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Francesco Primaticcio Most Popular Paintings

The 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio our visitors ask for most, ranked by popularity and presented one by one, with the specification and the price of each hand-painted reproduction.

Edition 2026 · 16 artworks Each artwork painted to order
Linen canvas · Certificate of authenticity · Delivered worldwide Francesco Primaticcio · 1504 – 1570

The Holy Family with Sts Elisabeth and John the Baptist

1541 · Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg · original 43 x 31 cm

Experience the grandeur of The Holy Family with Sts Elisabeth and John the Baptist by Francesco Primaticcio, a masterpiece from the 16th century; discover this Renaissance splendor today.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 1 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17727 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$18731 × 43 cm Commission at original size

The Rape of Helene

1530 · Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle · original 155 x 188 cm

A visceral scene of violence and distress unfolds in Francesco Primaticcio's The Rape of Helene, a powerful 1530 oil painting that invites you to explore the intense drama of this Renaissance masterpiece.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 2 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17735 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$995188 × 155 cm Commission at original size

The Masquerade of Persepolis

1541 · The Louvre, Paris

Witness the opulent "Masquerade of Persepolis" by Francesco Primaticcio – a lavish Renaissance painting brimming with figures, masks, and intricate details from 1541.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 3 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$52734 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

Ulysses and Penelope

1545 · Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 4 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17733 × 30 cm Commission this artwork

Ulysses Winning the Archery Contest in the Presence of Penelope

1559 · National Museums Liverpool, Liverpool · original 24 x 32 cm

Francesco Primaticcio (1504-1570), an Italian Mannerist painter and architect, achieved renown for his contributions to the Fontainebleau Palace decorations. This preparatory sketch captures a pivotal moment in Homer's Odyssey, portraying Ulysses skillfully engaging in archery alongside Penelope amidst a lively gathering of figures. Primaticcio’s meticulous attention to detail and compositional ba

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 5 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17735 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Royal Staircase (detail)

1530 · Apartments of the Duchesse d'Étampes, Fontainebleau

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 6 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17731 × 32 cm Commission this artwork

Dance of the Hours and three putti with cornucopiae

1549 · Städel Museum, Frankfurt · original 33 x 35 cm

Francesco Primaticcio’s Dance of the Hours captures the ethereal beauty of Mannerism, portraying nude figures engaged in graceful movement within a luminous circle—a hallmark of Renaissance artistry—inviting viewers to explore this captivating masterpiece.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 7 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17731 × 33 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$18233 × 35 cm Commission at original size

The Nile

1540 · École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris

Experience the dramatic Renaissance struggle of Francesco Primaticcio's The Nile with its masterful chiaroscuro and earth tones; bring this timeless masterpiece home today.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 8 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17738 × 26 cm Commission this artwork

Ceres

1552 · Condé Museum, Chantilly

Francesco Primaticcio’s “Ceres,” created in 1552, is a captivating black and white chalk drawing embodying the stylistic hallmarks of Mannerism. This artwork portrays a densely populated scene featuring numerous nude or partially clothed figures arranged around Ceres, representing abundance and fertility within a classical Roman framework. The composition utilizes dynamic lines and hatching to cre

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 9 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$52735 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

Royal Staircase (detail)

1530 · Apartments of the Duchesse d'Étampes, Fontainebleau

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 10 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17726 × 38 cm Commission this artwork

Ceiling decoration (detail)

1531

Discover Francesco Primaticcio’s exquisite 1531 ceiling decoration! Featuring Ceres & Bacchus in classical Roman style, this relief sculpture showcases abundance & intricate detail. A timeless piece of art history.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 11 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17731 × 32 cm Commission this artwork

Royal Staircase (detail) (8)

1530 · Apartments of the Duchesse d'Étampes, Fontainebleau

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 12 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17743 × 24 cm Commission this artwork

Andromache Learning of the Death of Hector

1570 · original 185.4 x 225.1cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 13 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$52735 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$1707225 × 185 cm Commission at original size

Ceiling decoration

1531

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 14 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17737 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

Royal Staircase (detail)

1530 · Apartments of the Duchesse d'Étampes, Fontainebleau

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 15 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17724 × 41 cm Commission this artwork

Frieze

1531

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 16 of 16 artworks by Francesco Primaticcio
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17737 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

The artist

Francesco Primaticcio

1504 – 1570

Quick facts

Top 3 worksThe Holy Family with Sts Elisabeth and John the Baptist, The Rape of Helene, The Masquerade of Persepolis
Works on APS16
Typical colorsespresso
Born1504, Bologna, Italy
NationalityItaly
Top-ranked workThe Holy Family with Sts Elisabeth and John the Baptist
Lifespan66 years
Topics exploredmythology, buildings, classical art, royalty

Biography

The Master of Fontainebleau

Francesco Primaticcio stands as a towering figure of the Italian Mannerist tradition, a polymath whose creative reach extended far beyond the canvas to encompass the realms of architecture and sculpture. Born in Bologna, Italy, his artistic journey began under the rigorous guidance of Giulio Romano in Mantua, where he absorbed the complex, tension-filled aesthetics that would later define his career. This early training instilled in him a profound understanding of classical forms, yet Primaticcio was never content with mere imitation; instead, he sought to infuse these classical ideals with a sense of Mannerist intensity, characterized by elongated limbs, emotional extremity, and a deliberate departure from the serene balance of the High Renaissance.

His career reached its most significant zenith in France, where he became a central pillar of the First School of Fontainebleau. After securing a position in the court of Francis I in 1532, Primaticcio worked alongside Rosso Fiorentino to transform the Chateau Fontainebleau into a pinnacle of European elegance. Following the death of Rosso, Primaticcio assumed leadership of the artistic direction at the palace, managing a talented team of painters and stuccators. His influence was instrumental in shaping the French courtly aesthetic, as he provided designs for tapestries, ephemeral decorations for grand masques, and even directed the creation of bronze casts of Roman sculptures to adorn the royal gardens.

A Legacy of Line and Motion

The work of Primaticcio is a captivating study in controlled chaos and opulent grandeur. His compositions often feature a swirling vortex of human figures, where the boundaries of order are frequently breached by dramatic movement and psychological upheaval. In masterpieces such as The Rape of Helene, one observes his masterful use of chiaroscary, where deep shadows swallow the periphery to cast a harsh, dramatic light upon central struggles. This technique, combined with the characteristic long-legged canon of beauty, created an atmosphere of thick, palpable tension that would influence French art for the remainder of the century.

Beyond his narrative paintings, Primaticcio’s versatility allowed him to leave an indelible mark on the physical landscape of France through architecture. His later years were marked by a transition toward architectural pursuits, most notably seen in his work on the Valois Chapel at the Abbey of Saint-Denis. Whether through the delicate line work of a chalk drawing like Ceres or the monumental scale of fresco fragments such as Ulysses Winning the Archery Contest in the Presence of Penelope, Primaticcio’s oeuvre remains a testament to an artist who could navigate the complexities of myth, majesty, and the human psyche with unparalleled grace.

Questions & Answers

What other names is Francesco Primaticcio known by?

Francesco Primaticcio is also known as Francesco Primatticio, Bologna Primaticcio, Francesco Primadizzi, Francesco Primaticci, Francesco Prematiccio.

Where can I see Francesco Primaticcio's artworks arranged by atmosphere?

The artist's Mood Room page shows Francesco Primaticcio's artworks arranged by their atmosphere.

Can I browse Francesco Primaticcio's works by medium?

Francesco Primaticcio's works can be browsed by medium on the artist's All Medium page.

By the WikiOO.org Editorial Team Updated Sept. 1, 2026

Collector's quiz

In which city was Francesco Primaticcio born?
Under which artist did Francesco Primaticcio train in Mantua?
At which palace did Primaticcio work as a leading artist of the 'First School of Fontainebleau'?
Which French monarch's court did Primaticcio join in 1532?
What was Primaticcio's greatest architectural work?

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