Turchi, Alessandro

Turchi, Alessandro called Veronese, also L' Orbetto, an Italian painter, was born at Verona (according to Pozzo) about 1578. When a lad his talent was recognised by Felice Riccio, who took him into his study, and carefully instructed him. Leaving Riccio, he went to Venice, where he studied with Carlo Cagliari, and then proceeded to Rome. Here he made his home until his death, in 1648. Turchi excelled in the choice and distribution of his colors, among which he introduced a reddish tint which much enlivens his pictures. At Rome he painted some altar-pieces and other pictures for the churches, the most esteemed of which are in the Church of La Concezione. Among his other principal works at Rome are, The Flight into Egypt, in San Romualdo; The Holy Family, in San Lorenio; and St. Carlo Borromeo, in San Salvatore. There are also to be noticed his Passion of the Forty Martyrs, in San Stefano; and his Pieta at La Misericordia. See Spooner, Biog. Hist. of Fine Arts, s.v.