Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, known as Guercino (meaning 'squint-eyed'), was a prolific Italian Baroque painter born in Cento, near Ferrara, in 1591. Celebrated for his dynamic compositions, rich chiaroscuro, and vibrant coloring, he became one of the most sought-after artists of the 17th century, producing altarpieces, frescoes, and cabinet pictures for popes, cardinals, and European nobility. His style evolved from an early dramatic, shadowy manner influenced by Caravaggio toward a lighter, more classical approach in his later career.