Giovanni Battista Braccelli
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Battista Braccelli (ca. 1600 – before 1650) was an Italian
engraver and painter of the Baroque
period, active Florence
.
He is best known for his book of prints: Bizzarie di Varie Figure, published in 1624 in Livorno
, and dedicated to Don Pietro Medici. The depiction of a variety of human shapes aggregated from a variety of objects or landscapes appears prescient of modern cubist
experiments. In this book, he engraves baroque experiments recalling Arcimboldo, engaging in a rarified set of conceits. Some of the figures are composed of boxes or raquets or curlicues.
Equally quizzical is his Alfabeto figurato (2002) which consists of alphabets constituted by acrobatic calligraphy of human forms. Added to this were some vedute of Rome and Roman artworks. He also published a collection of prints of conventional individuals engaged with playing musical instruments, entitled Figure Con Instrumenti Musicali E Boscarecci.
He appears to be distinct from the Genoese
painter of the same name, born 1584 and apprenticed under Giovanni Battista Paggi
(il Paggi), and who died in 1609.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
engraver and painter of the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
period, active Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.
He is best known for his book of prints: Bizzarie di Varie Figure, published in 1624 in Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
, and dedicated to Don Pietro Medici. The depiction of a variety of human shapes aggregated from a variety of objects or landscapes appears prescient of modern cubist
Cubism
Cubism was a 20th century avant-garde art movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture...
experiments. In this book, he engraves baroque experiments recalling Arcimboldo, engaging in a rarified set of conceits. Some of the figures are composed of boxes or raquets or curlicues.
Equally quizzical is his Alfabeto figurato (2002) which consists of alphabets constituted by acrobatic calligraphy of human forms. Added to this were some vedute of Rome and Roman artworks. He also published a collection of prints of conventional individuals engaged with playing musical instruments, entitled Figure Con Instrumenti Musicali E Boscarecci.
He appears to be distinct from the Genoese
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
painter of the same name, born 1584 and apprenticed under Giovanni Battista Paggi
Giovanni Battista Paggi
Giovanni Battista Paggi was an Italian painter of the Late-Renaissance and early-Baroque.He was born in Genoa into the well-to-do family of his father Pellegrino...
(il Paggi), and who died in 1609.