Pier Francesco Mola

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Pier Francesco Mola (1612-1666) was an Italian High Baroque painter.

[edit] Biography

Mola was born at Coldrerio (now in Ticino, Switzerland), and moved to Rome at the age of four with his father Giovanni Battista, an architect. With the exception of the years 1633-40 and 1641-47, in which he resided in Venice and Bologna, respectively, he lived for the rest of his life in Rome.

His early training was with Cavaliere d'Arpino and he worked under Francesco Albani. His masterpiece was the fresco in the gallery of Alexander VII in the Quirinal Palace Gallery, Joseph making himself known to his Brethren (1657)[1]. He was elected to preside (principe) over the painter's guild in Rome, the Accademia di San Luca in 1662, but his last years were not profitable or prolific. One of his pupils was [[Antonio Gherardi].

Mola appears to be rebelling against the highly theoretical mythic painting of Sacchi, and introduces some landcape elements or naturalism into the composition.

[edit] Anthology of works

• Vision of San Bruno [2]
• Diana and Endymion

[edit] References

• Freedberg, Sydney J. (1993). Pelican History of Art: Painting in Italy, 1500-1600, 323-325 Penguin Books Ltd.