Bernardino Mei (Born to a modest family in Siena; he remained closely connected to the local Sienese artistic circles before being discovered by the powerful Chigi family) was a prominent painter and printmaker of the Italian Baroque era. While he spent the first half of his career working in relative isolation in his native Siena, his dramatic grasp of light, expressive movement, and emotional intensity eventually earned him the patronage of the papal court in Rome, positioning him among the notable masters of the Roman High Baroque.
Mei began his artistic education in Siena, training under local masters such as Rutilio Manetti and Francesco Rustici. These early mentors introduced him to the revolutionary style of Caravaggio, which heavily emphasized chiaroscuro—the stark contrast between deep shadow and piercing light. Rather than simply mimicking this approach, Mei blended Caravaggism with the fluid, lyrical linework traditional to Sienese painting. He quickly built a local reputation for altarpieces, mythological canvases, and allegorical subjects characterized by heavy, twisting drapery and intensely theatrical poses.
The turning point in Mei’s life came in the 1650s with the rise of Fabio Chigi, a fellow Sienese nobleman who was elected Pope Alexander VII in 1655. Recognized for his immense talent, Mei was invited to Rome under the direct protection of the Pope and his nephew, Cardinal Flavio Chigi. This transition completely altered his artistic vocabulary. Immersed in the competitive Roman art scene, Mei fell under the profound influence of the monumental High Baroque style practiced by his contemporaries, most notably the sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini and the painter Mattia Preti.
Under their influence, Mei’s art grew increasingly dynamic. His figures became more heroic and fluid, and his brushwork looser and more energetic. He executed prestigious commissions for the Chigi family, including decorations for the Santa Maria del Popolo church and the Palazzo Chigi in Formello. His late masterpieces, such as Christ Driving the Money Changers from the Temple, perfectly illustrate this synthesis: combining the gritty emotional realism of his Caravaggesque youth with the sweeping, turbulent movement of the Roman High Baroque. He remained active in Rome’s elite intellectual and artistic circles until his death in 1676.
Active in others filds : Engraving & Etching, Art Valuation/Advising (Consultant to Cardinal Flavio Chigi’s extensive private art collection).
Bernardino Mei Legacy :Bernardino Mei’s legacy rests on his unique ability to act as an artistic bridge. He successfully transitioned the localized, sentimental style of 17th-century Sienese painting into the grand, theatrical stream of the Roman High Baroque. Historically overshadowed by titans like Bernini or Pietro da Cortona, Mei was rediscovered by modern art historians in the late 20th century. Today, he is highly celebrated for his striking psychological depth and his ability to capture raw human emotion—ranging from melancholic introspection to explosive rage—within beautifully controlled, geometric compositions.
