Bernard, an Italian painter, was born at Genoa in 1557, and excelled in colouring and in portraits. He was the intimate friend of Tasso, and took upon himself the task of designing and etching the figures of his Gerusalemme Liberata. He died at Genoa in 1629.

Valerio Castelli, one of his sons, born at Genoa in 1625, surpassed his father, and particularly excelled in painting battles, which he composed with spirit, and executed with so pleasing a variety, and so great freedom of hand, as gained him universal applause. His horses are admirably drawn, and thrown into attitudes that are natural and becoming, full of motion, action, and life. In that style of painting he showed all the fire of Tintoretto, united with the fine taste in composition peculiar to Paolo Veronese. He died in 1659.