Primaticcio, Francesco

(born April 30, 1504, Bologna, Emilia—died 1570, Paris, France) Italian-born French painter, sculptor, and architect. In 1532 Francis I invited him to help redecorate the Fontainebleau Palace, and Primaticcio became one of the principal artists in France; he remained there the rest of his life, making only brief trips to Italy. His decorative style in painting and stucco sculpture stressed the human figure; the exaggerated musculature and active, elongated forms of his figures greatly influenced 16th-century French art. One of the first artists in France to replace religious themes with those of Classical mythology, he brought a quiet French elegance to Italian Mannerism.

Find more information on Primaticcio, Francesco. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Primaticcio, Francesco.