Correggio, (Antonio Allegri) Paintings

Correggio, born Antonio Allegri, was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Parma school. He was born in August 1489 in Correggio, a small Lombard town from which he acquired his name. Little is known about Correggio's early life and training. He is thought to have studied the works of Andrea Mantegna, Leonardo da Vinci, and other contemporary artists, from which he developed his own distinctive style characterized by tender beauty and an emphasis on chiaroscuro (the contrast between light and shadow).

Correggio began his artistic career with some commissions for his local town before moving to Parma, where he would create some of his most significant works. His first major commission was the decoration of the convent of St. Paul in Parma, which he completed around 1519. His masterful use of perspective and illusionistic ceiling paintings became a hallmark of his style. The dome of the Cathedral of Parma, with its 'Assumption of the Virgin', is one of his most famous frescoes and showcases his innovative use of foreshortening and perspective to create the illusion of space.

Correggio's works are known for their sensuality and the emotional intimacy of the figures they portray, which was quite revolutionary at the time. His oil paintings exhibit a mastery of light, softness of form, and a sweetness of expression that has been described as 'Correggesque'. Among his notable works are 'The Adoration of the Shepherds', 'Diana and Actaeon', and 'The Madonna of St. Jerome', also known as 'The Day'.

Despite his artistic innovation, Correggio was not widely known outside of Parma during his lifetime, and his fame grew posthumously when his works began to be appreciated for their technical and aesthetic qualities by later artists and connoisseurs. He died on March 5, 1534, in Correggio, Italy. Today, he is regarded as one of the key figures of the High Renaissance, and his works are studied for their groundbreaking approach to composition and perspective.