The exhibition organised by the Museo d'arte Mendrisio, curated by Laura Damiani Cabrini and Anastasia Gilardi, explores the personalities of two 17th century artists from Mendrisio: Francesco Torriani (1612-1683) and Francesco Innocenzo Torriani (1648-1700).
Born in 1612 in Mendrisio, Francesco trained in Como, Bologna and Rome, where he was certainly based between 1639-1640. His elegant and refined style, unlike most of the great contemporary themes characteristic of the Milanese school, shows he responded to Morazzone but was also clearly inspired by Caravaggio's naturalism, translated into an austere and classicist language.
Francesco's son Innocenzo was also born in Mendrisio, in 1648. After studying with his father, he developed in the cultural and artistic environment of the Accademia Ambrosiana in Milan of Antonio Busca. The distinctive features of Lombard art can be seen in his theatrical and scenic style, and the influence of Baroque is also clearly evident.

 

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