Flemish Northern Renaissance Painter, ca.1495-1550 South Netherlandish painter of Italian birth. In 1518 he acquired Bruges citizenship, and in 1519 he was admitted to the guild of painters and saddlemakers there as an independent master, with the comment that he was 'from Lombardy'. He may have been from Ferrara, although he was originally called Ambrogio Benzone, taking his first name from the patron saint of Milan, the capital of Lombardy. He was probably attracted to Bruges by its commercial and artistic reputation. Initially he worked in the studio of Gerard David, by whom he was profoundly influenced, but after a few months the relationship went wrong and the younger painter brought a case against David. Benson's first marriage was to Anna Ghyselin, who bore him two sons, Willem Benson (1521/2-1574) and Jan Benson (before 1530-before 1581), both of whom became artists. From his second marriage, to Josyne Michiels, a daughter Anna was born, and he had two other daughters from various extra-marital relationships. Benson was an affluent and successful man: he owned several houses, for one of which he gave eight paintings in half payment (which gives some idea of the value of his works at the time). Benson twice received commissions from city magistrates to decorate their new county hall and was a member of the city council on three occasions; he also held important offices within the painters' guild, including dean (1537-8 and 1543-4) and governor (1540-41). His pupils included his two sons, and Joachim Spaers (1541) and Jacob Vinson (Fynson; 1549).  Related Paintings of BENSON, Ambrosius :. | Virgin and Child with Saints | Mary Magdalene Reading | Virgin with the Pear fdf | Mary Magdalene | Rest on the Flight into Egypt dgfh |
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TURCHI, Alessandro
Italian Baroque Era Painter, 1578-1649 Italian painter. He first studied in Verona with Felice Brusasorci in whose studio he was recorded in 1597 (Brenzoni). Dal Pozzo reported that Turchi completed Brusasorci's Fall of the Manna (Verona, S Giorgio) after his master's death in 1605; his early Veronese paintings, such as the Adoration of the Shepherds (1608; Verona, S Fermo), are ambitious, with many figures and elaborate backgrounds, echoing the local tradition of which Paolo Veronese was the most distinguished exponent. Turchi may have gone to Venice with his fellow pupil, Marcantonio Bassetti, before moving to Rome c. 1614-15. He was paid for work in the Sala Regia of the Palazzo del Quirinale in 1616-17 (Briganti), where he collaborated with a team of artists, among them Giovanni Lanfranco and Carlo Saraceni. His part was to paint an oval medallion with the Gathering of the Manna (in situ) in a style that suggests Lanfranco's influence. He soon found patrons for altarpieces and cabinet paintings, among them Cardinal Scipione Borghese. By 1619 he had settled permanently in Rome and was a member of the Accademia di S Luca,
Francis A.Silva
American Hudson River School Painter, 1835-1886
John Crome
English Romantic Painter, 1768-1821 was an artist in the Romantic era. Born in the English city of Norwich, John Crome is also known as Old Crome to distinguish him from his son, John Berney Crome, who was also a well-known artist. The son of a weaver, he was apprenticed to a coach painter or sign painter. It is said that he acquired his skills by copying Gainsboroughs and Hobbemas owned by Thomas Harvey of Old Catton, his patron from 1790. The two main influences on his style are considered Dutch 17th century painting and Wilson. Crome went on to become the founder of the Norwich school of painters, of which John Sell Cotman is another famous member. He worked both in watercolour and oil. His oil paintings alone number in excess of 300. Many can be seen at major galleries around the world, including the Tate Gallery and the Royal Academy, but he is also well represented in Norwich itself. He also produced etchings and taught art. One of his pupils was James Stark. Crome's Broad and nearby Crome's Farm.