Andrea Vaccaro

Who was Andrea Vaccaro?

Andrea Vaccaro was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mostly in Naples in a tenebrist style.

Born in Naples to a family of painters, including Domenico Antonio and Lorenzo Vaccaro, he first apprenticed with the late-Mannerist painter Girolamo Imparato. His initial paintings soon after 1620 show the influence of Caravaggio and his Neapolitan followers. He painted a copy of Caravaggio’s Flagellation, at one time, both the copy and original hung together in San Domenico Maggiore. He also painted a David with the Head of Goliath and Saint Sebastian. Vaccaro was both a friend and competitor of Massimo Stanzioni. After 1630, Vaccaro’s tenebrism became more illuminated and less harsh, influence by more sedate sources such as Guido Reni and Pietro da Cortona. He was patronized by the Spanish Viceroy in Naples, Gaspar de Bracamonte, 3rd Count of Peñaranda; Gaspar Roomer; and Jan Vandeneyden. One of his pupils was Giuseppe Fattoruso. His son Nicola was also a painter.