Antiveduto Grammatica
Biography
His biographer Baglione explains his unusual name, Antiveduto, meaning ‘foreseen’, with reference to a premonition his father had had that his wife would give birth on a journey from their native Siena to Rome, where he was baptised on arrival. Grammatica trained with the little-known Giovanni Domenico Angelini, and was an independent master by 1591. He became a member of the artists’ Academy of Saint Luke in 1593, eventually serving as its Principe (Principal) in 1624, although was disgraced in that role for attempting to sell one of its main artistic assets, an altarpiece attributed to Raphael. From early on he seems to have enjoyed considerable success, but his career is poorly documented. The young Caravaggio spent some time in his studio shortly after arriving in Rome, and the two artists shared several eminent patrons and supporters among the Roman elite, notably Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte, the Marchese Vincenzo Giustiniani, and the Mattei family. Grammatica’s style was in turn influenced by his famous pupil, especially later in his career. He also executed important commissions for the Camaldolese order, at Frascati outside Rome and at the monastery at Camaldoli itself, near Naples.