Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione died on 5 May 1664 and was buried in Mantua cathedral. His brother Salvatore and son Giovanni Francesco continued to work for the Dukes of Mantua, perpetuating the ‘Castiglione style’ until the fall of the Gonzaga in 1707 – 8.

Many of Castiglione’s drawings subsequently found their way to Venice, where his fertile imagination and ease of execution were admired by artists such as Tiepolo. His drawings were also eagerly sought after by collectors, and 250 sheets by Giovanni Benedetto and his workshop were amassed by the British Consul in Venice, Joseph Smith. In 1762 George III purchased these drawings along with the rest of Smith’s huge collection.

But the nineteenth century, an age that lauded the classical perfection of Raphael, had little sympathy with Castiglione’s spontaneity and restless vigour. And while the mid-twentieth century saw a new appreciation of the Italian Baroque, he remains little known outside academic circles. Only now, through archival discoveries, are we starting to gain an understanding of the peculiar trajectory of Castiglione’s life, and thus of the unique character of his works – drawings, etchings and monotypes of great skill and beauty.