Parmigiano

Parmigiano, or PARMIGIANINO, the nickname of GIROLAMO FRANCESCO MARIA MAZZOLA, painter of the Lombard school, and the most distinguished of those who followed the style of Correggio, was born at Parma, 11th January 1504. He began to paint when little more than fourteen years of age. In 1523 he went to Rome, and was favourably noticed and employed by Clement VII. When that city was stormed by the imperialists under Constable Bourbon in 1527 Parmigiano sat calmly at work on his picture of 'The Vision of St Jerome' (now in the National Gallery, London), and was protected from the soldiers who burst in upon him by their leader. After this event he left Rome for Bologna, where he painted various works, including a celebrated altarpiece, the 'Madonna and Child,' and returned to Parma in 1531. Having engaged to execute a series of frescoes in the church of S. Maria Steccata, and having got payment in advance, he delayed so long with the work that he was thrown into prison for breach of contract, and on being released fled to Casal Maggiore, in the territory of Cremona, where he died on 24th August 1540. His best-known picture is 'Cupid shaping a Bow;' he painted portraits too, as of Charles V., Amerigo Vespucci, and himself.