Head of Christ

Successful artist whose work represents the stylistic cross-currents of the transitional period between Mannerism and Baroque. Known for his sensuous color and dramatic use of light and shade. He was one of the most influential artists in 17th-century Florence, reacting against the artificiality of Mannerism and introducing a new clarity and naturalism attuned to the Counter-Reformation to create a distinctively Florentine Baroque style. His architecture unites the fantasy of Bernardo Buontalenti with a purer and more conservative classicism. He won great fame in both Florence and Rome, where shortly before his death he was named as a Knight of Malta by Pope Paul V Borghese. Comment on works: Religious