Landi, Gasparo

Landi, Gasparo an eminent Italian painter, was born at Piacenza in 1756, and studied the grand productions of Correggio and the Caracci. He gained the grand prize at the Academy of Parma for his fine picture of Tobias and Sarah, after which he was sent to Rome by the marquis of Landi, and studied under Pompeo Batoni. After gaining a number of prizes at the exhibitions, he was chosen professor of the Academy of St. Luke by pope Pius VI. In 1813 he was commissioned bv the French government to execute several works, and was appointed a director of the School of Design established in the convent of Apollinarius. His masterpiece is the picture in the Church of the Dominicans at Piacenza, representing Christ Ascending Mount Calvary. He died at Rome, February 24, 1830. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Spooner, Biog. Hist. of the Fine Arts, s.v.