Andrea Celesti (1637–1712)

• Celesti was an Italian painter.
• Celesti was born in Venice and is buried in Toscolano.
• He first trained with Matteo Ponzoni, then with Sebastiano Mazzoni.

• During his early years (1659–1669) he worked in Venice. 

• In 1676, he was painted doge Nicolò Sagredo’s portrait for the Sala dello Scrutinio in Ducal Palace. 

• In 1681, he was awarded the title of Cavalieri by Doge Alvise Contarini.

• Legend holds Celesti, after a yearly public exhibition in the piazza San Marco, had to flee Venice when he angered Doge Contarini, when he displayed the Doge with a donkey’s ears of a donkey. 

• He was then protected by his future patron Scipione Delaj and relocated inland. 

• In about 1685, after some painting in Rovigo, he established a studio in Brescia. 

• In 1689 he decorated a room in the palazzo Delay.

• In 1696 in Treviso, Celesti painted a Final Judgment and the Death of Simon Magus.

• By 1700 Celesti was back in Venice, where he set up his studio.

• Andrea Celesti’s pupil included Albert Calvetti and Angelo Trevisani.

• His son, Stefano Celesti was also a painter. 

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