Pietro Petroni

Pietro Petrini (died 1803) was an Italian painter in Florence.

Biography

Petrini was born in Pontremoli, and trained in Parma and Rome. As a mature painter was recruited by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo to serve as the first professors of a newly-reformed Accademia di Belle Arti of Florence. He was assisted by Giuseppe Piattoli.

Subsequent generations had a poor impression of the man: Saltini in his History of Fine Arts of Tuscany said of him:[1]

He was mediocre painter; and he obtained his position by some cabal, and after being placed in the direction of teaching of Florentine painting in the Academy, he did great damage to art. Little had he drawn, and less painted less before his appointment; he did nothing afterward, and completely abandoned the brushes. He always spoke to young pupils, but never once said, here's how it works. Woe to art teachers who argue and write, used to say Canova, it is a sign that they dare not and can not do (art).

Others are less biting, for example, Francesco Inghirami said that:[2]

He settled in Florence but worked little and reluctantly due to his poor health he had. If the right audience does not find in him a exceptional painter, he was an amazing teacher, erudite in theories, highly eloquent, and most loving in teaching his students.

Among his pupils at the Academy were Pietro Benvenuti, who would replace him as director of the Academy, and Pietro Ermini.[3]

References

  1. ↑ fu mediocrissimo pittore; e se ottenne per cabala d'esser posto alla direzione dell' insegnamento di pittura nell'Accademia fiorentina, ciò fu a maggior danno dell' arte. Poco avea disegnato e meno dipinto prima d'ottenere codesto ufficio, nulla più fece poi; e abbandonati affatto i pennelli, parlò sempre ai giovani scuolari, ma non disse loro pure una volta, ecco come si opera. Guai ai maestri dell' arte che disputano e scrivono, soleva dire il Canova, è segno che non osano e non sanno fare. in Le arti belle in Toscana da mezzo il secolo XVIII ai di nostri: memoria storica, by Guglielmo Enrico Saltini, page 45.
  2. ↑ Stabilitosi in Firenze lavorò poco e di malavoglia per la poca salute che aveva. Se il giusto pubblico non trova in lui un raro pittore, vi trova un maestro egregio, dotto nelle teorie, facondissimo e amorevolissimo nell'insegnare ai suoi allievi from Storia della Toscana: compilata ed in sette epoche distribuita, Volume 11, by Francesco Inghirami, page 327.
  3. ↑ Notizie Biografica del Professore Pietro Ermini, lette dell'Adunanza, 9 August 1838, by Gaetano Palazzi; in Atti della Reale Accademia Petrarca di scienze lettere ed arti, in Arezzo, Volume 1, By Accademia Petrarca di lettere, arti e scienze, page 57-61.
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