Cosimo Rosselli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cosimo Rosselli
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Portrait of a Man c. 1481–82, thought to be of Cosimo Roselli
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Cosimo Rosselli
1439 Republic of Florence (present-day Tuscany, Italy)
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| Died | c. 1507 (aged 68) |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | High Renaissance |
Cosimo Rosselli (born 1439, died 1507) was an Italian painter. He was active during the Quattrocento (which means the 1400s). Most of his work was done in his hometown of Florence. He also worked in Lucca earlier in his career. From 1480, he painted important fresco panels in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
Even though other famous painters like Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, and Domenico Ghirlandaio were around at the same time, Rosselli still got many big jobs. This shows how busy and important art was in Florence back then! He mostly painted religious scenes. He also did a few portraits. He created large frescoes with his workshop. Two of his most famous students were Fra Bartolomeo and Piero di Cosimo. Piero di Cosimo even married Rosselli's daughter.
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Becoming a Painter
Cosimo Rosselli was born in Florence. When he was 14, in 1460, he started learning to paint. He became a student of Neri di Bicci. He also worked as an assistant to his cousin, Bernardo di Stefano Rosselli.
Rosselli spent some time working in Lucca. There, he painted several altarpieces for different churches. An altarpiece is a work of art placed behind the altar in a church. One painting believed to be by him is now in the National Gallery in London. It came from the church of St. Girolamo at Fiesole.
Painting for the Pope
In 1481, Pope Sixtus IV invited Cosimo Rosselli to Rome. The Pope wanted him to paint the side walls of the famous Sistine Chapel. Other great artists like Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, and Domenico Ghirlandaio also worked there.
Rosselli and his helpers painted two or three large frescoes. A fresco is a painting done on wet plaster. These famous works include The Descent from Mount Sinai, The Last Supper, and The Sermon of the Mount.
Other Important Works
The famous art historian Giorgio Vasari wrote about other paintings by Rosselli. One important work is an altarpiece in Sant'Ambrogio in Florence. It shows the Madonna and Child in Glory with Saints Augustine and Francis.
In the same church, there is a chapel called the Chapel of the Holy Blood. Rosselli painted frescoes there. Vasari really liked these paintings. He especially praised a portrait of a young scholar named Pico of Mirandola. The main scene in this chapel shows a procession. It features a special chalice that was believed to perform miracles.
The Gemäldegalerie, Berlin has three paintings by Rosselli. These include a small painting called Entombment of Christ. There are also two altarpieces. One shows the Madonna and Child with Angels, Saints and the Martyred Innocents. The other is called the Madonna of the Rosary.
His Students
Cosimo Rosselli was a teacher to many artists. His most important student was Piero di Cosimo. He also taught Fra Bartolomeo, Mariotto Albertinelli, and Agnolo di Domenico del Mazziere.
Historians once thought Rosselli died in 1484. But we now know this was a mistake. Records show he was still alive in November 1506. He passed away around 1507.
Images for kids
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Nativity, painted in the 1490s. This painting is in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
See also
In Spanish: Cosimo Rosselli para niños
