Gregorio Preti, although always in the shadow of his more talented younger brother Mattia (1613 - 99), was a capable artist in his own right. He was born in Taverna, a small town in the Sila Piccola mountains of Calabria, and executed several altarpieces for churches there. As a youth he went to Rome (1630-53), where he shared a studio and collaborated with Mattia on various projects.
Nothing is known of Gregorio's training, but his early work combines influences from painting in Taverna and Naples with Roman classicism, derived from Domenichino's work. After 1640, he became his younger brother's most faithful imitator.
Gregorio Preti
1603 - 1672
Paintings by Gregorio Preti
At the age of 12 Jesus went with his parents to Jerusalem for the Passover. On their return they found he was not with them, and after searching they discovered him in the Temple involved in a learned debate with the Jewish scribes (Luke 2: 41–51). In this dramatic depiction of this story, the yo...