Felice Ficherelli

Felice Ficherelli (30 August 1605, San Gimignano – 5 March 1660, Florence) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Tuscany. He was nicknamed "Felice Riposo" (Happy I Rest) for his calm and quiet demeanour.

Saint Praxedis (1640s)
The "Bardi-Serzelli" version
The Rape of Lucretia, Wallace Collection

Biography

Nothing is known of his parents. He was sent to Florence at a very early age, and placed under the protection of Count Alberto d'Ottavio Bardi di Vernio, an aide to Cardinal Carlo de Medici. After displaying some artistic talent, he was made an apprentice in the workshops of Jacopo da Empoli, where he made copies of works by the Renaissance masters.[1]

In 1629, he enrolled at the Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno. Count Bardi died in 1632 but, thanks to a provision in Bardi's will, he was able to remain at the Count's home in return for providing one large painting per year.[1] Many of his works are still in the possession of the Bardi family.

During the 1650s, he created numerous religious works, mostly featuring the Madonna, at the chapel in the Basilica of Santo Spirito, the Church of Sant'Egidio, the Church of San Giovanni Battista, and the Florence Charterhouse, among others. Most of his other work is decorative in nature.

His most familiar work is Saint Praxedis, which exists in two versions. A copy of the later version appears to be signed by Johannes Vermeer and dated 1655, which would make it one of his earliest works.[2] This has been the subject of much disagreement among art scholars.

He was interred at the Church of Santa Maria dei Bardi. It was demolished in 1869 to widen the Arno.

References
  1. Biography of Ficherelli from the Dizionario biografico degli italiani @ Treccani
  2. Liedtke, W. (2001) Vermeer teaching himself. In: The Cambridge Companion to Vermeer. Edited by Wayne E. Franits.

Further reading
  • Filippo Baldinucci, Notizie de' Professori del Disegno, Da Cimabue in qua, Secolo V. dal 1610. al 1670, (Notice of the Professors of Design, from Cimabue to now, from 1610–1670), Vol.3, pg.219
  • Farquhar, Maria (1855). Ralph Nicholson Wornum (ed.). Biographical catalogue of the principal Italian painters. London: Woodfall & Kinder. p. 60.

Media related to Felice Ficherelli at Wikimedia Commons

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