130 - Sebastiano Mazzoni (Florence 1611 – Venice 1678)

Sebastiano Mazzoni (Florence 1611 – Venice 1678) Diana and Actaeon Oil on canvas 75 x 88 cm Provenance: Briganti Collection, Rome Work published in *Essays and Memoirs on Art History*, photo 57 on p. 254, edited by N. Ivanoff Sebastiano received his early artistic training under Bacio del Bianco, specializing, as the distinguished Sandro Bellesi writes, in “playful and sketchy depictions.” In 1638, he enrolled at the Accademia del Disegno in Florence and began his career as a freelance artist, drawing on the teachings of his first master and the influences of Giovanni di San Giovanni, Stefano Bella, and, in particular, Cecco Bravo. Later, he refined his painting style by adopting the elegant, sensual tone of Cesare Dandini and Francesco Furini, receiving excellent acclaim in Florence. Despite this, around 1646 he left the city to move to Venice. There, he initially drew inspiration from Bernardo Strozzi and later from Pietro Liberi, with whom he was friends, developing a whimsical and dreamlike painterly style that was highly appreciated in Venice. Sebastiano Mazzoni (Florence 1611 – Venice 1678) Diana and Actaeon Oil on canvas 75 × 88 cm Provenance: Briganti Collection, Rome Publication: Published in *Saggi e Memorie di Storia dell’Arte*, fig. 57, p. 254, edited by N. Ivanoff