Lorenzo di Credi facts for kids
Lorenzo di Credi (born between 1456 and 1459 – died January 12, 1537) was a talented Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor. He is most famous for his beautiful religious paintings. What makes him especially interesting is that he worked in the same art studio as a young Leonardo da Vinci, under the famous artist Andrea del Verrocchio.
Contents
Life of Lorenzo di Credi
Lorenzo was born in the city of Florence, Italy. His father, Andrea d' Oderigo, was a goldsmith. Lorenzo likely started learning art around the mid-1470s as an apprentice to Andrea del Verrocchio. An apprentice is someone who learns a skill or trade from a master.
Lorenzo became Verrocchio's main helper. When Verrocchio passed away in 1488, Lorenzo took over his art workshop. He finished an important painting called Madonna di Piazza for the Pistoia Cathedral. Verrocchio had started this painting in 1475, but Lorenzo completed it between 1485 and 1491.
Early Paintings and Famous Works
Some of Lorenzo's first independent paintings include an Annunciation (a scene showing the angel Gabriel telling Mary she will have Jesus) which is now in the Uffizi gallery. He also painted several Madonna and Child artworks, showing Mary with baby Jesus. You can find these in places like the Galleria Sabauda in Turin and the National Gallery in London. Another early work is Adoration of the Child in Venice.
As he became more experienced, Lorenzo created many other important pieces. These include the Madonna and Child with Saints Julian and Nicholas (1493) and the Adoration of the Shepherds (1487). He also painted the Baptism of Christ. In 1501, he even helped to redo parts of an altarpiece by an older artist named Fra Angelico. Later in his life, he continued to create many small religious paintings.
Portraits by Lorenzo
Lorenzo di Credi was also good at painting portraits, which are pictures of people. His most famous portrait is of a woman named Caterina Sforza, sometimes called La dama dei gelsomini. Caterina Sforza was a powerful lady who ruled the cities of Forlì and Imola. Later, she was captured by Cesare Borgia.
People have recently paid a lot of attention to Lorenzo's portrait of Caterina Sforza. This is because the woman in the painting looks a bit like the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Another portrait by Lorenzo, possibly of his brother's widow, is now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This painting is often compared to Leonardo's Ginevra de' Benci.
What People Said About Him
A famous writer named Giorgio Vasari wrote a book called Lives of the Artists. In this book, he wrote about Lorenzo di Credi. Vasari admired Lorenzo's art because it was very detailed and perfectly finished. However, he also said that Lorenzo was a bit of a perfectionist. This meant Lorenzo was extremely careful and spent a lot of time on his work, sometimes too much! He would grind his paint colors very finely and spend extra time preparing his oils.
Lorenzo's Students
Lorenzo di Credi taught many students in his workshop. His most important student was Giovanni Antonio Sogliani, who helped Lorenzo with many of his later artworks. Other students included Tommaso di Stefano Lunetti and Antonio del Ceraiolo. Some artists also worked with him or followed his style.
Lorenzo di Credi passed away in Florence in 1537.
Images for kids
-
Madonna adoring the Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, around 1485.
-
Madonna adoring the Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, around 1485.
-
Adoration, around 1487.
-
Portrait of Caterina Sforza, around 1490.
-
Stigmatization of Saint Francis, around 1490.
See also
In Spanish: Lorenzo di Credi para niños
