ALBANO (Francesco), a celebrated history and landscape painter, born at Bologna in 1578, who studied first in the school of Dennis Calvert at the same time with Guido, but placed himself afterward under the direction of the Caracci, and completed his studies at Rome. For the most part he painted in a small size, and chose his subjects from poetic or fabulous history: he was fond of introducing cupids, in a variety of actions and attitudes. It has been objected to him, that he was apt to preserve too great a similitude in his figures, and in the air of his heads; which arose from his painting after his wife and children as models. The style of his landscape is very agreeable, as his scenes and objects were studied from nature. In the king of Sardinia's palace at Turin, are the Four Elements painted by him, which are of extraordinary beauty and well preserved. He died in 1660. He had a brother Giovanni Battista Albano, who was his disciple, and became an admirable painter in his style: he died in 1668.