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Historical Artist - Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449 - 1494)
Domenico Ghirlandaio originally trained as a goldsmith under his father, Tommaso Bigordi.
However, he later studied painting and mosaic under his uncle Alesso Bigordi. Beginning in 1475,
Ghirlandaio painted his recognized frescoes and wood panels. In 1481, he was called upon by Pope
Sixtus VI to come to Rome and create religious paintings. He headed a studio that taught many
young artists, including Michelangelo. Ghirlandaio's compositional schema were simultaneously
grand and decorous, in keeping with 15th century's restrained and classicizing experimentation.
His chiaroscuro, in the sense of realistic shading and three-dimensionalism, was reasonably
advanced, as were his perspectives, which he designed on a very elaborate scale by eye alone,
without the use of sophisticated mathematics. His color is more open to criticism, but such
evaluation applies less to the frescoes than the tempera paintings, which are sometimes too
broadly and crudely bright. One of the great legacies of Ghirlandaio is that he is commonly
credited with having given some early art education to Michelangelo, who cannot, however, have
remained with him long. Francesco Granacci is another among his best-known pupils.
Contemporary Italian Artists
Art Galleries in Italy
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