# Agostino Carracci

> Bolognese painter of the Baroque (1557-1602)

**Wikidata**: [Q316269](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q316269)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agostino_Carracci)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/agostino-carracci

## Summary

Agostino Carracci was an Italian painter and printmaker born in Bologna on August 16, 1557. [1][2][3] His brother was the painter Annibale Carracci. [1] He had a son named Antonio Marziale Carracci. [4] Carracci worked primarily in the field of painting, specializing in history painting and portrait. [5] He died in Parma on March 22, 1602. [6][7][8][9][3]

## Summary
Agostino Carracci (1557–1602) was an Italian painter and printmaker of the Bolognese Baroque, active in the Papal States. He is best known for works such as *The Last Communion of St Jerome* (c. 1590–1592) and *Hairy Harry, Mad Peter and Tiny Amon* (1598), contributing to the genres of history painting and portraiture during a pivotal era of Italian art.

## Biography
- Born: August 16, 1557, Bologna, Papal States
- Nationality: Papal States (Bolognese)
- Education: Not specified in source material
- Known for: Baroque painting and printmaking in the genres of history painting and portraiture
- Employer(s): Not specified in source material
- Field(s): Painting, printmaking

## Contributions
Agostino Carracci produced notable paintings across multiple genres. His documented works include *The Last Communion of St Jerome*, a history painting with inception dates around 1590 and more specifically 1592, and *Hairy Harry, Mad Peter and Tiny Amon*, a painting completed in 1598. He practiced as both a painter—applying paint, pigment, color, or other medium to a surface—and as a printmaker, creating prints from plates or blocks. His work in history painting engaged with historical, religious, and mythological matter, while his portraiture focused on artistic representations of persons.

## FAQs
**What artistic genres did Agostino Carracci work in?**
Agostino Carracci worked in history painting—a genre defined by historical, religious, and mythological subject matter—and portraiture, the artistic representation of one or more persons.

**What are Agostino Carracci's documented works?**
His documented works include *The Last Communion of St Jerome* (c. 1590–1592) and *Hairy Harry, Mad Peter and Tiny Amon* (1598).

**When and where did Agostino Carracci live?**
Agostino Carracci was born on August 16, 1557, in Bologna and died in early 1602 (recorded dates include February 23 and March 22). He lived within the Papal States, territories under the sovereign direct rule of the Pope covering much of central Italy.

## Why They Matter
Agostino Carracci worked during a critical period of artistic transition in the Papal States, where the Catholic Church's temporal authority extended over much of central Italy, including Bologna, Ferrara, Ravenna, and Rome. The Papal States functioned as a major patron of Renaissance and Baroque arts, commissioning works from masters and supporting academies and cultural institutions such as the Accademia dei Lincei (founded 1603). Artists like Annibale Carracci, Guido Reni, and Artemisia Gentileschi flourished under this system of patronage, which fostered an environment where religious, temporal, and artistic authority converged. Carracci's dual practice in painting and printmaking, along with his contributions to history painting and portraiture, reflect the breadth and technical versatility expected of artists working within this robust cultural infrastructure. His career exemplifies the role of Bolognese artists in shaping Baroque visual culture within the political and religious framework of the Papal States.

## Notable For
- Bolognese painter and printmaker of the Baroque period (1557–1602)
- Creator of *The Last Communion of St Jerome* (c. 1590–1592)
- Creator of *Hairy Harry, Mad Peter and Tiny Amon* (1598)
- Practitioner in the genres of history painting and portraiture
- Citizen of the Papal States during the height of its artistic patronage
- Recorded in numerous international cataloging systems (VIAF, ISNI, LCCN, ULAN, BNF, SUDOC, and others)
- Known by multiple aliases including Aug. Carrache, Augustin Carraci, Augustine Carracci, Augustino Carracci, Augustin Carrache, Augustin Carache, Agostino Caracci, Agos. Carracci, Agostino Caraccio, and Augustin Carracci

## Body

### Early Life and Background
Agostino Carracci was born on August 16, 1557, in Bologna, a city within the Papal States. The Papal States, existing from 754 CE to September 20, 1870, were territories mostly in the Apennine Peninsula under the sovereign direct rule of the Pope. At their peak, they covered approximately 41,407 to 44,000 square kilometers centered around Rome (coordinates 41.9°N, 12.4875°E). Bologna, where Carracci was born and raised, had been part of the Holy Roman Empire until 1506, after which it came under Papal States control and would remain so until 1860.

### Artistic Career
Carracci established himself in two complementary disciplines: painting, the practice of applying paint, pigment, color, or other medium to a surface; and printmaking, the creation of prints from plates or blocks. His field of work encompassed history painting—a genre defined by historical matter, including religious painting and mythological painting—as well as portraiture, the artistic representation of one or more persons.

### Notable Works

***The Last Communion of St Jerome***
This painting, with inception dates recorded as approximately 1590 and more specifically January 1592, falls within the tradition of history painting. The subject matter aligns with the religious themes common in Papal States patronage.

***Hairy Harry, Mad Peter and Tiny Amon***
Created in 1598, this painting represents another documented work in Carracci's output. Its title suggests a figurative or portrait composition, demonstrating his engagement with diverse subject matter.

### Historical and Geographical Context
Throughout his life, Carracci was a citizen of the Papal States, a confessional state under the absolute authority of the Pope. The state's capital was Rome, its official language was Latin, and its currency included the Roman scudo (until 1866) and the papal lira (1866–1870). The Papal States hosted numerous influential Italian noble families—including the House of Farnese, House of Borgia, House of della Rovere, House of Barberini, House of Aldobrandini, House of Carafa, and House of Boncompagni—who played crucial roles in state administration and papal courts, often providing cardinals, administrators, and military leaders.

The Papal States served as a major patron of Renaissance and Baroque arts, commissioning works from masters including Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bernini. The state supported academies and cultural institutions, including the Accademia dei Lincei, founded in 1603, shortly after Carracci's death. The papal diplomatic system, including nuncios as papal ambassadors, established precedents for modern diplomatic protocols.

### Death
Agostino Carracci died in early 1602, with recorded dates including February 23 and March 22. He was approximately 44–45 years old at the time of his death.

### Documentation and Legacy
Carracci's identity and works are documented across numerous cataloging systems and databases, reflecting his enduring presence in art historical records. He is referenced in multiple identifier systems, including VIAF (61617497), ISNI (0000000121357445), LCCN (n87839265), ULAN (500115349), BNF (12328894p), SUDOC (032214944), and many others, with records across dozens of cultural heritage and academic databases worldwide. His Wikipedia title is "Agostino Carracci," with 40 sitelinks across language editions. His Wikidata description identifies him as a "Bolognese painter of the Baroque (1557-1602)."

## References

1. Commons Creator page
2. Italian Baroque Painting (1962)
3. BnF authorities
4. artist list of the National Museum of Sweden. 2016
5. BeWeB
6. Integrated Authority File
7. Union List of Artist Names. 2019
8. Czech National Authority Database
9. The Fine Art Archive
10. International Standard Name Identifier
11. Japan Search
12. OPAC SBN
13. MusicBrainz
14. RKDartists
15. Agostino Carracci. Benezit Dictionary of Artists
16. SNAC
17. Croatian Encyclopedia
18. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
19. Virtual International Authority File
20. Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani
21. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
22. [Source](https://www.fine-arts-museum.be/nl/de-collectie/artist/carracci-agostino-1)
23. [Source](https://www.bellasartes.gob.ar/)
24. [Source](https://ackland.emuseum.com/people/1455/agostino-carracci/objects)
25. catalogo.beniculturali.it
26. HMML Authority File