PITTONI, GIAMBATTISTA. - Painter, b. in 1687, perhaps in Venice, d. there on 17 Nov. 1767.

He received the first rudiments of the art from his uncle Francesco, a mediocre painter, but several contemporary Venetian artists contributed to his formation: Grassi, Balestra, Bencovich, the young Tiepolo, through whom he gradually matured a style of his own which, for its cosmopolitan qualities, procured him wide fame and numerous commissions from all over Europe. He, however, never moved from Venice, working actively and teaching in that Academy, of which he was one of the founders and which he presided over for many years.

PITTONI, GIAMBATTISTA - <em>Annunciation</em> - Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia. — PITTONI, GIAMBATTISTA - *Annunciation* - Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia.

P.'s style is characterized by a vivid and sparkling color, by free and animated forms, by a natural gracefulness that at times becomes affectation but that, especially in small compositions, gives rise to works full of grace and liveliness. To be remembered: from c. 1721 the Martyrdom of St. Thomas (church of S. Stae, Venice), from 1723 the Madonna and Saints (S. Corona, Vicenza) with its nervous forms and strong contrasts of vivid tints; of broad scope: the Multiplication of the Loaves (Accademia, Venice) and the Presentation of Mary in the Temple (ibid., Palazzo Pisani); to the fourth decade belong several paintings with small figures, of markedly rococo taste: the Continence of Scipio (Louvre), the Triumph of Alexander (Escorial), the Sacrifice of Polyxena (Cook coll.), etc. Altarpieces of the same period are found in Brescia (S. Maria della Pace), Verona (S. Maria in Organo), Vicenza (Cathedral). The Annunciation, donated by P. to the Accademia of Venice, perhaps in 1757, marks a revival of compositional energy and chromatic vivacity, which, however, would have no sequel. Of P.'s activity, besides innumerable canvases scattered in public and private collections throughout the world, mention is still made of the Diana and her Handmaidens and the Olindo and Sophronia (Museum, Vicenza), the St. Thomas (Borgo Val Sugana) and a ceiling recently recovered (cathedral of Thiene); there also remain very numerous drawings which testify, together with the "modelletti", to the painter's constant and meticulous elaboration of his schemes and figures.

Bibliography8 works

BIBL.: L. Coggiola Pittoni, Dei P. artisti veneti, Bergamo 1907; id., Opere ined. di G. B. P., in Dedalo, 8 (1927-28), p. 671; id., Pseudoinfluenza francese nell'arte di G. B. P., in Ric. della città di Venezia, 1933, p. 399 (with list and bibl.); H. Voss, s. v. in Thieme-Becker, XXVII, with bibl.; M. Goering, Zur Kritik u. Datierung des Werkes des G. B. P., in Mitteil. des kunst-hist. Inst. in Florenz, 4 (1934), p. 201; W. Arslan, Studi sulla pittura veneziana del primo Settecento, in La critica d'arte, 1 (1935-36), p. 258; R. Pallucchini, I disegni di G. B. P., Padova 1945; id., Dipinti del P. ritrovati, in Arte veneta, 1949, p. 164.

Nolfo di Carpegna

@incollection{ec9_pittoni_giambattista, author = {Di, Carpegna Nolfo}, title = {Pittoni, giambattista}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {IX}, pages = {1585--1586}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/pittoni-giambattista} }

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Pittoni, Giambattista

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