Bernardo Strozzi

Bernardo Strozzi painted with rich, glowing colour and broad, energetic brushstrokes. His religious scenes, portraits and famous kitchen pictures have a warm, earthy realism that looks back to Rubens and Caravaggio.

Born in Genoa, he became a Capuchin friar at 17 and was known as “il Cappuccino” or “il Prete Genovese”. He painted in Genoa for many years, then moved to Venice around 1633, where his bold style helped shape Venetian Baroque painting. His The Cook is in the Palazzo Rosso in Genoa, and his work is also in the Worcester Art Museum and the Scottish National Gallery.

Saint Cecilia and A Personification of Fame show his warm colour and lively paint.