Vassilacchi, Antonio (Laliense, or Aliense Da Milo)

Vassilacchi, Antonio (L'Aliense, Or Aliense Da Milo)

a painter, was born in the island of Milo, in the Grecian Archipelago, in 1556. He was sent to Venice when quite young, and placed under the instruction of Paul Veronese, with whom he made such progress and revealed such genius as to excite the jealousy of his master, who dismissed him from the studio with the advice that he should confine himself to small paintings. Suspecting the cause of his dismissal, and confident in his own powers, the young artist redoubled his efforts to attain excellence. He acquired great distinction, was patronized by the doge and principal nobility of Venice, was invited to the court of Spain by Philip II, and. Sigismund, king of Poland, earnestly solicited him to enter his service; but he declined these honors and remained in Venice. He executed many works for the churches and other public buildings of Venice and in other Italian cities. Among his best productions are, Abraham Sacrificing Isaac: — Cain Slaying Abel: — the Brazen Serpent, in the Church of the Holy Apostles: — and the Destruction of Troy, in the Sala della Scrutino. He died at Venice in 1629. See Spooner, Biog. Hist. of the Fine Arts, s.v.