notably, St. Philip Neri (in the church of the same name), the Ascension (in the monastery of S. Michele), and St. Charles Borromeo (in the church of S. Gioacchino).
The redundant, somewhat theatrical decorative style of B.’s manner influenced, through his numerous pupils, Sicilian painting in the second half of the 17th century.