Grimaldi, Giovanni Francesco

Grimaldi, Giovanni Francesco (called Il Bolognese), an eminent Italian landscape painter, was born at Bologna in 1606, and studied under the Caracci. He went to Rome for improvement, and soon rose to eminence. He was employed by Innocent X in the Vatican and at Monte Cavallo. He was invited to Paris by cardinal Mazarin, and was employed in the Louvre by Louis XIV. On returning to Rome he received numerous commissions, was patronized by Alexander VII and Clement IX, was twice appointed president of the Academy of St. Luke, and attained both fame and fortune. One of his best works was the Baptism of Christ. He died in 1680. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Spooner, Biog. Hist. of the Fine Arts, s.v.