Antonio Campi was born in Cremona into a prolific family of artists and became the city’s principal Mannerist painter. Trained under his uncle Galeazzo Campi, Antonio absorbed Lombard... View More

Antonio Campi was born in Cremona into a prolific family of artists and became the city’s principal Mannerist painter. Trained under his uncle Galeazzo Campi, Antonio absorbed Lombard naturalism but soon embraced the elongated forms and vivid color of Mannerism.

He executed ambitious altarpieces and fresco cycles—most notably in the church of San Paolo in Cremona—where his scenes of saints and martyrs unfold with theatrical gestures and complex chiaroscuro. Campi’s expressive distortions and inventive compositions reflect the Counter-Reformation’s demand for impactful religious imagery.

As a teacher, he guided pupils such as his brothers Galeazzo and Vincenzo Campi, ensuring the Campi workshop dominated Cremonese art. Today, Antonio Campi is celebrated for his bold synthesis of Venetian color and Central Italian dynamism.