Giovanni Battista Cipriani was an Italian painter who was mainly active in England. He first trained under Ignazio Enrico Hugford, a Florentine artist of English descent. Ciprianis first commissions – organ shutters for the church of Santa Maria  Maddalena dei Pazzi in Florence and two altarpieces for churches in Pistoia – were in the tradition of Baroque painters such as Anton Domenico Gabbiani. On a trip to Rome around 1750, he met English painters whose influence changed Cipriani's style to Neo-Classicism. Cipriani followed his English friends and moved to London in 1755. He remained in England until the end of his life. His innovative neo-classical, decorative style was well received by the public. He painted mainly portraits and allegorical, mythological scenes. Cipriani also designed stage sets and was responsible for redesigning the interiors of Covent Garden. As a restorer, he worked, for instance, on frescoes in Windsor Castle and on the ceiling frescoes by Peter Paul Rubens in Whitehall Banqueting House. Cipriani taught painting and was one of the co-founders of the Royal Academy. Between 1769 and 1779, he exhibited regularly at the Academy and taught at the Royal Academy Schools. After Cipriani died of rheumatic fever, his paintings and over 1100 of his drawings were auctioned in 1786. Long after his death, Cipriani's designs were still used as models for illustrations and decorations.