Agostino
Carracci
(b Bologna, 15 Aug 1557; d Parma, 22
March 1602).
Painter, engraver and draughtsman, cousin
of Ludovico Carracci. He abandoned his profession as
a tailor, which was also that of his father, Antonio,
and began training as a painter. According to Faberi, he
studied first in the workshop of the painter Prospero
Fontana (like Ludovico), then trained under the engraver
and architect Domenico Tibaldi and under the sculptor
Alessandro Menganti (1531–c. 1594). However, it
is likely that Faberi’s account was influenced by his
desire to present Agostino’s career as an example of the
versatile ‘cursus studiorum’ advocated by the
Accademia degli Incamminati. Other sources (Mancini,
Malvasia, Bellori) agree that it was his cousin Ludovico
who was responsible for directing him towards painting.
Only recently has it been assumed that he was a pupil of
Bartolomeo Passarotti.