GIOVANNI BATTISTA

CASTELLO (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 .