Brief Biography-Francesco Zuccarelli was born in Pitigliano, Italy in 1702. He was a disciple of Paolo Anesi in Florence, followed by Giovanni Maria Morandi and Pietro Nelli in Rome, before going to Venice in 1732. He encountered Richard Wilson there and persuaded him to pursue landscapes after seeing a sketch by him. Zuccarelli remained in Venice for twenty years, collaborating with many other artists. Then, in 1752, he moved to England, during which time he enjoyed the patronage of the nobility, and in 1768 he became a founding member of the Royal Academy. Finally, Zuccarelli returned to Venice in 1773 and was director of the Academy of Fine Arts. However, he suddenly retired to Florence a year later and taught at the Florentine Academy of Design. According to Bryan’s dictionary, his investments in a monastery led to his deprivation. He died in 1788.