Simone Cantarini, known as Pesarese (Pesaro, Italy, 1612 – Verona, Italy, 1648) 

The artist was born in Pesaro in 1612. Little information remains about his education.  

It is known that his masters Gian Giacomo Pandolfi and Carlo Ridolfi influenced his paintings and that he studied the works of Federico Barocci, Orazio Gentileschi, and Giovanni Francesco Fossombrone. 

Between 1630 and 1632, he moved to Bologna to study under Guido Reni’s guidance. 

In the following years, it is believed that he travelled to Rome, where he studied ancient sculpture and the Raphael’s frescoes. 

In 1642, upon the death of his master Guido Reni, he made the decision to return to Bologna and establish his own workshop. He spent the last years working in his studio.  

Cantarini stood out as Reni's finest pupil, displaying unique and distinctive traits among his peers. His pursuit of complex and impactful pictorial techniques, paired with his skilful use of nuanced colours and careful disposition of figures, paved the way for delicate and intimate paintings. His style influenced the latter part of the 17th century in Bologna. 

Cantarini's creativity manifested in a wide range of projects, including drawings and engravings.  

Cantarini died in Verona in 1648. 

 Photo UniCredit Group (Sebastiano Pellion di Persano)