Biography

Ercole Graziani (Bologna, 1688 - Bologna, 1765) was an Italian painter.

He was a pupil of Donato Creti, with whom he was often confused, he began with works that are faithful to the formal idealizations of the master: examples of this phase are Lot and his daughters and Susanna with the elders, both works are kept at the National Art Gallery of Bologna. Subsequently he approaches Pasinelli, Creti's master, with a pictorial production of Neoveronesian derivation with more sentimental interpretations.

In the thirties of the eighteenth century Graziani produced his most important works both in the sacred genre (such as the Madonna with Child and Saint Irene, now in Brussels) and profane. In the following decades, first an academic phase followed, as in the Baptism of Christ performed for the Cathedral of San Pietro in Bologna and the two paintings for the Conservatory of Santa Marta, then a phase in which the events are interpreted in a modest key, as exemplified by the maestro Daniele Crespi, typical reference is San Mauro heals the crippled in the church of San Procolo in Bologna.

In Rome in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, Chapel of Blessed Niccolò Albergati, is the painting on the altar entitled A miracle by blessed Niccolò Albergati.

Among his disciples we must remember Antonio Concioli and Carlo Bianconi.