Francesco Noletti

Francesco Noletti, also known as Francesco Fieravino (1611, Valletta? - 4 December 1654, Rome)[1] was an Italian still-life painter. He was often referred to by his nickname, Il Maltese.

Commemorative Portrait of Francesco Noletti (anonymous)

Biography
Still-life with Helmet

A native of Malta, he was first recorded working in Rome during the time of Pope Alexander VII; painting still-lifes with Pietro Cesarini, a Knight of Malta, as his patron.[2] Long confused with an artist named Benedetto Fioravanti, who painted similar still-lifes, his works were also often attributed to an otherwise unknown painter named Francesco Fieravino. It was only in this century that the discovery of an anonymous portrait at the University of Malta led to the firm establishment of his identity.[3]

He is mentioned for the first time in the inventories of the Barberini family, between 1631 and 1636, as the creator of "six oil papers with various flowers". As late as 1661, a certain "Francesco Maltese" is mentioned as a specialist in paintings with ornate carpets. In the absence of signed works, two etchings published in 1703 by Jacobus Coelemans served as the basis for establishing his style.

It has been certified that, as of 1642, he had settled permanently in Rome; first on the Via Margutta, then on the Via Laurina,[4] where he worked with Andrea Sacchi and got married.[3] His death certificate from 1654 describes him as a "famous painter".

His works were much sought after during his lifetime, but he was soon forgotten after his death. He was briefly referenced by Joshua Reynolds in his Catalogue of Famous Painters, as a "painter of vases, instruments, carpets and still-lifes".[3]

References
Still-life with Carpet
  1. Keith Sciberras (2009). "Tres cuadros de Francesco Noletti en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao" (PDF). Bulletin, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao (4).
  2. Roberto Longhi (1967). Saggi e ricerche: 1925-1928, 2, I. Firenze. Sansoni. p. 176. ISBN 9788838304699.
  3. Keith Sciberras; Gianluca Bocchi (2005). "L'identità rivelata di Francesco Fieravino". Pittori di Natura morta a Roma. Artisti italiani 1630-1750. Viadana. Arte Grafiche Castello.
  4. Federico Trastulli (2008). "Novità documentarie sulla figura di Francesco Noletti detto "Francesco Maltese"" (PDF). Strenna dei Romanisti (69). p. 696.

Further reading
  • Giulio Bollati; Paolo Fossati (1978–1979). Storia dell'arte italiana. Torino. Einaudi. p. 502.
  • Ernst Gombrich (1997). Dizionario della Pittura e dei Pittori. Torino. Einaudi. ISBN 978-88-06-11731-3
  • Klára Garas (1999). "Appunti sulla natura morta a Venezia nel XVII secolo : il Maltese a Venezia". In Giuseppe Maria Pilo (ed.). Pittura veneziana dal Quattrocento al Settecento : studi di storia dell'arte in onore di Egidio Martini. Venezia: Giuseppe Maria Pilo. Arsenale. pp. 145–149. ISBN 978-88-7743-222-3

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