Cavallini, Pietro

Cavallini, Pietro an old Roman painter, was born in 1259 (or 1279); studied under Giotto, and practiced the Mosaic art as well as engraving. He assisted Giotto in the mosaic over the principal entrance to St. Peter's. His most important work in oil was the picture of The Crucifixion, at Assisi. His principal work in fresco was in the Church of Ara Coeli, in which he represented the Virgin and Infant, surrounded with glory, and below, the emperor Octavian, with the sibyl, directing his eye to the figures in the air. He died at Rome in 1344 (or 1364). See Spooner, Biog. Hist. of the Fine Arts, s.v.; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Générale, s.v.