Guido Reni (Born 1575) was an Italian painter who was born in Bologna Italy. He’s noted for the classical idealism of his renderings of religious and mythological subjects. He first apprenticed at the age of 10 to the Flemish painter Denis Calvaert. He was later influenced by the Carracci’s novel naturalism - a Bolognese family of painters. At the age of 24, he was received into the guild of painters. Upon gaining prominence the artist surrounded himself with helpers—such as Antonio Carracci, Francesco Albani, and Giovanni Lanfranco —who were fascinated by his tyrannical if somewhat noble personality. After 1601 Reni divided his time between his studios in Rome and Bologna. Early in his career, he executed significant commissions for Scipione Cardinal Borghese and Pope Paul V, painting several frescoes in chapels for these and other patrons. In the later part of his career, he employed softer colors, lighter tones, and extremely free brushwork.
Among his outstanding works is the “Aurora.” He evolved a style that moderated Baroque complexity and exuberance with classical restraint. In his mythological and religious paintings, such pieces as “Atalanta and Hippomenes” reflect his preference for elegantly posed figures that mirror traditional ideals. His religious compositions made him a model for other Italian Baroque artists, and one of Europe’s most famous painters of his day. Apart from the work of the Carracci family, the ancient Greek sculptures and the frescoes of Raphael were the main inspiration for his art. The mood of his paintings is serene and calm, as are the studied softness of form and color. He strove toward a classical harmony where authenticity is offered in idealized proportions.
