Paolo Guidotti, known as “il Cavaliere Borghese”, was born into a noble family in Lucca around 1560. His first biographer, Giovanni Baglione (1642), attributes a series of early Roman works to him, but without certainty. It was from 1589 onwards that his first works are recorded in a series of frescoes for Rome and Naples. His pictorial oeuvre, centred on late Mannerism, changed throughout his career and is therefore difficult to categorise. On his return from Naples in 1593, he combined his fresco commissions with smaller works (panel and canvas), his fame grew and he was mentioned by Carel van Mander as one of the best Italian painters. In addition to painting, he was interested in literature, mathematics, astrology and music, experimenting with Leonardo’s own inventions relating to flight. He was a member of the prestigious Accademia di S. Luca and the Congregation of Virtuosi of the Pantheon. In 1608 he was appointed a knight of the Militia of Christ by Paul V Borghese, and after producing a celebrated group of sculptures, headded the papal surname to his own, being known from then on as “Cavalier Borghese”. His growing fame led him to participate in important fresco projects in Bassano Romano, Lucca, Pisa and of course in Rome. In 1622 he designed, as architect, the theatrum sacrum for the canonisation of the five saints mentioned above, which, according to Giacinto Giglio in his Diario Romano (1608-1670), was highly appreciated by his contemporaries. He died in Rome on 10 March 1629.

For more information see Olga Melasecchi: “Guidotti, Paolo, detto il Cavaliere Borghese”, in: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani. Vol. 61. Treccani (2004).