Giovanni Battista Franco, called Semolei

Giovanni Battista Franco, called 'Il Semolei,' was an Italian Mannerist painter, draughtsman, and printmaker born in Udine around 1510. He spent much of his career in Rome, Venice, and Urbino, where he was deeply influenced by Michelangelo and produced altarpieces, frescoes, and numerous etchings. His work is characterized by complex figure compositions and a highly refined draughtsmanship that reflects the intellectual ambitions of mid-16th century Mannerism.