Paolo Emilio Besenzi

Saint Peter. 114 x 135 cm. Oil on canvas. Uffizi Gallery

Paolo Emilio Besenzi (1608–1656) was an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect. of the 17th century, born and active in Reggio. He trained with Francesco Albani, and friend and companion of Lionello Spada.

Among the works by the artist were a canvas depicting San Placido for the church of San Pietro, Reggio Emilia; and a canvas depicting St Simone and one of Saints Bernard and Catherine that once was atop the Altar of the Brusati at San Prospero.^[1] Among his sculptural works were the statues of Saints Peter and Prospero for the facade of San Prospero; and the stucco decoration for the altars of St Placido and St Giulia for the church of San Pietro; twelve apostles and four evangelists for the Confraternity of San Domenico^[2] It is said th helped design the reconstruction of Sant'Agostino. He was buried in the now demolished church of Santa Maria Maddalena, for which he designed the main altar.^[3]

References

• Bryan, Michael (1886). Robert Edmund Graves, ed. Dictionary of Painters and Engravers, Biographical and Critical (Volume I: A-K). York St. #4, Covent Garden, London; Original from Fogg Library, Digitized May 18, 2007: George Bell and Sons. p. 121.
• Ticozzi, Stefano (1830). Dizionario degli architetti, scultori, pittori, intagliatori in rame ed in pietra, coniatori di medaglie, musaicisti, niellatori, intarsiatori d’ogni etá e d’ogni nazione' (Volume 1). Gaetano Schiepatti; Digitized by Googlebooks, Jan 24, 2007. p. 157.

1. Tiraboschi, G: By the 19th-century, replaced by a Deposition by Pier Maria Clementi
2. G. Tiraboschi: transferred in 1770 to the Cathedral, and by Fra Stefano da Carpi, the latter were converted to patriarchs of the bible.
3. Tiraboschi, Girolamo (1786). Notizie de' pittori, scultori, incisori, e architetti natii degli stati del Serenissimo Signor Duca di Modena. Presso la Societa' Tipografica, Modena; Digitized by Googlebooks. pp. 117–118.