Castelli, Valerio

, son of the preceding, was born, at Genoa, in 1625, and studied in the school of Doineniqo | Fiasella; but he owed his principal knowledge in the art of painting to studying the works of the most celebrated masters at Milan and Parma, by which he improved his taste of design, composition, and colouring. His reputation for drawing, colouring, and the elegant turn of his figures, placed him in a rank far superior to his father. His most favourite subjects were battles, which he composed with spirit, and executed with a pleasing variety; and his horses are drawn in an admirable style, full of motion, action, and life. In this style of painting he is said to have united the fire of Tintoretto with the fine taste and composition of Paolo Veronese. With respect to historical subjects, he possessed great merit both in easel pictures and in those of larger dimensions; and his works, although not frequent, are held in great estimation. Among those of the great style, the cupola of the church, and the Annunciation at Genoa, which is described as a noble composition, was painted by this master; and at Florence, in the palace of the grand duke, there is another excellent painting, the Rape of the Sabines. His pictifre, representing Christ taken down from the cross, is in the collection of the earl of Pembroke at Wilton; and it is said that more of the easel pictures of Castelli are to be found in the collections of England than in any other part of Europe. His health was injured by his assiduous labour; and he died at Genoa at the early age of 34, in 1659. ¹