Vincenzo Cartari Paintings

Vincenzo Cartari was an Italian mythographer and writer from the Renaissance period, whose birth date is approximated around 1531. Although not much is known about his early life and training, Cartari is most renowned for his work 'Le Imagini con la spositione dei dei de gli antichi' (Images of the Gods of the Ancients), which was first published in 1556 in Venice. This work was one of the earliest and most popular iconographies of classical mythology in the Renaissance period.

Cartari's 'Imagini' provided a detailed account of the figures of classical mythology and their iconography, as interpreted and understood in the Renaissance. His work was influential in providing a guide for artists, poets, and scholars interested in the allegorical and symbolic meanings behind classical mythological figures. The comprehensive descriptions included the appearance, attributes, and symbolic significance of each god and goddess, which, in turn, influenced the visual arts of the time, as artists often sought to depict mythological figures in accordance with the characteristics described by Cartari and other mythographers.

Despite the influence of his work, little is known about Cartari's life, including his education and personal experiences that may have led him to write 'Imagini'. The exact year of his death is also a matter of some uncertainty, but it is believed he died around 1569. His 'Imagini' was republished and translated into several languages, including French and English, and it continued to be a reference for the understanding of classical mythology well into the 17th century. The legacy of Vincenzo Cartari's 'Imagini' is its enduring impact on the study of Renaissance iconography and its role in the interpretation and revival of classical themes in the art and culture of the period.