GHEZZI, Giuseppe

Italian painter and illustrator. He was the son of Sebastiano Ghezzi (c. 1580-1647), a painter and architect for the papacy of Pope Urban VIII. Sebastiano died when Giuseppe was only 13 years old, and he was sent to Fermo to study philosophy an letters, but took also painting instruction. He then moved to Rome where he chose painting over law studies. He painted in many Roman churches.

He painted in the style of Pietro da Cortona. Giuseppe Ghezzi was the first secretary in perpetuity for the Accademia di San Luca in Rome. He was the father of the more prominent caricaturist Pier Leone Ghezzi. Giuseppe was also a mentor to the painter and printmaker Pietro da Pietri (1663-1716).