Pietro Liberi (1605 – 1687)

• Was an Italian painter of the Baroque era.
• Liberi was born in Padua.
• His earliest training was with Alessandro Varotari (il Padovanino).
• He traveled extensively in Italy.

• During a voyage to Istanbul, he was captured into bondage for 8 months by pirates from Tunis.

• Released through Malta, he visited Sicily, Naples, and Pisa.

• For a few years in his life, he became a mercenary with the forces of cavaliere Antonio Manfredini.

• He fought to capture the Castle of Sichia, in present İskenderun in Turkey.

• After the campaign, he returned to Livorno, and in 1637, traveled to Lisbon, visited Liguria, the Southern coast of France and Madrid.

• Back in Tuscany, he focused again on painting, travelling to Rome.

• There he was a roommate of the engraver Stefano della Bella.

• He returned to Florence to paint a ceiling in the Oratory of San Filippo Neri.

• He traveled to Venice in 1643, painting Evangelists for the church of the Ospedaletto.

• In 1662, he was knighted by the Doge Francesco Molino.

• He was nicknamed il Libertino due to his frequent choice of salacious themes in cabinet pieces.

• Marco Liberi, his son, was also a painter.

• Other pupils include Giannantonio Lazzari.

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