Ciro Ferri (1634–1689)

• Was an Italian Baroque sculptor and painter.
• He was born in Rome.
• He collaborated with Cortona and completed for him the extensive frescoed ceilings and other internal decorations begun in the Pitti Palace, Florence (1659–65).
• His independent masterpiece is considered an extensive series of scriptural frescoes in the church of Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Bergamo).
• He executed also a large amount of miscellaneous designs, such as etchings and frontispieces for books; and served as an architect as well.

• Ferri was appointed to direct the Florentine students in Rome, and Gabbiani was one of his leading pupils.

• Among the many pupils and assistants were Ambrogio Besozzi, Camillo Gabrielli, Marziale Carpinoni, Filippo Maria Galetti, Benedetto Luti, Giovanni Battista Marmi, Giuseppe Nasini, Giovanni Odazzi, and Urbano Romanelli.

• Ferri became a member of the Accademia di San Luca on 3 June 1657.

• He continued under the patronage of the Medici, when together with the sculptor Ercole Ferrata, Ferri the painter led the Medici Academy in Rome, established in 1673 by Grand Duke Cosimo III of Tuscany.

• Ciro Ferri contributed five illustrations to the missal of Pope Alexander VII Chigi, which was published in 1662.

• He died in Rome in 1689.

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