Cipriani was born in
Florence. His family were originally from
Pistoia. He first studied with
Ignatius Hugford, a Florentine artist of English descent, and then under
Anton Domenico Gabbiani. He spent the years 1750–53 in
Rome, where he became acquainted with the architect, Sir
William Chambers, and the sculptor,
Joseph Wilton whom he accompanied to England in August 1755. He had already painted two pictures, a
St Tesauro and
St Peter Igneo for the abbey of San Michele in Pelago, Pistoia, which had brought him a favorable reputation. He also painted one of the canvases of the organ of the church of
Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi in Florence and the main altarpiece of the church of the
Oratory of Gesù Pellegrino outside of the
San Gallo Gate. On his arrival to England he was patronized by
Lord Tilney,
Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond and other noblemen. When William Chambers designed the
Albany in London for
Peniston Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne, Cipriani painted a ceiling. He also painted part of a ceiling in
Buckingham House, and a room with poetical subjects at
Standlynch in
Wiltshire. At
Somerset House, also built by his friend Chambers, he prepared the decorations for the interior of the north block, including the rooms into which the
Royal Academy moved in 1750, which now houses the
Courtauld Gallery According to
Joseph Baretti in his
Guide through the Royal Academy (1780), "the whole of the carvings in the various fronts of Somerset Place — excepting Bacon's bronze figures — were carved from finished drawings made by Cipriani." These designs include the five masks forming the keystones to the arches on the courtyard side of the vestibule, and the two above the doors leading into the wings of the north block, all believed to have been carved by
Joseph Nollekens. The grotesque groups flanking the main doorways on three sides of the quadrangle and the central doorway on the terrace also appear to have been designed by Cipriani. with
Putti''. Oil on canvas, 26,5 cm diameter each. Collezione M (private collection)
Rome. Cipriani was a founder member (1768) of the Royal Academy, and designed its diploma, which was engraved by
Francesco Bartolozzi. In recognition of his services in this respect the members presented him with a silver cup with a commemorative inscription in 1769. He was much employed by publishers, for whom he made drawings in pen and ink, sometimes coloured. His friend Bartolozzi engraved most of them. Cipriani made some engravings, including
The Death of Cleopatra, after
Benvenuto Cellini;
The Descent of the Holy Ghost, after Gabbiani; and portraits for
Thomas Hollis's memoirs, 1780. He painted allegorical designs for the
Gold State Coach and the
Lord Mayor of London's State Coach, built in 1762 and 1757 respectively in 1782, and repaired
Antonio Verrio's paintings at Windsor and
Peter Paul Rubens's ceiling in the
Banqueting House at
Whitehall. He also decorated furniture. He designed many groups, of
nymphs and
amorini and medallion subjects to form the centre of
Pergolesi's bands of ornament, and they were continually reproduced upon the elegant
satin-wood furniture which was growing popular in his later days and by the end of the 18th century became a rage. These designs were sometimes inlaid in
marquetry, but more usually painted onto the wood by other hands. Some of the furniture designed by the
Adam Brothers was probably painted by Cipriani himself. He also occasionally designed handles for drawers and doors. Cipriani died in
Hammersmith in west London, and was buried at Dovehouse Green,
Chelsea, where Bartolozzi erected a monument to his memory. He had married an Englishwoman, by whom he had two sons. Among his pupils were
John Alexander Gresse (1741–1794);
Charles Grignion the Younger (1754–1804); and
Mauritius Lowe (1746–1793). ==References==