Pietro, an eminent painter, was born at Florence in 1646, and received his first instructions in the art of painting from Valero Spada, who excelled in small drawings with a pen. Whilst he was under the care of that artist, he gave such evident proofs of a ready genius, that he was then placed as a disciple with his uncle Vincenzo Dandini, a master of great reputation throughout all Italy, who had been bred up under Pietro da Cortona. He afterwards travelled through most of the cities of Italy, studying the works of those who were most distinguished; and he resided for a long time at Venice, where he copied the paintings of Titian, Tintoretto, and Paolo Veronese. He next visited Parma and Modena, in order to design the works of Correggio; omitting no opportunity which might contribute to improve his hand or his judgment. When he returned to Florence, the Grand Duke Cosmo III., the Grand Duchess Victoria, and the Prince Ferdinand, kept him perpetually employed in fresco painting as well as in oil. His subjects were taken not only from sacred and fabulous history, but from his own invention and fancy, which frequently furnished him with such as were odd and singular, and especially with whimsical caricatures. He died in 1712.