Baldassare

Franceschini, Baldassare, 1611-89, Florentine painter; pupil of his father, who was a sculptor. He was also called Volterrano. His works include the Coronation of the Virgin, a fresco in the dome of the Church of the Annunziata, Florence; paintings in the Niccolini Chapel, Church of Santa Croce, Florence; and St. John the Evangelist (Church of Santa Chiara, Volterra).

Galuppi, Baldassare, 1706-85, Italian composer. A pupil of Lotti, he developed the opera buffa style in the period between Scarlatti and Mozart, and he also wrote oratorios and chamber music. He is immortalized in Robert Browning's poem "A Toccata of Galuppi's."

Cossa, Baldassare, c.1370-1419, Neapolitan churchman, antipope (1410-15; see Schism, Great) with the name John XXIII. He had a military career before entering the service of the church. He was made a cardinal by Boniface IX (1402) and proved himself able, especially in financial matters. In 1408 he deserted Gregory XII and helped to bring about the Council of Pisa to end the schism between the Roman and the Avignon popes. The council, declaring both Gregory XII and Benedict XIII deposed, set up a third claimant, Alexander V. On Alexander's death a year later, Cardinal Cossa was elected. Of the three rival "popes," John had by far the greatest following. He immediately sought the aid of Sigismund and helped elect Sigismund Holy Roman emperor. John allied himself with Louis II of Anjou (later king of Naples) to make war on Lancelot of Naples and his ally Gregory XII. An ineffective council at Rome (1412-13) was followed by the Council of Constance (see Constance, Council of), which John convened under pressure from Sigismund. At the opening of the council he reluctantly promised (1415) to abdicate if his rivals would do so. Then, surreptitiously, he fled to the lands of his ally Frederick of Hapsburg. He was forced to return. The council formally deposed him, and he submitted. He was held prisoner in Germany until released by Martin V in 1418; he returned to Italy. He died cardinal bishop of Tusculum. In his lifetime he had a reputation for unscrupulousness and self-aggrandizement.

Castiglione, Baldassare, Conte, 1478-1529, Italian soldier, author, and statesman attached to the court of the duke of Milan and later in the service of the duke of Urbino. His famous Libro del cortegiano (1528, tr. The Courtier, 1561), a treatise on etiquette, social problems, and intellectual accomplishments, is one of the great books of its time. Written at a time when the author served as envoy to Pope Leo X, it gives a vivid and elegant picture of 15th- and 16th-century court life. His book had enormous influence on behavior at courts as far away as England, where it contributed to an ideal of aristocracy embodied in the person and accomplishments of Sir Philip Sidney. Castiglione's portrait was painted by Raphael (c.1515), his tomb designed by Giulio Romano, and his epitaph composed by Bembo.

Peruzzi, Baldassare, 1481-1536, Italian architect and painter of the High Renaissance and mannerist periods. His outstanding architectural works are the Villa Farnesina (c.1505-c.1511) and the Palazzo Massimi (c.1535) in Rome. He also did architectural and painting projects for the Vatican and succeeded Raphael in 1520 as architect of St. Peter's. In painting, his use of perspective illusionism and classical figures may be seen at the Villa Farnesina, while a turn toward mannerist composition and spatial arrangement is visible in Presentation of the Virgin (c.1518; Santa Maria della Pace, Rome). In both architecture and painting Peruzzi adapted forms derived from ancient art to his own elegant and sophisticated style.

Baldassare is an Italian masculine given name, and may refer to:

• Baldassare Aloisi (1578-1638), Italian history and portrait painter and engraver
• Baldassare Bianchi (1612-1679), Italian painter
• Baldassare Castiglione (1478-1529), Italian Renaissance writer
• Baldassare Cittadella (1603-1651), Italian Jesuit
• Baldassare Croce (1558-1628), Italian painter
• Baldassare d'Anna (circa 1560-1600), Italian painter
• Baldassare Di Maggio (born 1954), Sicilian Mafioso
• Baldassare Donato (circa 1525-1603), Italian composer and singer
• Baldassare Ferri (1610-1680), Italian singer
• Baldassare Forestiere (1879-1946), Italian-American founder of the Forestiere Underground Gardens
• Baldassare Franceschini (1611-1689), Italian Baroque painter
• Baldassare Gabbugiani (18th century), Italian engraver
• Baldassare Peruzzi (1481-1537), Italian architect and painter
• Baldassare Verazzi (1819-1886), Italian painter