Francesco Fontanesi (October 4, 1751 – 1795) was an Italian painter and scenic designer of the Neoclassical style, active mainly in Reggio Emilia and Parma.
Biographyedit
He was born in Reggio Emilia to supportive parents, who fostered a broad classical education. He is said to have trained under Giuseppe Bazzani and Prospero Zanichelli in Reggio. He gravitated towards working in scenic design. In 1772 he decorated for the Melodrama Buffo by Niccolò Piccinni titled L' Astratto or il Giuocatore fortunato.
In May 1776, for a lavish court performance at Parma sponsored by Francesco III of Este, he decorated an Antonio Vivaldi opera, titled Motezuma where he painted the scenes for the two accompanying dances: La Principessa di Tingi and Tenis ed Amalsi. The first dance had scenes with
1. Great pavilion adorned with military trophies.
2. An army field with pavilions and a city distant.
3. Interior of a city with balconies draped with riched tapestries and spectators.
4. Gothic room.
5. Gothic cellar.
6. Military encampment.
The second dance had scenes with
1. Country scene with altar.
2. Grotto.
3. Garden (Delizia) with statues and vases.
From Reggio, he moved to Parma to decorate in 1782 the scenes of the melodrama theatrical work of Alessandro e Timoteo.[1] He continued to work in Parmesan theaters for 15 years. Ercole III would in time raise him to the status of a Cavaliere. In 1785, he moved to Rome, and then, still as a scenic painter, traveled to Livorno, Barga, Pisa, Milan, Florence, Venice, Frankfort, and the Haymarket theater in London. He stayed in Venice for ten years. He was made a member of the Fine Arts academies of Modena, Parma, Venice, Florence, and Bologna. He died in 1795, leaving behind few permanent works.
Among the works, both opera and dances, for which he provided designs in Parma are the following:
He was both a friend and competitor of the scenic designer Gonzaga. A short biography recalls him as:[2]
Honest, friendly, liberal, enemy of antagonism, easy to please, hard to take offense, and always equal to his own was the delight of anyone who employing him. Modestly enamored with glory, he ignored the scams of ambitious mediocrity, nor did he, despite his honors, take the dress of arrogance and pomp, which often accompanies them. None found in him a thirst for profit and wealth; indeed he disregarded them, and only adventure gained his approval. He was charming, graceful in conversation, and spent time with every man, and even with wise men, he was as witty as he was jocose; remote from the cynical impudence, and scurrilous sarcasm.
Referencesedit
Notizie biografiche e letterarie in continuazione della Biblioteca Modonese], Volume 1, by Luigi Cerretti, Modena, 1833, page 179-190.
^Poetry by Count Castone della Torre di Rezzonico; Music by Giuseppe Sarti; and scene design by Pietro Gonzaga of Venice.
^Ingenuo, cortese, liberale, nemico di contrasti, facile a compiacere, difficile ad adontarsi, e sempre eguale a se stesso era la delizia di chiunque seco usava. Modesto amator della gloria ignorò i raggiri dell' ambiziosa mediocrità, nè tra gli onori vestì la boria, e il fasto, che sogliono accompagnarli. Niuna in lui sete di lucro, e di ricchezze; anzi una non curanza tale, che fu per avventura in lui l'unica cosa, che non ebbe approvazione. Fu grazioso, e bel parlatore, e sollazzevole uomo quant' altri mai, e come era accortissimo degli uomini, così arguto era nel motteggiare; ma ben remoto dalla cinica impudenza, e dalla scurrile mordacità.
April 17, 2024
francesco, fontanesi, october, 1751, 1795, italian, painter, scenic, designer, neoclassical, style, active, mainly, reggio, emilia, parma, biography, edithe, born, reggio, emilia, supportive, parents, fostered, broad, classical, education, said, have, trained,. Francesco Fontanesi October 4 1751 1795 was an Italian painter and scenic designer of the Neoclassical style active mainly in Reggio Emilia and Parma Biography editHe was born in Reggio Emilia to supportive parents who fostered a broad classical education He is said to have trained under Giuseppe Bazzani and Prospero Zanichelli in Reggio He gravitated towards working in scenic design In 1772 he decorated for the Melodrama Buffo by Niccolo Piccinni titled L Astratto or il Giuocatore fortunato In May 1776 for a lavish court performance at Parma sponsored by Francesco III of Este he decorated an Antonio Vivaldi opera titled Motezuma where he painted the scenes for the two accompanying dances La Principessa di Tingi and Tenis ed Amalsi The first dance had scenes with 1 Great pavilion adorned with military trophies 2 An army field with pavilions and a city distant 3 Interior of a city with balconies draped with riched tapestries and spectators 4 Gothic room 5 Gothic cellar 6 Military encampment The second dance had scenes with 1 Country scene with altar 2 Grotto 3 Garden Delizia with statues and vases From Reggio he moved to Parma to decorate in 1782 the scenes of the melodrama theatrical work of Alessandro e Timoteo 1 He continued to work in Parmesan theaters for 15 years Ercole III would in time raise him to the status of a Cavaliere In 1785 he moved to Rome and then still as a scenic painter traveled to Livorno Barga Pisa Milan Florence Venice Frankfort and the Haymarket theater in London He stayed in Venice for ten years He was made a member of the Fine Arts academies of Modena Parma Venice Florence and Bologna He died in 1795 leaving behind few permanent works Among the works both opera and dances for which he provided designs in Parma are the following L Astratto 1772 Motezuma 1776 Giulio Sabino 1784 Il Trionfo di Alessandro 1784 Medonte re di Epiro 1785 Vologeso Re de Parti 1785 Idalide 1786 Calisto 1786 Il Convalescente innamorato 1786 Il Demofonte 1787 Giasone e Medea 1787 L Inganno felice 1787 Il Catone in Utica 1787 L Artaserse 1790 La liberazione di Lilla 1790 L Innocenza riconosciuta 1790 La morte di Cesare 1790 Virginia 1790 La vendetta di Nino 1793 La Sultana in cimento 1793 Il Servo raggiratore 1793 Il Cajo Mario 1794 La morte di Agamennone 1794 Il Tamburo notturno also called finta Statua del Marito 1794 Il Conte di Saldagna 1795 Le Feste d Iside 1795 La Bianca de Rossi 1795 For the Theater in Reggio he completed Il Barbiere di Siviglia 1788 L Impresario in angustie 1789 Gli Amanti alla prova 1789 Gli Sposi rapiti 1789 La scuola de Pittori 1789 L Incredulo deluso 1791 La bella Pesca trice 1791 ll Capriccio Drammatico 1792 I Zingari in Fiera 1792 Don Giovanni Tenorio 1792 He was both a friend and competitor of the scenic designer Gonzaga A short biography recalls him as 2 Honest friendly liberal enemy of antagonism easy to please hard to take offense and always equal to his own was the delight of anyone who employing him Modestly enamored with glory he ignored the scams of ambitious mediocrity nor did he despite his honors take the dress of arrogance and pomp which often accompanies them None found in him a thirst for profit and wealth indeed he disregarded them and only adventure gained his approval He was charming graceful in conversation and spent time with every man and even with wise men he was as witty as he was jocose remote from the cynical impudence and scurrilous sarcasm References editNotizie biografiche e letterarie in continuazione della Biblioteca Modonese Volume 1 by Luigi Cerretti Modena 1833 page 179 190 Poetry by Count Castone della Torre di Rezzonico Music by Giuseppe Sarti and scene design by Pietro Gonzaga of Venice Ingenuo cortese liberale nemico di contrasti facile a compiacere difficile ad adontarsi e sempre eguale a se stesso era la delizia di chiunque seco usava Modesto amator della gloria ignoro i raggiri dell ambiziosa mediocrita ne tra gli onori vesti la boria e il fasto che sogliono accompagnarli Niuna in lui sete di lucro e di ricchezze anzi una non curanza tale che fu per avventura in lui l unica cosa che non ebbe approvazione Fu grazioso e bel parlatore e sollazzevole uomo quant altri mai e come era accortissimo degli uomini cosi arguto era nel motteggiare ma ben remoto dalla cinica impudenza e dalla scurrile mordacita Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francesco Fontanesi amp oldid 1126942068, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
