Ricci, Sebastiano

Ricci, Sebastiano, a painter of the Venetian school, was born at Belluno in 1659. At the age of twelve he entered the studio of Cervelli, who took him to Milan. He there studied under Lisandrino, and afterwards went to Bologna. Receiving the patronage of the duke of Parma, Ricci was enabled to go to Rome to study design. He remained there until 1694, and spent several subsequent years in traveling through Europe, leaving his pictures in many of the most important cities. He finally settled in Venice, where he remained during the rest of his life. He died in 1734. The paintings of Ricci are noted for the nobility of the figures, grace of attitude, correctness of design, and brilliancy of coloring. Nevertheless, he never seemed able to rid his works of a certain disagreeable mannerism. Among those in Florence are a St. Charles and St. Gregory Celebrating Mass; at the Museum of Dresden, an Ascension and Christ Giving to Peter the Keys of Paradise. See Orlandi, Abbecedario; Lanzi, Storia Pittorica; Ticozzi, Dizionario; Bertoluzzi, Guida di Parma.