Vaccaro, Lorenzo
Part of The Encyclopedia of Southern Italy.
Vaccaro, Lorenzo: (b. 1655, Napoli, d. 1706, Torre del Greco). Sculptor, architect, silversmith and painter. Originally intending to follow a legal career, he turned to art and became a pupil of Cosimo Fanzago. On Fanzago’s death in 1678, Vaccaro inherited several of his unfinished commissions., including the marble monument to Francesco Rocco in the church of the Pieta dei Turchini, Naples. He later created several bronze and silver figures in the cathedral of S Gennaro, Naples (1679), marble putti in the church of Santa Croce, Torre del Greco (1680), stucco figures in the church of Gesu delle Monache, Naples (1681-5), and two terracottas depicting the Labors of Hercules. Over the last two decades of the 17th century, Vaccaro’s workshop created several important works of art including stucco decorations (1682) in the church of S Giorgio, over life-size stucco statues of St Helena and St Constantine (both 1689) in the church of S. Giovanni Maggiore and the light and graceful stucco decoration (1693-98) of the transept and cupola of the church of S Agostino degli Scalzi. Vaccaro was in the forefront of the change from High Baroque style to the more refined treatment known as barocchetto.