(Antonio), an excellent historical painter, was born at Verona in 1666. At the age of 21 he went to Venice, where he entered himself in the school of Antonio Bellucci, and continued for three years under his direction; but from thence he visited Bologna and Rome, and at the latter became the disciple of Carlo Maratti. Under the tuition of so eminent a genius, he made a very great proficiency, and exerted himself for some hours of each day, in designing after the antiques, after Raphael, Correggio, Annibale Carracci, and other admired painters; by which conduct he so effectually confirmed his taste and freedom of hand, that he obtained the prize of merit in the academy of St Luke, in the year 1694, when he was only 28 years of age. From that time his reputation was established, and he received sufficient encouragement; being engaged to work for most of the churches, and in the palaces of the nobility, and his paintings were admired in every part of Europe. His style is sweet and agreeable, not unlike that of Maratti; and the judicious observe in the works of Balestra, a certain mixture of the several manners of Raphael, Corregio, and Carracci. He died in 1740. In the church of Santa Maria Mater Domini at Venice, there is one of the most capital performances of Balestra, representing the nativity of our Saviour. It is designed in a grand style, the composition is excellent, and has a great deal of grace. The heads are peculiarly fine; and the whole has a noble effect, with remarkable harmony. In a chapel belonging to the church of S. Geminiano, in the same city, there is a dead Christ in the arms of the Virgin, painted by this master in a grand taste; and although the composition consists but of a few figures, they are finely designed; and in every part of it there is sufficient merit to claim and justify applause.