BENVENUTI, PIETRO. - Painter, born in Arezzo on 8 January 1769, died in Florence on 3 February 1844. From 1782 to 1804 he lived in Rome, where he studied under Camuccini and the Dane A. J. Carstens. From 1804 he directed the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. His paintings are numerous: *The Martyrdom of St Donatus* (1794, Arezzo Cathedral), *The Martyrdom of the Blessed Signoretto Alliata* (1802, Pisa Cathedral), *The Triumph of Judith* (1803, Arezzo Cathedral), *Stories from the Old and New Testaments* (1827–36, frescoes in San Lorenzo, Florence) clearly demonstrate his style, which is marked by sure composition, correct drawing, and a lack of strong sensitivity to colour.
The best part of his work consists of portraits (*The Court of Elisa Baciocchi*, 1813, Musée de Versailles; *Self-Portrait* at the Uffizi, etc.).