Bartolomeo Schedoni

Schedoni was the son of a maskmaker employed at the ducal courts of Modena and Parma. He was precociously gifted as an artist and in 1595 was sent by the Duke of Parma to train with Federico Zuccaro in Rome. By 1597 he was officially in the Duke's employ as a painter. However, after a short spell in prison because of his disorderly conduct he left Parma for Modena, where he became court painter to Cesare d'Este. In 1607 he returned to Parma and worked almost exclusively for Duke Ranuccio I Farnese.

Schedoni's works show a clear debt to Correggio and Parmigianino, but he was also receptive to the innovations of the Carracci. The contrast between Schedoni's delicate and refined style and his unruly life has often been noted.