_Sebastiano Ricci_ (Venetian: 1659-1734).
An unimportant work by a painter who worked for several years
in this country, and covered many walls and ceilings with his
facile compositions. Examples of his religious and mythological
pictures may be seen at the Dulwich Gallery. Ricci, says
Dr. Richter in his catalogue of that collection, "is one of
the most attractive painters of the Italian decadence. His
compositions are lively and ingenious, without, however, being
profound." There are also several of his works at Hampton
Court. He was born at Belluno in the Venetian State, and before
coming to England was employed by the Duke of Parma and at the
Viennese court in decorating the palace of Schoenbrunn. He left
England in disgust on finding that the work of decorating the
cupola of St. Paul's was to be entrusted to a native artist,
Sir James Thornhill. "Ricci had great facility in imitating
the style of other masters. His picture of the 'Apostles
adoring the Sacrament' in the church of S. Giustina at Padua is
painted in imitation of the cupola of S. Giovanni at Parma by
Correggio; and his 'S. Gregorio' at Bergamo recalls the works
of Guercino. But his most successful imitations were those of
Paul Veronese, many of which he is said to have sold as by that
master. He deceived the French painter La Fosse, who avenged
himself by the sarcastic remark, 'For the future, take my
advice and paint no more Ricci's'" (Bryan).