Giovan Battista Vaccarini

Giovan Battista Vaccarini (1702-1769) was born in Palermo. After a period of study in Rome, where he was able to admire masterpieces by Bernini and Borromini, but also of Alessandro Specchi, Francesco de Sanctis and Filippo Raguzzini, he returned to Sicily in 1730, under the patronage of Cardinal Ottoboni. He played a key role in the reconstruction of the city of Catania, which was devastated by an earthquake in 1693. He worked on the façade of the cathedral (photo), on the Abbey of Saint Agatha, the palace of the Senate, the fountain of the elephant, the church of San Giuliano, Palazzo Valle and the convitto Cutelli. He lived for a short time in Naples, during which he worked with Luigi Vanvitelli in the construction of the Palace of Caserta and could also study the works of Ferdinando Fuga. He died in Milazzo in 1769.