Bartolomeo Nazari (1693–1758) stands as a significant, if sometimes overlooked, figure in the vibrant artistic landscape of 18th-century Venice. Active during the Late Baroque period, which gracefully transitioned towards the Rococo, Nazari carved a niche for himself primarily as a portraitist, though his oeuvre also includes historical and religious subjects. His work captures the elegance and social intricacies of his time, serving as a visual record of the aristocracy, visiting dignitaries, and cultural figures who animated Venetian society and beyond. Born in Clusone, near Bergamo, Nazari's artistic journey would take him through key Italian art centers, ultimately leading him to establish a successful career in Venice, the glittering maritime republic that was then a magnet for artists and patrons alike.
Early Life and Artistic Formation in Northern Italy
Bartolomeo Nazari was born in May 1693 in Clusone, a town in the Val Seriana near Bergamo, a region with a rich artistic heritage. His initial artistic inclinations were likely nurtured in this environment. His first formal training is recorded as being under Vittore Ghislandi, more famously known as Fra Galgario (1655-1743), a highly respected portrait painter from Bergamo. Ghislandi was known for his realistic and psychologically insightful portraits, often imbued with a warm humanity, a departure from the more formal state portraiture. This early exposure to Ghislandi's direct and unidealized approach to capturing likeness and character would have provided a solid foundation for Nazari.
Following his time in Bergamo, Nazari moved to Venice, a city teeming with artistic opportunities and a distinct painterly tradition. In Venice, he entered the workshop of Angelo Trevisani (1669–1753). Angelo, along with his brother Francesco Trevisani who was active in Rome, represented a more classical and refined current within the Baroque. Angelo's work, which included altarpieces and portraits, was characterized by a softer modeling and a more elegant, if somewhat conventional, compositional sense. This Venetian apprenticeship would have immersed Nazari in the city's famed colorito tradition and its emphasis on light and atmospheric effects.
Roman Sojourn and the Influence of the Capital
To further refine his skills and broaden his artistic horizons, Bartolomeo Nazari traveled to Rome around 1723. The Eternal City was still a crucial center for artistic study, offering exposure to classical antiquities and the works of Renaissance and Baroque masters. In Rome, Nazari is documented as having received guidance from Francesco Trevisani (1656–1746), the brother of his Venetian master Angelo. Francesco was a prominent figure in the Roman art scene, known for his polished style that blended late Baroque grandeur with an emerging Rococo grace. He enjoyed considerable international patronage and produced a wide range of works, from large-scale altarpieces to mythological scenes and portraits.
During his Roman period, Nazari also came under the influence of Benedetto Luti (1666–1724), a Florentine painter active in Rome who was celebrated for his delicate pastel portraits and his more classical oil paintings. Luti was a key figure in the transition from the High Baroque to the more intimate Rococo style, and his emphasis on refined draughtsmanship and subtle coloration would have been instructive. This Roman sojourn was crucial for Nazari, allowing him to absorb the academic traditions and the stylistic currents prevalent in the papal city, which he would later synthesize with his Venetian training.
Establishment in Venice and Mature Style
After his formative years of study and travel, Bartolomeo Nazari established himself permanently in Venice. The city, though past its political zenith, remained a cultural powerhouse, a center for music, theater, and the visual arts, attracting wealthy patrons and Grand Tourists from across Europe. It was in this cosmopolitan environment that Nazari's career as a portraitist flourished.
His style, by this point, was a mature amalgamation of his diverse training. From Fra Galgario, he may have retained an appreciation for capturing a sense of presence, while his Venetian and Roman experiences endowed him with a sophisticated handling of paint, an understanding of elegant composition, and an ability to render the luxurious fabrics and accoutrements favored by his sitters. Nazari's portraits are often characterized by their lively depiction of figures, set against rich, sometimes theatrical backgrounds. He excelled in portraying the elaborate costumes of the era, paying close attention to the texture of silks, velvets, and lace, which added to the visual splendor of his works. His palette was typically rich and harmonious, and his brushwork, while capable of fine detail, often retained a painterly vivacity.
Portraiture: Capturing the Elite
Nazari's primary contribution lies in his portraiture. He catered to a distinguished clientele that included Venetian patricians, members of the clergy, visiting foreign dignitaries, and prominent cultural figures. His ability to convey status and elegance made him a sought-after artist for official and private commissions.
One notable aspect of his portraiture was his engagement with the phenomenon of the Grand Tour. Wealthy young men, particularly from Britain, traveled through Italy to complete their education, and Venice was a key stop. Commissioning a portrait was a common way to commemorate their visit. Nazari painted several such Grand Tourists, including the "Portrait of Samuel Egerton" (1732), now in the Egerton Collection at Tatton Park, UK. This work exemplifies his ability to present the sitter with an air of sophisticated nonchalance, surrounded by attributes that might allude to their learning or interests.
Another significant work is the "Portrait of Lord Boyne and his Companions" (sometimes referred to as "Lord Boyne and his Sons"). This group portrait showcases Nazari's skill in arranging multiple figures within a dynamic composition, capturing a moment of aristocratic leisure or camaraderie. The painting contrasts interestingly with the more intimate pastel portraits of contemporaries like Rosalba Carriera (1673-1757), who offered a different, often softer and more psychologically nuanced, take on portraiture. Nazari's approach in oils was generally more formal and robust.
He also painted prominent figures from the world of music, a testament to Venice's status as a leading operatic center. His "Portrait of Farinelli" (Carlo Broschi), painted around 1734 and now in the Royal College of Music, London, depicts the celebrated castrato singer at the height of his fame. The portrait conveys Farinelli's star quality and the theatricality associated with his persona. Similarly, his "Portrait of Faustina Bordoni," another famed opera singer and wife of the composer Johann Adolph Hasse, now in the Handel House Museum, captures the diva's presence.
Nazari's Venetian patrons included figures like Gian Rinaldo Carli, whom he painted with Paolina Rubi (work in a Venice museum), and Bertuccio Valier, whose portrait is housed in the Mocenigo Museum, Venice, which also holds Nazari's "Portrait of a Magistrate." These works demonstrate his consistent ability to meet the expectations of the local elite for dignified and well-executed likenesses.
The Frankfurt Commission: Imperial Patronage
A significant event in Nazari's career was his journey to Frankfurt am Main in 1744. He traveled there to paint portraits for the imperial court and various members of the aristocracy who had gathered in the city. At this time, Frankfurt was a major hub, especially during imperial elections and coronations. This commission underscores Nazari's reputation, which evidently extended beyond the Italian peninsula, attracting the attention of some of the highest echelons of European society. The experience of working for such patrons would have further enhanced his prestige and likely provided him with valuable connections. While specific works from this period are not always easily identified, the visit itself is a testament to his standing. This international exposure places him in the company of other Italian artists of the period, like Pompeo Batoni (1708-1787) in Rome, who also built significant careers catering to an international clientele.
Historical and Religious Paintings
While primarily known for portraits, Bartolomeo Nazari also undertook historical and religious commissions, demonstrating a versatility common among artists of his era. One of his most noted works in this genre is "The Holy Family with St. Anne," painted for a church in Pontremoli. Such works allowed artists to engage with grander narrative themes and more complex compositions than typically afforded by single or group portraits.
Religious painting in 18th-century Venice was still a vital domain, with artists like Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696–1770) and Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (1683–1754) producing monumental altarpieces and decorative cycles. While Nazari's output in this area was less extensive than his portraiture, his contributions reflect the prevailing taste for compositions that combined devotional sentiment with Baroque dynamism and often a touch of Rococo elegance. The execution of these works would have drawn upon the full range of his academic training, including figure drawing, perspective, and the depiction of dramatic expression.
The Nazari Family: An Artistic Legacy
Bartolomeo Nazari was not the sole artist in his family. He passed on his artistic inclinations and skills to his children, Nazario Nazari (1724–c.1793) and Maria Nazari (born 1722). This continuation of a family workshop tradition was common in the art world.
Nazario Nazari followed in his father's footsteps as a painter. He is recorded as having moved from Venice to Milan around 1750, where he undertook commissions for the prominent Visconti family. His portraits for the Visconti were reportedly "exquisite" and well-received. It is also noted that Nazario completed some portraits of the Visconti family that his father had left unfinished at the time of his death. This suggests a close working relationship and a continuity of style, at least in certain commissions.
Maria Nazari also became a painter, having studied under her father's guidance. She is said to have shown considerable talent, particularly in copying her father's works, including religious subjects. A specific work attributed to her is "The Supper at Emmaus," located in the choir gallery of the Church of St. Anne in Clusone, their ancestral hometown. This indicates her competence in handling multi-figure religious compositions.
Interestingly, some sources suggest that the artistic style of Nazario and Maria leaned more towards Dutch-style genre painting. If accurate, this would represent a divergence from their father's primary focus on grand portraiture and historical scenes. The Dutch Golden Age, with masters like Jan Steen or Adriaen van Ostade, had long been admired for its intimate depictions of everyday life, and an interest in such themes was also present in 18th-century Italy, notably in the works of artists like Pietro Longhi (1701–1785) in Venice, who specialized in charming scenes of Venetian society. It's possible the Nazari children explored these more intimate genres alongside or in addition to continuing the portrait tradition.
Artistic Style: Characteristics and Comparisons
Bartolomeo Nazari's artistic style is firmly rooted in the Late Baroque, yet it often displays a lightness and elegance that foreshadows the Rococo. His works are generally characterized by a competent, if not always strikingly innovative, approach.
Color and Brushwork: Nazari employed a rich and often warm palette, typical of the Venetian school. His brushwork could be quite refined, especially in rendering faces and intricate details of costume, but he also maintained a certain painterly quality that avoided excessive smoothness or academic stiffness. Some accounts praise the "spirited touch" and "flame-like" colors in his depiction of heads, suggesting a vivacity in his technique.
Composition: His compositions are generally well-balanced and dignified. In single portraits, the sitters are often presented in conventional poses, sometimes with attributes that signify their status or profession. In group portraits, like that of Lord Boyne, he showed an ability to create a more dynamic interplay between figures.
Light and Shadow: Nazari utilized chiaroscuro effectively to model forms and create a sense of volume, though generally without the dramatic intensity of earlier Baroque masters like Caravaggio (whose influence was by then diffuse but foundational). His lighting tends to be more even and designed to flatter the sitter and highlight the richness of their attire.
Influence of Dutch Painting: The recurring mention of a "Dutch style" in relation to Nazari or his children is intriguing. If applied to Bartolomeo himself, it might refer to a certain realism in capturing likenesses, a meticulous attention to detail in fabrics and objects, or perhaps a more subdued and intimate mood in some of his less formal portraits, reminiscent of artists like Caspar Netscher or Gerard ter Borch.
Comparisons with Contemporaries: Nazari operated in a Venice bustling with talent. He was a contemporary of giants like Tiepolo, whose grand decorative schemes and luminous frescoes defined an era. Canaletto (1697–1768) was revolutionizing cityscape painting (vedute). Pietro Longhi was capturing the daily life of Venetians in his charming genre scenes. Rosalba Carriera was achieving international fame with her delicate pastel portraits. Compared to these figures, Nazari's focus was more traditional portraiture in oils. His work might be seen as less innovative than Tiepolo's or Canaletto's, and perhaps less intimate than Carriera's or Longhi's, but he provided a valuable service, creating enduring records of his sitters with skill and elegance. His contemporary in Rome, Pompeo Batoni, occupied a similar niche, though Batoni perhaps achieved greater international renown, particularly among British Grand Tourists. Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734), an older contemporary, was a key figure in revitalizing large-scale decorative painting in Venice with a lighter, more Rococo-inflected style.
Later Years and Enduring Influence
Bartolomeo Nazari continued to work as a respected painter in Venice until his death in Milan in August 1758, while reportedly working on commissions for the Visconti family (which his son Nazario then took over). His career spanned several decades of significant artistic activity in one of Europe's most vibrant cultural capitals.
While perhaps not ranking among the revolutionary innovators of his time, Nazari's contribution to 18th-century Italian art is noteworthy. He successfully navigated the demands of a discerning clientele, producing a substantial body of work that reflects the tastes and social structures of his era. His portraits serve as important historical documents, offering insights into the appearance and self-perception of the elite.
His influence can be seen in the continuation of a solid, professional tradition of portrait painting. By training his children, he also contributed to the dissemination of artistic skills. The very fact that he was sought after by both local Venetian patrons and international visitors, including those at the imperial court in Frankfurt, speaks to the quality and appeal of his work. He represents a cohort of skilled painters who formed the backbone of the art world, providing the essential service of portraiture that was so crucial for social representation before the age of photography. His paintings can be found in various museums and private collections, particularly in Italy and the United Kingdom, a testament to his reach and the enduring appeal of his refined Late Baroque style. Artists like Alessandro Longhi (1733-1813), son of Pietro, would continue the tradition of Venetian portraiture into the latter half of the century, building on the foundations laid by painters like Nazari.
In conclusion, Bartolomeo Nazari was a proficient and successful painter whose career reflects the artistic currents of 18th-century Venice. His dedication to portraiture, his ability to capture the likeness and status of his sitters with elegance and technical skill, and his role in an artistic family ensure his place in the annals of Italian art history.
