Renaissance into Baroque

This exhibition catalogue from North America treats the art of Taddeo and Federico Zuccaro, the Roman artists of the late Mannerist period. The art of the Zuccaro brothers, probably the most famous artists in Italy in the period between the death of Michelangelo and the advent of Caravaggio, has been hitherto little known to an English speaking audience. The 103 drawings in the exhibition are drawn from both major and obscure public and private collections in North America. The introduction and entries chart the magnitude of the contributions of the short-lived elder brother, Taddeo, and the efforts of his younger brother, Federico, to disseminate the Roman style throughout Italy and the rest of Europe. The author assesses, in addition to the relationship of drawings to finished paintings, the myths related to Taddeo's career and the frequently contentious relationships of Federico with the artistic establishment in Rome, Venice, Florence and elsewhere.