Sigismondo Coccapani

Sigismondo Coccapani (1585 - 1643) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Born in Florence, he studied under Ludovico Cigoli in Rome, before returning to his native city.

The flutist, c.1630-40.

Life

Coccapani was born at Florence in 1585. He at first studied literature and mathematics, but abandoned them for painting,^[1] becoming a pupil of Ludovico Cigoli in Rome^[2] where he assisted him on his work at Santa Maria Maggiore in 1610–13.^[3] Using his scientific background he showed Cigoli, who was making a record of solar activity for his friend Galileo, how to observe and record sunspots through a method of projection.^[4] Coccapani also studied architecture with Bernardo Buontalenti. Most of his work as an independent artist was done in Florence, where he died in 1643.^[2]

His drawing style was heavily indebted to that of his teacher, and some drawings once thought to be by Cigoli are now attributed to Coccapani.^[2] He and his brother Giovanni made a collection of drawings by Cigoli and his circle, many of which eventually passed into the collection of the Uffizi.^[2]

The immaculate and the eternal among the angels in the San Gaetano church in Florence.