Bernardino Capitelli

Bernardino Capitelli was an artist whose documented activity spanned the early 17th century, working between 1605 and 1628. His professional output, primarily represented in institutional holdings, consists overwhelmingly of prints, though one drawing is also preserved in collections.

Capitelli specialized in detailed narrative cycles and historical documentation, often utilizing the print medium to illustrate sequential events. A significant body of work focuses on religious biography, notably the comprehensive series detailing "The Life of Saint Bernardino of Siena." These episodes cover key moments in the Saint’s career, ranging from his entry into the Franciscan Order and specific miracles, such as healing a boy attacked by a bull, to his political and ecclesiastical engagements, including his appearance before Pope Martin V and his objections during the ecumenical council in Florence.

Beyond hagiography, Capitelli’s subjects included historical portraiture, exemplified by the Portrait of Rinaldo Orsino, Archbishop of Florence (1474–1508), and the reproduction of classical themes. His print A Marriage Ceremony, after an antique painting in the possession of the Aldobrandini demonstrates an engagement with Roman antiquity and contemporary collecting practices.

Today, fourteen prints and one drawing by Capitelli are held in museum collections, most notably at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These detailed Bernardino Capitelli prints serve as museum-quality records of early 17th-century graphic art. As such, many of these historical images have entered the public domain and are frequently available as downloadable artwork for research purposes.