Felice Torelli

Who was Felice Torelli?

Felice Torelli was an Italian painter of the Baroque style, active mainly in Bologna.

He was born to a family of artists in Verona, including his brother, Giuseppe Torelli, a noted violinist and composer of concerti. Both his son, Stefano Torelli, and his wife, Lucia Casalini, were painters. His wife mainly painted portraits. Felice was initially apprenticed to Santi Prunati in Verona, then to Giovanni Gioseffo dal Sole in Bologna. In 1710, Torelli was one of the founders of the Accademia Clementina in Bologna, and during his time there, Giuseppe Maria Crespi was a member. Torelli’s pupils at the academy included the two brothers Ubaldo Gandolfi and Gaetano Gandolfi. His nephew, Giovanni Giorgi was also his pupil.

He painted a Martyrdom of St. Maurelius for Ferrara Cathedral. He painted St. Vincent in the act of curing a lunatic woman for the church of the Dominicans in Faenza. Other altarpieces were painted for churches in Rome, Turin, Milan, and other cities in Italy.