Born: 23-Mar-1609
Birthplace: Genoa, Italy
Died: 5-May-1664
Location of death: Mantua, Italy
Cause of death: unspecified

Gender: Male
Religion: Roman Catholic
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Painter

Nationality: Italy
Executive summary: Italian pastoral painter

Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, called in Italy "Il Grechetto", and in France "Le Ben�dette", Italian painter of the Genoese school, was born in Genoa, and studied for some time under Anthony Van Dyck. He painted portraits, historical pieces and landscapes, but chiefly excelled in fairs, markets and rural scenes with animals. Noah and the animals entering the Ark was a favorite subject of his. His paintings are to be found in Rome, Venice, Naples, Florence, and more especially Genoa and Mantua. He also executed a number of etchings, which are spirited, free and full of taste; "Diogenes searching for a Man" is one of the principal of these. The etchings are remarkable for light and shade, and have even earned for Castiglione the name of "a second Rembrandt." The Presepio (Nativity of Jesus) in the church of San Luca, Genoa, ranks among his most celebrated paintings, and the Louvre contains eight characteristic examples. In his closing years he lived in Mantua, painting for the court; here he received his name of "Grechetto", from the classic air of his pastorals, and here he died of gout in 1670. His brother Salvatore and his son Francesco excelled in the same subjects; and it is thought that many paintings which are ascribed to Benedetto are only copies after him, or perhaps originals by his son or brother.

Brother: Salvatore
Wife: (m. 1641)
Son: Francesco

    Risk Factors: Gout

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