Guercino, 1591 – 1666

The 100 Most Famous Paintings by Guercino

The painting that made Guercino famous is Pietà (1638); it hangs in the Musée Condé, Chantilly. St Peter and the angel (1650) and David with the Head of Goliath (1657) follow it in the hearts of collectors and museum visitors. Of the 367 works by Guercino in our catalogue, these 100 are the most admired, each presented with its date, its museum and what sets it apart.

Seřazeno podle našeho skóre popularity, které kombinuje počet vyhledávání, návštěv a objednávek u každého díla. Aktualizováno říjen 2026. Every masterpiece on this page can be ordered as a museum-quality, hand-painted oil reproduction or a fine art print, at the size you choose.

Portrét Guercino
Guercino · 1591 – 1666
Narozen · zemřel
1591 – 1666, Cento
Směr
Baroque
Díla v našem katalogu
367
Nejslavnější
Pietà (1638)
Nejvíce děl v
Bavarské státní sbírky malby

Guercino: the ten masterpieces

Pietà (1638) od Guercino
1

Pietà

1638 · Oil On Canvas · Musée Condé, Chantilly

This painting, titled Pietà (or La Pietà), is a significant work by the Italian artist Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, known to history by his nickname Guercino. Created between 1635 and 1640, the work reflects the artist's profound command over the dramatic language of the Baroque period. It is an oil on canvas that captures a moment of intense human sorrow through a highly controlled use of light and shadow.

St Peter and the angel (1650) od Guercino
2

St Peter and the angel

1650 · Acrylic On Canvas · Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide

Guercino’s “St Peter and the Angel” is not merely a depiction of biblical figures; it's an intensely felt moment of solace, rendered with a raw emotionalism that distinguishes the artist from his more polished contemporaries. Painted in 1650, this work, measuring a modest 30 x 21 cm, embodies the turbulent spirit of Baroque Italy – a world grappling with religious fervor and social upheaval, yet simultaneously yearning for moments of…

David with the Head of Goliath (1657) od Guercino
3

David with the Head of Goliath

1657 · Oil On Canvas · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam

A single, heavy silence hangs in the air. David lunges forward, his muscular torso caught in a sudden, sharp light that carves his anatomy from the surrounding shadows. He does not wear the triumphant grin of a conqueror; instead, his face holds a quiet, introspective gravity. His golden cloak, lined with white fur, sweeps across the composition in a diagonal arc, pulling the eye toward the severed head of Goliath.…

The Samian Sibyl with a Putto (1651) od Guercino
4

The Samian Sibyl with a Putto

1651 · Oil On Canvas · National Gallery, Londýn

The room is heavy with silence and the weight of unseen truths. A woman, the Samian Sibyl, sits anchored beside a weathered wooden desk, her body forming a stable, pyramidal shape that commands the center of this shadowed space. She is lost in deep introspection, perhaps mourning or contemplating a future only she can perceive. Her face and chest catch a sudden, directional light emerging from the upper left, pulling…

Saint-Jean-Baptiste (1661) od Guercino
5

Saint-Jean-Baptiste

1661 · Oil On Canvas · Musée Fabre, Montpellier

The oil on canvas titled SAINT JEAN-BAPTISTE A LA SOURCE depicts the figure of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. This work was executed by the Italian artist Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, known as Guercino. The painting emerged from his brush about 1661, during the later years of his creative life. It captures a moment of quietude through the depiction of the saint at a spring.

La Madonna del passero od Guercino
6

La Madonna del passero

Oil

In this intimate composition, we find a moment of profound stillness between a mother and her child. The Virgin Mary, draped in a deep red garment, holds the infant Jesus with a tenderness that feels both sacred and deeply human. A small sparrow rests near them, its presence drawing the gaze of both figures. This bird is not merely a casual addition to the scene; it acts as a focal…

Painting and Drawing (1656) od Guercino
7

Painting and Drawing

1656 · Oil On Canvas · Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Drážďany

The oil on canvas titled Painting and Drawing was executed by the artist Guercino in 1656. This allegorical work captures a quiet moment of creative exchange between two figures. A woman sits at the center, her hands engaged in the act of creation, while an older man observes the progress of a sketch. The scene functions as a visual metaphor for the relationship between different modes of artistic expression.

Portrait of a Woman (1628) od Guercino
8

Portrait of a Woman

1628 · Oil · Bavarské státní sbírky malby, Mnichov

Guercino’s Portrait of a Woman, created about 1628, presents a close-up bust portrait of a young woman. The subject is positioned with her body slightly turned to her right, while her gaze is directed downward and toward the viewer's left. This orientation creates a sense of quiet introspection. The monochromatic color palette of this specific image emphasizes tonal range and the interplay of light rather than hue.

Christ and the Moneylender (1628) od Guercino
9

Christ and the Moneylender

1628 · Oil · Bavarské státní sbírky malby, Mnichov

The composition presents a close-up profile view of two male figures positioned against a dark, indistinct background. On the left, a figure with long dark hair and a beard looks downward, his expression settled into a contemplative or sorrowful state. He is dressed in a reddish-brown garment. To the right, a second figure is shown in profile, wearing a white turban accented with blue stripes. This man possesses a weathered…

St Anthony of Padua with the Infant Christ od Guercino
10

St Anthony of Padua with the Infant Christ

Oil On Canvas

In this intimate composition, we find St. Anthony of Padua cradling the Infant Christ. The scene is stripped of grandiosity, focusing instead on the profound connection between the Franciscan friar and the child. There is a palpable tenderness in the way the figures interact, a moment of stillness that invites the viewer into a private space of devotion. The light falls softly upon the figures, pulling them from the shadows…

More Guercino masterpieces, 11 to 100

Lot and His Daughters (1651) od Guercino
#11

Lot and His Daughters

1651 · Toledo Museum of Art

In Lot and His Daughters, Guercino captures a moment of profound tension drawn from the Old Testament story of Genesis 19. The scene unfolds against a backdrop of…

Bring it home →
God the Father (1630) od Guercino
#12

God the Father

1630 · Národní muzeum ve Varšavě

Guercino presents God the Father as a singular presence upon the canvas. This religious art piece captures a divine figure through the medium of oil on canvas. The…

Commission a hand-painted copy →
Assumption of the Virgin (1650) od Guercino
#33

Assumption of the Virgin

1650 · Detroit Institute of Arts

The canvas pulls the eye upward, following a trajectory of light and fabric. At the center, the Virgin Mary rises, her form caught in a moment of celestial…

Order a reproduction →
Cleopatra (1621) od Guercino
#35

Cleopatra

1621 · Národní galerie Arménie

In this 1621 oil painting, we encounter Cleopatra, a work by the Italian artist Guercino. The subject is rendered with a profound sense of psychological weight, capturing the…

Bring it home →
The Holy Family (1620) od Guercino
#40

The Holy Family

1620

A highly talented and prolific draftsman, Guercino spent his career almost exclusively in Emilia. This drawing is unique in his oeuvre for its high degree of finish and…

Order a reproduction →
Amnon and Tamar od Guercino
#43

Amnon and Tamar

National Gallery of Art

In the grand, sweeping theater of the Italian Baroque, few moments possess the psychological tension found in Guercino’s 'Amnon and Tamar'. Created between 1649 and 1650, this evocative…

Order a reproduction →
Esther before Ahasuerus (1750) od Guercino
#51

Esther before Ahasuerus

1750 · University of Michigan Museum of Art

Guercino's 1750 depiction of *Esther before Ahasuerus* is not merely a biblical scene; it’s a masterclass in Baroque drama, an intimate tableau brimming with unspoken tension and profound…

Order a reproduction →

Guercino's paintings by period

The subjects Guercino painted most

The four subjects that return most often among these masterpieces, with the finest example of each.

Where to see Guercino's paintings

8 muzea, v nichž je umístěno nejvíce obrazů z této stránky.

Muzea Město Díla autora Guercino Obrazy z tohoto seznamu
Bavarské státní sbírky malby, MnichovBavarské státní sbírky malby Mnichov 8 Portrait of a Woman, Christ and the Moneylender, The Persian Sybil
National Gallery of Ireland, DublinNational Gallery of Ireland Dublin 6 Saint Joseph with the Christ Child, The Pensive Muse, Saint Agatha
Národní muzeum ve Varšavě, VaršavaNárodní muzeum ve Varšavě Varšava 2 God the Father, Saint Francis with an angel playing violin
Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, ProvidenceRhode Island School of Design Museum of Art Providence 2 Study for St. William of Aquitaine, Bust of a Soldier in Armor
National Gallery, LondýnNational Gallery Londýn 8 The Samian Sibyl with a Putto
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, DrážďanyStaatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden Drážďany 4 Painting and Drawing
Fitzwilliam MuseumFitzwilliam Museum 3 The Holy Family on the Flight meets the infant St John
Scottish National Gallery, EdinburghScottish National Gallery Edinburgh 3 The Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist

Guercino, decade by decade: the defining painting of each

  1. 1610s
  2. 1620s
    Portrait of a Woman (1628) od Guercino
    Rank 8 / 100

    Portrait of a Woman

    Věk 29 – 38 · Bavarské státní sbírky malby

    Guercino’s Portrait of a Woman, created about 1628, presents a close-up bust portrait of a young woman. The subject is positioned with her body slightly turned to her…

  3. 1630s
    Pietà (1638) od Guercino
    #1 of 100

    Pietà

    Věk 39 – 48 · Musée Condé

    This painting, titled Pietà (or La Pietà), is a significant work by the Italian artist Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, known to history by his nickname Guercino. Created between 1635…

  4. 1640s
  5. 1650s
    St Peter and the angel (1650) od Guercino
    Rank 2 / 100

    St Peter and the angel

    Věk 59 – 68 · Art Gallery of South Australia

    Guercino’s “St Peter and the Angel” is not merely a depiction of biblical figures; it's an intensely felt moment of solace, rendered with a raw emotionalism that distinguishes…

  6. 1660s
    Saint-Jean-Baptiste (1661) od Guercino
    No. 5 of 100

    Saint-Jean-Baptiste

    Věk 69 – 75 · Musée Fabre

    The oil on canvas titled SAINT JEAN-BAPTISTE A LA SOURCE depicts the figure of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. This work was executed by the Italian artist Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, known as…

Guercino's masterpieces: questions and answers

Which painting is Guercino best known for?Show the answer

Pietà (1638), Musée Condé, Chantilly. Next come St Peter and the angel (1650) and David with the Head of Goliath (1657).

How old was Guercino when painting Pietà?Show the answer

47 years old: Pietà dates from 1638 and Guercino was born in 1591.

What are Guercino's ten greatest paintings?Show the answer

Pietà, St Peter and the angel, David with the Head of Goliath, The Samian Sibyl with a Putto, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, La Madonna del passero, Painting and Drawing, Portrait of a Woman, Christ and the Moneylender a St Anthony of Padua with the Infant Christ. The ranking above gives the year and the museum of each.

How many works did Guercino paint?Show the answer

Our catalogue lists 367 works by Guercino, dated from 1613 to 1666.

In which museums can I see Guercino's masterpieces?Show the answer

Most of them are in Bavarské státní sbírky malby (Mnichov), National Gallery of Ireland (Dublin) a Národní muzeum ve Varšavě (Varšava). The table above lists the museums one by one.

When did Guercino paint the masterpieces?Show the answer

In 1650s: 9 of the 100 works on this page date from then, among them St Peter and the angel.

What are the first and last famous paintings of Guercino?Show the answer

The earliest on this page is The Glory of All the Saints. Fragment (1613), the latest Virtuous Love (1666).

What were Guercino's favourite subjects?Show the answer

Woman (11), Man (10) a Religious (9), among the 100 works on this page.

Which technique did Guercino favour?Show the answer

Oil On Canvas: 15 of the 100 works on this page.

What art movement is Guercino part of?Show the answer

Baroque, as the paintings on this page show.

Which masterpieces by Guercino hang at the Bavarské státní sbírky malby?Show the answer

Portrait of a Woman, Christ and the Moneylender a The Persian Sybil are among the 5 works on this page held by the Bavarské státní sbírky malby, Mnichov.

Can I own a reproduction of a Guercino masterpiece?Show the answer

Yes. Every painting on this page can be ordered as a museum-quality, hand-painted oil reproduction or a fine art print, in the size you choose, from the painting's own page.

The life of Guercino

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri – Il Guercino: Mistr Dramatického Světla a Lidské Duše

Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, známý pod jménem Il Guercino – “Šilhavý” – nebyl jen malíř, ale umělec, který se snažil zachytit esenci lidského dramatu a hluboké emoce v barokním stylu. Narodil se v Centu, malebné vesnici mezi Bolognou a Ferrarou, v roce 1591, a jeho život byl plný kontrastů – od fyzické zvláštnosti, která mu přinesla nevděčný přezdívku, až po brilantní umělecké schopnosti. Jeho cesta k umění nebyla typická akademickým vzděláváním; Il Guercino se naučil malovat především díky vlastnímu zápalu a pozorování světa kolem sebe, což mu umožnilo vyvinout jedinečný styl, který se odlišoval od mnoha jeho současníků.

Raná Vlivy a Caravaggio: Zrození Dramatického Světla

Il Guercino začal svou uměleckou cestu v dílně Benedetta Gennariho v Bologně, kde získal základní dovednosti. Jeho rané práce byly silně ovlivněny revolucionárním naturalismem Caravaggia – malíře, který se proslavil používáním ostrých kontrastů světla a stínu k vytvoření dramatických efektů. Představitel jako *Amnon a Tamar* jsou toho důkazem; obraz je plný intenzity, psychologické hloubky a nekompromisního realismu. Il Guercino se nebál zobrazovat i temné stránky lidské povahy, což byl v té době poměrně neobvyklý přístup. Přestože se inspiroval Caravaggiho technikou, brzy začal hledat vlastní cestu a rozvíjet svůj osobitý styl.

Změna Stylu: Od Tenebrismu k Klasické Harmonii

V průběhu 30. let 17. století došlo v jeho uměleckém vývoji k zásadnímu posunu. Il Guercino začal měnit svou paletu, odkláněl se od ostrých kontrastů a přecházel k jemnějšímu, vyváženějšímu světlu. Tato transformace nebyla pouhým stylistickým experimentem; byla ovlivněna jeho touhou po pochopení klasických ideálů a snahou o vytvoření obrazů, které byly nejen emocionálně působivé, ale i esteticky dokonalé. V tomto období začal zdůrazňovat prostor, harmonii a proporce, což se projevilo v dílech jako *Return of the Prodigal Son*, kde se objevuje nová rovnováha mezi dramatičností a klidem.

Biblické Příběhy a Lidská Hloubka

Il Guercino se neustále vrátil k biblickým příběhům jako zdroji inspirace, ale nezobrazoval je jen doslova. Spíše se snažil v nich zachytit lidskou dramatiku, strasti, naděje a touhy. Jeho postavy nejsou ideální svatci, ale lidé s chybami, kteří se potýkají s vírou, pochybnostmi, pokutami a záchranou. *Vzkříšení Lazara* je toho dokonalým příkladem – obraz plný emocionálního náboje a psychologické hloubky. Il Guercino měl dar vnímat vnitřní život svých postav a vyjadřovat ho prostřednictvím barvy, světla a gest. Jeho schopnost zobrazit lidské emoce s takovou přesností a citlivostí ho odlišovala od mnoha jeho současníků.

Dědictví a Znovuzpoznání

Il Guercinoho vliv se rozprostřel daleko za jeho života. Jeho dramatické používání světla a stínu, spojené s jeho schopností vyvolávat silné emoce, inspirovalo generace umělců po celé Evropě. Přestože jeho reputace klesala v 18. a 19. století, v 20. století došlo k novému ocenění jeho díla, především díky úsilí umělce a historika umění sira Denise Mahona. Mahonova pečlivá výzkum a vášnivá obhajoba pomohly obnovit Il Guercinoho na jeho místo mezi největší barokní mistry. Dnes jsou jeho obrazy vystaveny v prestižních muzeích po celém světě – od Pinacete Nazionale ve Ferarě až po National Gallery of Art v Washingtonu, D.C. – a slouží jako důkaz jeho trvalého uměleckého génia.
  • Muzea a sbírky: Díla Il Guercino se nacházejí v muzeích jako Pinacoteca Nazionale (Ferrara), Palazzo Brignole-Sale (Genoa) a Galleria Spada (Řím).
  • Mistr dramatického světla: Jeho dramatické používání světla a stínu zůstává charakteristickým rysem jeho stylu.
  • Příběhař z biblí: Zobrazoval biblické příběhy s neuvěřitelnou emocionální hloubkou a psychologickým vhledem.

Všechna díla od Guercino: 367 →