Guido Reni

Paintings

Guido Reni was an Italian painter of high-Baroque style. He was a typically classical academic but he was also one of the most elegant painters in the chronicles of art history. He was constantly seeking an absolute, rarefied perfection which he measured against classical Antiquity and Raphael. Because of this, over the years the Bolognese painter has been in and out of fashion, depending on the tastes of the times. He was very popular in eighteenth century, bit in the nineteenth century the violent criticism of John Ruskin broke down his reputation. However even his enemies cannot deny the exceptional technical quality of his work nor the clarity of his supremely assured and harmonious brushwork. He praised the clearness of light, the perfection of the body, and lively color. Toward the end of his life, Reni modified his style. His paintings became airy as to seem insubstantial and were almost completely monochrome.