Pietro Maria Massari detto il Porrettano. Un allievo dei Carracci sull'appennino bolognese

Pietro Maria Massari (Porretta Terme, 1565 ca. - less after 1592) was a pupil of the Carracci who died young and in consequence remained virtually unnoticed by art historians. Several years ago Massari was the subject of two studies by Nicosetta Roio, who brought together the few critical comments and the works actually mentioned by early scholars, but also put forward a number of catalogue additions which by style and chronology cannot have been by the painter. An essay by the art historian Alessandro Nesi published on "Arte Cristiana" in 2012 presented a new perspective on the figure of Massari, based in part of archive research that has yelded fresh biographical evidence, and revises his catalogue, removing inappropriate attributions and suggesting new works , some of outstanding quality and beauty - above all a very remarkable Ecce Homo in the Parish Church of Badi, near Porretta and on the border of Tuscany and Emilia. All the works by Massari confirm the expressive scope of an artist of far more than "provincial" stature. The present catalogue contains the results of new archive researches, creating a more precise biographical and critical narration by Nesi, introduced by an historic view by Renzo Zagnoni, President of the local "Gruppo di 5 Studi Alta Valle del Reno" and studious. The book is prefaced by Daniele Benati, teacher of University Alma Mater Studiorum in Bologna, and studious of international fame.