ALBANI, in Roman Antiquity, a college of the Salii, or priests of Mars so called from Mount Albanus, the place of their, residence.
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Albani, Francis, a celebrated painter, born in Bologna, March 17. 1578. His father was a silk merchant, and intended to bring up his son to that business; but Albani, having a strong inclination to painting, when his father died, devoted himself entirely to that art, though then but twelve years of age. He first studied under Denys Calvert, Guido Reni being at the same time under this master, with whom Albani contracted a very great friendship. Calvert drew but one profile for Albani, and afterwards left him entirely to the care of Guido, under whom he made great improvement, his fellow-discipleinstructing him with the utmost humanity and good-humour. He followed Guido to the school of the Caracci; but a little after, their friendship for each other began to cool, which was owing perhaps to the pride of Albani, who could not bear to see Guido surpass him, or to the jealousy of Guido at finding Albani make such rapid progress. They certainly endeavoured to eclipse one another; for when Guido had set up a beautiful altar-piece, Albani would oppose to it some fine picture of his. Thus did they behave for some time, and yet spoke of each other with the highest esteem. Albani, after having greatly improved himself under the Caracci, went to Rome, where he continued many years, and married in that city; but his wife dying in childbed, at the earnest request of his relations he returned to Bologna, where he entered again into the state of matrimony. His second wife (Doralice) was well descended, but had very little fortune; which he perfectly disregarded, so -strongly was he captivated with her beauty and good sense. Albani, besides the satisfaction of possessing an accomplished wife, reaped likewise the advantage of having a most beautiful model; so that he had now no occasion to make use of any other woman to paint a Venus, the Graces, •Nymphs, and other deities, whom he took a particular de- .light in representing. His wife answered this purpose admirably well; for besides her bloom of youth, and the beauty of her person, he discovered in her so much modesty, so many graces and perfections, so well adapted to painting, that it was impossible for him to meet with a more finished woman. She afterwards brought him several boys, all extremely beautiful and finely proportioned; so that she and her children were the originals of his most agreeable and graceful compositions. Doralice was so conformable to his intentions, that she took a pleasure in setting the children in different attitudes, holding them naked, and sometimes suspended by strings, when Albani would draw them in a thousand different ways. It was from them, too, that the famous sculptors Flamand and Argaldi modelled their little Cupids.

Albani was of a happy temper and disposition; his paintings, says Malvasia, breathing nothing but content and joy. Happy in a force of mind that conquered every uneasiness, his poetical pencil carried him through the most agreeable gardens to Paphos and Cythera; those delightful scenes brought him over the lofty Parnassus to the delicious abodes of Apollo and the Muses: whence what Du Fresnoy says of the famous Giulio Romano may be justly applied to Albani :—
Taught from a child in the bright Muses’ grots,
He open’d all the treasures of Parnassus,
And in the lively poetry of painting
The myst’ries of Apollo has reveal’d.

He died the 4th of October 1660, to the great grief of all his friends and the whole city of Bologna. Malvasia has preserved some verses of Francisco de Lemene, intended for his monument; the sense whèreof is, “that the mortal remains of the illustrious Albani, he who gave life to shade, he interred in this tomb. The earth never produced so wonderful an artist, nor a hand equal to bis immortal one, which gave colour to the soul, and a soul to colours. Prometheus animated clay, and gave life by means of the sun; but Albani animated merely by the assistance of shade.” He was very famous in his lifetime, and had been visited by the greatest painters. Several princes honoured him with letters; and amongst the rest King Charles I., who invited him to England by a letter signed with his own hand.