Pietro Perugino (born approx. 1446 died 1524) is an outstanding artist of the Early Renaissance, who participated in the decoration of the Sistine Chapel, one of the leaders of the Umbrian school of painting. The work of Pietro Perugino includes not only paintings and frescoes on religious subjects, of which he has the majority, but also portraits of real people. The master entered the history of painting under a nickname reflecting his origin from the city of Perugia, his full name is Pietro di Cristoforo Vannucci.
Pietro Perugino gained fame during his lifetime. He was invited to create frescoes in temples and palazzo, and the customers were influential princes of the church and secular aristocrats. He headed a large workshop and enjoyed considerable prestige in the professional environment. According to Giorgio Vasari, who wrote “Biographies” with biographies of artists of the XIV-XVI centuries, this master asked for extremely high fees. However, given the workload of the workshop with orders and the regular invitations that the painter received from different cities in Italy, this was quite justified.
Pietro Perugino, developing the ideas of anthropocentrism in painting, made an enormous contribution to the development of Renaissance art. With his brush, he glorified the beauty of man and sang the harmony of the world. The work of the master had a significant influence on the development of the portraitist and the emerging landscape genre, since the artist subtly inscribed nature in his subjects.
The painter’s works are distinguished by a light, sublime mood and subtle spirituality. They are lyrical, sophisticated and musical many researchers note that a look at the work of Perugino evokes associations with church liturgy. The lines in the works of the painter are smooth, the colors are bright and at the same time soft, the figures are graceful, the images are poetic, and the paintings themselves seem to exude light.
Biography of Pietro Perugino Pietro
Perugino was born in 1446 (according to other versions in 1447 or 1448) in a poor Italian family, in the small town of Citta della Pieve near Perugia. At that time, Perugia was one of the artistic centers of Italy: here, in the 13th century, an influential school of painting arose, called the Umbrian (by the name of the area Umbria).
The boy, who showed a talent for drawing, was apprenticed to an artist not too famous, but who introduced his ward to the basics of skill. At the age of 24, the young man went to the brilliant Florence, to the outstanding master Andrea del Verrocchio, who also taught Sandro Botticelli and Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci.
The young man came to Florence penniless. He, as Vasari writes, did not even have money for a decent bed, so he had to sleep on a chest. Perhaps that is why in the future, having become rich and began to receive fabulous payments for his masterpieces, Perugino was rather tight-fisted. However, many researchers believe that Vasari exaggerated somewhat, calling the artist a miser perhaps personal dislike played a role.
The young man’s talent was highly appreciated by colleagues and customers.
In 1475, he became a member of the professional guild of Saint Luke, and in 1481, among the most famous painters of the country, he was invited by Pope Sixtus IV to paint the newly built chapel (later it would be named in honor of this pontiff and become one of the main attractions of Rome) The last decade of the 15th century is the peak of Perugino’s career, the zenith of his fame. During this period, he created his major masterpieces, including “Pieta” and “The Presentation of the Keys to the Apostle Peter.”
Despite the abundance of orders, the painter put a lot of effort into the development of the talents of his students. One of them was the great Raffaello Santi. The teacher survived the student: in 1520, when 37-year-old Raphael died suddenly, Perugino finished painting for him in one of the churches. And four years later, in 1524, the plague took the life of the old master.
The most famous paintings by Pietro Perugino
Pietro Perugino’s paintings are kept in the Louvre, the Hermitage, the Florentine Uffizi Gallery and other world-famous museums. In addition, his legacy includes masterpieces of monumental painting, including those that adorn the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. Such works of the master are widely known as:
- Lamentation of Christ, or Pieta (1494-1495). Creating the composition of the picture, Perugino contrasted the real estate of the dead body with the vital movement of the surrounding world. This impression is enhanced by the natural landscape in the background. This opposition plays on the idea of the picture: the tragic plot is presented by Perugino with notes of hope, because the artist and the viewer know that Christ will soon be resurrected.
- Saint Sebastian (1493-1494). A heartfelt image of a young martyr. The painter focused his attention on the face of the young man, on the emotions of the hero, so he considered the bust image sufficient. A contrasting dark background is used to enhance the drama. It is interesting that the artist’s autograph was left on the arrow that pierces the young legionnaire, informing who painted the picture.
- “Portrait of Francesco delle Opera” (1494). Here Perugino acted as a master of both portrait and landscape painting. The image of his friend, a gem cutter, he placed against the background of a detailed landscape.
- “Holy Mary Magdalene” (1500). The image of the repentant sinner is very earthly, realistic and lyrical. Mary Magdalene in Perugino is young and tender. The work is closer to a portrait than to a religious painting. The fact that this is not just a girl, but a saint is only reminded by the inscription on the dress.
- “Madonna Enthroned with the Child Jesus, Surrounded by the Holy Rose and St. Catherine” (1490-1492). A graceful tondo, painted in delicate colors. The artist included in the traditional solemn plot only female images, angels and the baby Christ, which made it possible to create a very intimate, lyrical picture.
- “Portrait of a Young Man” (1480). Another masterpiece of Perugino the portrait painter. He managed to write a poetic image of youth without sinning against realism. The adolescent’s smart, thoughtful and slightly sad look makes a special impression.
