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Angelo Michele Colonna

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Angelo Michele Colonna (September 21, 1604-1687) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active near Bologna.

Born in Rovenna, near Como, and died in Bologna. As a boy in Como, he worked with painter by the name of Caprera. By 1617, he travels to Bologna to apprentice with Gabriello Ferrantino (il Occhiale), and then the early quadratura master, Girolamo Curti (il Dentone).

He painted frescoes for the Albergati Palace in Bologna. He would have been known by Cesare Malvasia, for whom Colonna frescoed the Villa Malvasia, along with Curti and Domenico Ambrogi in Trebbo in 1624. The next year, a Curti and Colonna frescoed the then Villa Paleotti In 1625, along with Ambrogi, he frescoes the Villa Malvezzi-Campeggi in Bagnarola. In 1625, after being recommended by Alessandro Tiarini, he helps decorate the ceiling of the church of Sant'Alessandro in Parma. In 1625, he collaborates with Lucio Massari, Francesco Gessi and others in the decoration of the Oratory of San Rocco of Bologna, painting six of the saints and allegories. In 1627, he paints in San Michele in Bosco.

After Curti dies in 1632, Colonna begins a long collaboration (till 1660) with the skilled quadratura painter Agostino Mitelli. Together they help decorate the Palazzo Spada in Rome, and then help paint in the Pitti Palace a large fresco of the Fame of the Medicis crowned by glory.

They became the pre-eminent quadratura painters of Italy. With Mitelli the travel to Modena to paint in the Este palace at Sassuolo. They painted in the ceiling of the now destroyed Oratorio de San Girolamo of Rimini. Colonna and Mitelli completes in 1657 the decoration with a framed Assumption of the chapel of the Rosary in the basilica of San Domenico in Bologna. Between 1653-8, they paint the gallery leading to the high altar of San Michele in Bosco.

In 1658, Colonna leave to go to Spain to work for Philip IV of Spain. He had initially been contracted for this work by Diego Velazquez. He was to return to Italy in 1662. His collaborator now was Mitelli's pupil, Giacomo Alboresi (1632-1677). He continued to be prolific in Bologna, decorating the Palazzo Cospi-Ferreti and a chapel in the church of San Bartolomeo (1667). In 1677, he completed frescoes for the Council Hall of the Palazzo Comunale, working with Gioacchino Pizzoli. Another painter working under him included Giuseppe Romani.

He is sometimes referred to by Michelangelo Colonna.

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Last updated on Tuesday February 19, 2008 at 04:29:51 PST (GMT -0800)
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