Giovanni Battista Lucini

Place: Vaiano Cremasco

Born: 1639

Death: 1686

Biography:

Giovanni Battista Lucini or Giovan Battista Lucini (9 July 1639 – 14 or 15 September 1686) was an Italian painter who produced many religious compositions for the religious institutions in Crema. He was active in the region in and around Crema throughout his short career. His innovative works anticipate artistic trends in Lombardy and Venice in the 18th century. Lucini was born in Vaiano Cremasco as the son of Girolamo Lucini and Laura Fogarola. His father was of noble descent and had been elected in 1626 as a member of the council of nobles of the city of Crema, Lombardy where the family resided. His father died when Giovanni Battista Lucini was only six years old, presumably leaving the family in a precarious financial condition. There are no firm records on Lucini from this time until 1663, when he joined the city council and was living in his brother Carlo's house. Lucini is believed to have been a pupil of Giovanni Battista Botticchio. Botticchio worked in Crema and was one of the leading 17th century painters in Lombardy. There are no records, which support this apprenticeship but elements of Lucini's style in his early works show Botticchio's influence and make such relationship likely. Small-format works by artists then in vogue which were likely present in the collections of noble families in Crema are believed to have played a role in the formation of Lucini. After Botticchio's death in 1666, Lucini travelled and spent time in Genoa , Milan and Veneto . Lucini never married and had no children. He died in Crema in 1686.