Denis Calvaert

Flemish Mannerist painter. He studied in Antwerp and then in Bologna under Prospero Fontana, and while a student he worked on frescoes in the Vatican. Later, he set up a school in Bologna where his pupils included Guido Reni and Domenichino. Much of his work is in the churches and national museum of Bologna.

His principal works are to be seen at Bologna, Florence, St. Petersburg, Parma, and Caen, and many of his pictures have been engraved.

After studying landscape-painting for some time in his native city (the Antwerp "Record of Artists" or "Liggeren" (1556-57), gives his name as Caluwaert), he first studied under Christiaen van Queecborn he went to Bologna, where he perfected himself in the anatomy of the human form under Prospero Fontana, and so completely lost the mannerism of Flemish art that his paintings appear to be the work of an Italian. From Bologna he went to Rome in 1527, where he assisted Lorenzo Sabbatini in his works for the papal palace of the Vatican, and devoted much of his time to copying and studying the works of Raphael. He ultimately returned to Bologna and founded a school, of which the greatest ornaments are Guido Reni, Francesco Albani and Domenichino. The rival school in Bologna was that of the Carracci, but Calvaert was so respected in the city that on his decease Ludovico Carracci attended his funeral in the Servite church and brought with him all his pupils.

His masterpiece is "St Michael" in St. Peter's, Bologna and most of his works are in the national museum of Bologna.