Baldassare Peruzzi (January 15, 1481 - January 6, 1536) was born in Siena, Italy but died in Rome, Italy. He was a painter and architect, and was one of the earliest artists to attempt quadratura, an illusionist architectural painting. This is the extension of real architecture into imaginary space. He designed the Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne in Rome, a project that was completed in 1535. A contemporary of Donato Bramante and Raphael, Peruzzi began his career as a painter. His first project was to paint the frescoes in the Cappella San Giovanni in the cathedral of Siena. His first architectural work was in Rome in the Villa Farnesina. This project took more than 10 years, from 1509 to 1521). Peruzzi also assisted in the fresco decoration of this palace.
In 1520, after the death of Raphael, he was appointed one of the architects for St. Peter’s in Rome. Among the many edifices attributed to the artist, the one that’s most significant is the Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne in Rome (begun 1532). Peruzzi curved the facade to match the road in order to meet the challenge of an unusual site. He organized the design of the structure for its site rather than going according to prevailing principles of vertical linkages between floors and central focus. Peruzzi was most successful as an architect and draftsman. Peruzzi painted theater perspectives and revived illusionistic classical mural painting. Many collectors and galleries like to stock his art in large numbers because they are in high demand.
