b. March 1609, Genoa.
d. 1685 Mantua

Known as "Il Grechetto", Castiglione may have learned the basics of etching from Sinibaldo Scorza while he still lived in Genoa. In 1632 at age 23 he made his first trip to Rome where he lived in the parish of S. Andrea alle frate. by 1634 he was a member of the Accademia de San Luca. But by 1641 he was back in Genoa where he married. This period produced his greatest output of etchings and monotypes and lasted until 1646 or 1647 when he returned to Rome, taking along some of etching plates. On his etching plates completed after 1646 however, he added "Il Genovese" to signify he was from Genoa. He introduced himself to the printer Giovan Giacomo de Rossi who immediately offered to publish an edition. It is possible that here in Rome he also met and learned form the other distinguished etcher of the time, Pieto Testa.

By 1651 he had left Rome for Mantua to be in the service of Duke Carlo II Gonzaga but after a strained relationship with the Duke's court he again returned to Genoa for a few years. However, for some reason he returned to Mantua where he died in 1685. His tomb is in the Duomo of Mantua and is inscribed with that date.

His nickname has several attributions from various authors:
1. Ann Perry believes it is due to his participation in the Bohemi, an artistic circle in Rome.
2. Baverel-Malpi and Francois Brulliot believe it derives from a thickly worked engraving technique he used.
3. Lanzi belives it was given him in Mantua for his use of color in his painting.

We will never know.