CASTELLO

castello, giovanni battista (1500?-1569?), italian historical painter, was born near bergamo in 1500 or perhaps 1509, and is hence ordinarily termed il bergamasco. he belongs, however, to the school of genoa, but does not appear to have had any family relationship with the other two painters named castello, also noticed here. he was employed to decorate the nunziata di portoria in genoa, the saloon of the lanzi palace at gorlago, and the pardo palace in spain. his best-known works are the "martyrdom of st sebastian," and the picture of "christ as judge of the world" on one of the vaultings of the annunziata. he was an architect and sculptor as well as painter. in 1567 he was invited to madrid by philip ii., and there he died, holding the office of architect of the royal palaces. the date of death (as of birth) is differently stated as 1569 or 1579.