Creti was born in Cremona but moved with his family to Bologna in 1673. He seems to have studied under Lorenzo Pasinelli (1629 - 1700), the leading Bolognese painter of the time. In 1709 Creti was one one of the founder members of the Accademia Clementina in Bologna. He painted decorative frescoes and some altarpieces, but most of his activity was for private patrons, including a commission for a series of paintings for the 2nd Duke of Richmond at Goodwood. His art is rich in allusions to the great traditions of Bolognese painting.
Donato Creti
1671 - 1749
Paintings by Donato Creti
A servant presents Artemisia, queen of the ancient Greek city of Halicarnassus, with a cup containing the ashes of her dead husband Mausolus, which she was said to have drunk in order to become his living tomb. Artemisia gazes solemnly upward, her face pale. With her mouth slightly open, she is e...
Not on display