Agostino Tassi
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Agostino Tassi (1578-1644), painter, mostly of landscapes and seascapes. Due to his aspirations to nobility, Tassi modified the details of his early life. Though he was born in Perugia, he claimed to have been born in Rome. His family name was Buonamici, but Agostino adopted the surname Tassi to give substance to his story that he was adopted by the Marchese Tassi. He was actually the son of a furrier named Domenico.
Tassi may have worked for a time in Livorno, as well as in Florence. During his sojourn in Florence, it is believed that was he was made a galley slave in the Grand Duke’s convict galleys for some unspecified crime. However, he was allowed to move about freely on the ship instead of pulling on an oar. More importantly, he was able to paint and draw on the galley, and was thus provided with ample material from which to execute his seascapes and images of ports, ships, and fishing scenes.
Regarding his artistic formation, Tassi is said to have been a pupil of Paul Bril, from whom he derived some of his images of the sea. He later worked in Rome with Orazio Gentileschi, who painted figures, after being commissioned by Pope Paul V. Considered a master of perspective and a good painter of illusionistic architectural decoration, Tassi painted in several Roman palaces, including the Quirinale (1611-12), the Rospigliosi and the Doria Pamphili (1635). At Rome, Tassi also served as the master (from April 1625) of French painter Claude Lorrain. Tassi had hired the Frenchman to grind his colors and to do all of the household work. Though better known as a painter of frescoes, Tassi also painted some canvases, which include “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba before Solomon” (ca. 1610) and “Entry of Taddeo Barberini from the Porta del Popolo” (1632).
Tassi’s partnership with Gentileschi unfortunately led to misfortune. A man who seems to have had a turbulent character and dissolute habits, Tassi was convicted in 1612 of raping Artemisia Gentileschi, his partner’s daughter and a talented painter in her own right. Tassi had originally denied the accusation, stating, "Never have I had carnal relations nor tried to have it with the said Artemisia... I've never been alone in Artemisia's house with her." He afterwords claimed that he had visited the girl's house in order to safeguard her honor.[1] (http://www.webwinds.com/artemisia/trial.htm) Tassi, as previously noted, had already run afoul of the law, and had been already been accused of raping both his sister-in-law and one of his wives. His wife had been missing for a time, and it was believed at the time that Tassi had hired bandits to kill her.
Tassi died in Rome.
Popular Culture
The 1997 film Artemisia, directed by Agnès Merlet and starring Valentina Cervi, the role of Agostino Tassi is played by Serbian actor Miki Manojlovic.
Works
Stormy Seascape with Jonah and the Whale (http://www.rlfeigen.com/about_jonah.html)
The Embarkation of a Queen (http://gallery.euroweb.hu/html/t/tassi/1embarka.html)
Landscape with Tobias and the Angel (http://www.bucknell.edu/The_Bucknell_Difference/Arts_at_Bucknell/Samek_Art_Gallery/Collection/Kress_Collection/Landscape.html)
External Links
Biography of Agostino Tassi (http://www.intofineart.com/htmlfind/artist-0001719.html)
