Cristoforo Rustici, known as il Rusticone, (1552 in Siena – 1641 in Siena) was an Italian painter active in Siena who is known for his religious compositions and allegorical scenes representing the twelve months.
Life
He was born in Siena in 1552 in an artistic family of architects and artists originally from Piacenza who had settled in Siena in the 16th century.[1] His father Lorenzo, known as Il Rustico or Lorenzo di Cristoforo Rustici, was a prominent Renaissance painter of stucco and grotesque decorations.[2] His younger brother Vincenzo Rustici (1556–1632) was also a painter.[3] His nephew Francesco Rustici was one of the leading followers of Caravaggio working in Siena.[4]
He trained with his father, Lorenzo Rustici and later with il Sodoma. He is mainly known for a series of compositions representing the twelve months. He also produced many religious works for the local churches.
^Gaetano Milanesi, Documenti per la storia dell'arte senese, raccolti ed illustrata. Volume 3, 1856, p. 217 (in Italian)
^Ladislav Daniel, The Florentines: art from the time of the Medici grand dukes, Exhibition catalogue: Prague, Waldstein Riding School Gallery, 16.5.-18.8.2002, Olomouc, Museum of Arts, 26.9.-5.1.2003, Cheb, Gallery of Fine Arts, 14.2.-6.4.2003, published by National Gallery in Prague, 2002, p. 92
^Filippo Baldinucci, Opere di Filippo Baldinucci volume primo [-decimoquarto]: Notizie de' professori del disegno da Cimabue in qua opera di Filippo Baldinucci fiorentino accademico della Crusca con note ed aggiunte, Volume 12, Timbro non identificato dalla Società tipografica de' classici italiani contrada del Cappuccio, 1812, p. 101-102. Filippo Baldinucci stated that Cristoforo Rustici was Francesco's father but that is no longer accepted.
