Francesco Maria Cantoni
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Francesco Maria Cantoni | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 22, 1699 |
| Died | July 18, 1772 (aged 73) |
| Occupation | Stucco artist |
| Known for | Decorative work in Liguria, Lombardy, Belgium, and Germany |
| Spouse | Maria Caterina Fontana |
| Children | Pietro Matteo Cantoni, Rocco Cantoni, Giovanni Battista Cantoni, Giacomo Cantoni |
| Parent(s) | Pietro Cantoni, Caterina Fontana |
Francesco Maria Cantoni (22 February 1699 – 18 July 1772) was a Swiss stucco artist active in Liguria and Lombardy, as well as in the Austrian Netherlands and other parts of the Holy Roman Empire. Born in the Republic of Genoa and originally from Cabbio in the Valle di Muggio, he became one of the major figures in 18th-century decorative arts, working on prestigious palaces and churches throughout his career.[1]
Francesco Maria Cantoni was the youngest child of Pietro Cantoni and his second wife Caterina Fontana, daughter of Giovanni Battista Fontana, who was active in construction. After Pietro's death in 1700, financial constraints forced Caterina and her children to return to Cabbio, where Francesco Maria spent his childhood and adolescence in the Valle di Muggio.[1]
In 1723, he married Maria Caterina Fontana, daughter of Rocco Fontana, a master builder active in Rome. The couple had four sons: Pietro Matteo, Rocco, Giovanni Battista and Giacomo Cantoni, who later consolidated the family workshop's reputation and maintained the relationships their father had established with major patrons.[1]
