The Italian artist Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (1609-1664) is one of the most important figures in the field of printmaking, who stood out above all for the nonchalance with which he put his compositions on paper. In addition, he is considered the developer of the monotype, which even in the 19th century was still used in works by greats such as Edgar Degas or Paul Gauguin. Curated by Jonas Beyer and Timothy J. Standring, the Kunsthaus Zürich is dedicating a solo show to this exceptional artist from 10 December 2021 to 06 March 2022. Baroque Fire. The Graphic Works of Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione presents mainly Castiglione's engagement with Rembrandt van Rijn, who was one of his great idols. The exhibition is supported by the KYTHERA Kultur-Stiftung (Düsseldorf), the WOLFGANG RATJEN STIFTUNG (Vaduz) and the Tavolozza Foundation, among others.
Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, baptised in Genoa on 23 March 1609, was an Italian painter, draughtsman, etcher and graphic artist. He became known for his excellent depictions of animals, and many of his oil paintings also deal with various themes from the Old Testament. His etchings are stylistically similar to the works of Rembrandt, whom Castiglione regarded as a great model. Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione is also regarded as the inventor of the monotype, a process of fine art in which one does not draw or paint on paper or canvas but on glass, acrylic or metal plates, for example. While the paint is still wet, these plates are then printed onto the paper with the help of a press or hand rubbing.
