born Jan. 26, 1582, Parma
died Nov. 30, 1647, Rome
Italian painter.
He studied with Agostino Carracci . In 1602 he went to Rome to work with Annibale Carracci in the Farnese Palace. After Annibale's death, he became the leading fresco painter in Rome. His work shows the influence of Correggio 's dynamic illusionism. His masterpiece is the Assumption of the Virgin in the dome of Sant'Andrea della Valle (162527), which he took over from his rival, Domenichino ; with its vigorously painted figures floating in the clouds over the viewer, it is a pivotal work of the Baroque period . He worked in Naples 163346; his best-known work there is the dome of the chapel of San Gennaro in the cathedral (164146).