Giovanni Francesco Bezzi, called il Nosadella

Little is known of the life of the Bolognese painter Giovanni Francesco Bezzi, called Nosadella. He is mentioned briefly by Malvasia 7 as a pupil of Pellegrino Tibaldi (1527-1596) and a painter of frescos, none of which survive. Nosadella was probably born in Bologna about 1530; he enrolled in the Quattro Arti di Bologna in 1549, and was a member of the Bombasari and Painters' guilds in 1571. He apparently traveled frequently and spent time in Rome. Among the handful of securely documented works by the artist are a Madonna and Child with Saints, painted for the Oratorio of Santa Maria della Vita, Bologna; and a Circumcision, painted in 1571 for the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Bologna (completed by Prospero Fontana). There has been considerable debate about paintings traditionally attributed to Nosadella; many have been proposed instead as the work of Pellegrino Tibaldi.