Benedetto Luti Italian, 1666-1724

Benedetto Luti (Florence, Italy, 1666 – Rome, Italy, 1724)

Born in Florence in 1666, Benedetto Luti showed a strong inclination for art from an early age. Encouraged by his father Jacopo, he began his training in the studio of Anton Domenico Gabbiani, where he developed remarkable skills in drawing and painting.

In 1691, with the support of Cosimo III de' Medici, Luti moved to Rome, where he came into contact with prominent artistic figures and collectors. In Rome, he became one of the most prestigious artists of the 18th-century Classicist movement, influenced by the teachings of Carlo Maratta and Francesco Trevisani.
Among his most important works from this period are the decoration of the Throne Room in Palazzo Colonna with the Apotheosis of Martin V, the canvas of Saint Charles Borromeo among the Plague Victims for the Schleißheim Gallery, and The Investiture of Saint Ranieri for the Cathedral of Pisa in 1712.

In 1713, after the death of Carlo Maratta, Luti inherited his prominence and central role in the Roman cultural scene. His fame also spread abroad, painting for France, England, and Germany.
Luti was also a member of the Accademia di San Luca, which he directed in 1720, and a teacher of drawing and nude studies at the French Academy in Palazzo Mancini.
Benedetto Luti continued to work and receive commissions until his death in Rome on June 17, 1724.

Photo UniCredit Group (Sebastiano Pellion di Persano)